Chickpea and Red Lentil Soup

When it starts to get cold outside, I really crave simple and filling meals, and this soup perfectly fits the bill. Red lentils are used here because they start to fall apart when cooked which works wonders on thickening the soup, and pureeing half the soup at the end helps even more in lending it a hearty thick consistency. Smoked paprika is one of my favorite spices, so I’ve made it the star of the show here (if you want, you can add some sweet paprika as well). This soup tastes equally well served plain or with a tangy dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt and can work as a full meal or a hearty appetizer.

Chickpea and Red Lentil Soup (adapted from Kalyn’s Kitchen)
Yield: 4 servings as an entree, 8 as an appetizer

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 – 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 Tbsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 cup dry white wine, hard cider, or pale ale
• 3/4 cup red lentils*
• 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes
• 3 – 4 cups stock
• salt and pepper, to taste

*You can substitute yellow lentils, but you’ll probably want to stay away from lentils that hold their shape (like French lentils).

Method:

1. In a dutch oven or large pot, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat, then add 1 large onion, diced and sautee until transparent.
2. Add 2 – 3 cloves garlic, minced and 1/2 Tbsp paprika and sautee until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
3. Add 1/2 cup dry white wine, hard cider, or pale ale to deglaze, scraping the bottom of the pot.
4. Add 3/4 cup red lentils, 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed, 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes, and 3 – 4 cups stock. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and let simmer until the lentils are cooked through, adding more stock if needed, about 30 – 45 minutes.
5. Remove about half the soup and puree, then stir back in to the pot. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
6. Serve hot, with sour cream or plain yogurt if desired.