Roasted Red Pepper Lentil (Printable)
Vibrant blend of roasted red peppers and lentils with smoky spices for a warm, satisfying bowl.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 large red bell peppers
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 medium carrot, diced
05 - 1 celery stalk, diced
→ Legumes
06 - 1 cup dried red lentils, rinsed
→ Liquids
07 - 4 cups vegetable broth
08 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
→ Spices & Seasoning
09 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - ½ teaspoon ground cumin
11 - ¼ teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
12 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish (optional)
13 - Fresh parsley, chopped
14 - Lemon wedges
# Directions:
01 - Set oven to 425°F (220°C) to prepare for roasting peppers.
02 - Halve red bell peppers, remove seeds and membranes, then place cut side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
03 - Roast peppers for 20 to 25 minutes until skins blister and char. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let steam for 10 minutes before peeling skins and chopping flesh.
04 - In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion, carrot, and celery; cook for 5 to 7 minutes until softened.
05 - Incorporate minced garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, and optional chili flakes; sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
06 - Add chopped roasted peppers and rinsed lentils to the pot. Pour in vegetable broth.
07 - Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes until lentils are tender.
08 - Use an immersion blender or transfer portions to a blender to purée soup until desired consistency is achieved; leave slightly chunky if preferred.
09 - Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper.
10 - Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen when it takes barely an hour from start to finish.
- The roasted peppers do something unexpected to lentils—they transform them from humble to elegant without fuss.
- One pot, one blender, and suddenly you have something warm enough to serve to people you actually want to impress.
02 -
- Do not skip the steaming step after roasting the peppers; that ten minutes of covered rest transforms a charred pepper from a burnt-tasting thing into something sweet and smoky.
- Red lentils need far less cooking time than brown or green lentils—they disintegrate in 25 minutes, which is exactly the point, but brown lentils here will leave you with grainy soup.
03 -
- Smoked paprika is absolutely essential here—it's the thread connecting the roasted peppers to the earthy lentils, and ordinary paprika will leave you with something that tastes incomplete.
- Taste the soup before serving and adjust salt aggressively; lentil soups often need more seasoning than you'd expect because the earthiness can mask subtler flavors.