Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 2 ribs celery, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups dried brown or green lentils, rinsed
  • 8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 can (14.5oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 cups fresh kale or spinach, chopped
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions:

  1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven. Add diced onion, carrot, and celery; sauté for 6–8 minutes until onions are translucent and carrots soften.
  2. Stir in minced garlic, ground cumin, and smoked paprika. Cook for 60 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes to deepen the color.
  4. Add rinsed lentils, vegetable broth, fire-roasted tomatoes, and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30–35 minutes until lentils are tender.
  5. Remove the bay leaf. Use an immersion blender to pulse the soup 3–4 times to create a creamy emulsion while keeping some texture.
  6. Stir in chopped kale and let it wilt in the residual heat for 2 minutes.
  7. Turn off the heat and stir in fresh lemon juice, salt, and black pepper.