Mexican Lentil Soup

By SamU

Ingredients

• By Greta Podleski
• Ingredients
• 1 1 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1 1 cup each diced onions, diced celery and diced red bell peppers
• 1 1 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 1 1 cup peeled, cubed sweet potatoes (small cubes)
• 2 2 2 tsp each chili powder and ground cumin
• 1 1 1 tsp each ground coriander and dried oregano
• 1/2 1/2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 3 3 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 1 1 can (398 mL) fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained
• 3 3 3 tbsp smoky barbecue sauce (store bought or homemade)*
• 1/2 1/2 1/2 tsp each sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1 1 can (540 mL) lentils, drained and rinsed
• 2 to 3 2 to 3 3 tbsp minced fresh cilantro
• Diced avocados (for vegan) and/or Greek yogurt or sour cream for topping, optional
• Preparation
• Try using carrots or butternut squash instead of sweet potatoes.
• Top with grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese before serving.
• 7 Makes 7 cups of soup

Preparation

Step 1

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onions, celery, bell peppers and garlic. Cook and stir until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

Add sweet potatoes, chili powder, cumin, coriander, oregano and cinnamon. Mix well. Add broth, tomatoes with liquid, barbecue sauce, salt and pepper. Bring soup to a boil. Reduced heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in lentils and simmer for 5 more minutes.

Remove soup from heat. Using an immersion blender, purée about half the soup using quick pulses, so it’s still a bit lumpy but appears thicker (see photo). Serve with diced avocados or Greek yogurt/sour cream dollop (for non-vegan).

Recipe notes:

*Make sure your barbecue sauce is gluten-free and/or vegan if that’s important to you. There are lots of options on store shelves, so this shouldn’t be a problem.