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You could just make this tomato-rich red lentil soup — it’s earthy and sweet, delicious on its own. But skipping the goat cheese topping would be like eating tomato soup without grilled cheese, and what’s the fun in that? In this recipe, the melty cheese accompaniment happens right in the pot: Once the lentils are soft, top them with slices of herb-and-lemon-sprinkled goat cheese to warm. The cheese forms creamy, tangy puddles throughout your bowl. While this dish is lovely as it is, feel free to top bowls with toasted walnuts or sliced almonds, zhug, rice or leftover root vegetables, eggplant or peppers. It’s also good with pita or crusty bread.
Ingredients
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3tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil 1(4 1/2 ounce) tube double concentrate tomato paste or 6 ounces (1 can) tomato paste 3garlic cloves, finely grated 1 1/2teaspoons ground coriander 1teaspoon Italian seasoning, za’atar or dried oregano 1/2teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving 1cup red lentils Kosher salt (Diamond Crystal) 1lemon 4ounces regular or herb goat cheese, cut into 8 slices
Directions
In a large Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium. Add the tomato paste, garlic, coriander, 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning and the red-pepper flakes. Stir until the tomato paste is a shade darker and sticking to the bottom of the pot, 2 to 4 minutes. (Try not to rush this step; it’s where the flavor of the soup develops.) Add 4 ½ cups of water, the lentils and 1 teaspoon salt. Increase heat to medium-high, scrape any browned bits stuck to the pot and stir to break up the big chunks of tomato paste. Partially cover the pot and bring to a simmer, then completely cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until the lentils start to break down and lose their shape, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir occasionally and scrape any stuck lentils from the bottom of the pot. Meanwhile, zest the lemon into a small bowl. Cut the lemon into wedges for serving. Add the remaining ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning to the lemon zest and season with salt and more red-pepper flakes. Rub with your fingers until you smell lemon; set aside. Turn off the heat under the lentils. Season to taste with salt. Place the goat cheese on top of the lentils, then sprinkle the goat cheese with the lemon-herb mixture. Cover the pot and let sit until the goat cheese is softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve the soup with a lemon wedge for squeezing over.
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