Mexican lentil soup with cilantro and almonds
Ingredients
- 3 yellow onions
- 6 sticks celery
- 3 red bell peppers
- 3 tbsp chopped oregano
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- ⅓ cup tomato paste
- 6 cups red lentils (dry)
- 4 ½ cups canned diced tomato with herbs
- 3 tbsp cumin
- 2 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- ¾ cup sliced almonds
- ¾ cup chopped cilantro
Steps
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Peel and dice onion. Trim celery and finely chop. De-seed and dice red bell pepper. Remove stems from oregano and finely chop as well.
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In a large pot over medium-high heat, combine olive oil, onion, celery and red bell pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and oregano and cook 2 more minutes.
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Add tomato paste and cook, stirring regularly, until very thick, 2 to 3 minutes. Add lentils, diced tomato (along with any liquid) and 15 cups water. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until lentils are soft and water is almost gone, 20 to 25 minutes.
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Remove soup from heat. Stir in cumin, ground coriander, smoked paprika and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and let rest 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with sliced almonds and fresh cilantro.
