17 Sep 2014
Red Lentil and Tomato Soup with Saffron-White Truffle Oil
Posted in Recipes • Soups & Stews
I was always one of those kids back in grade school with gourmet lunches. Sandwiches that were layers of fresh vegetables and herbs with homemade mayonnaise. The one that would have immaculate fresh fruit salads, homemade bread, or leftover pasta dinners. Then there was silly me who would trade lunches with others because I just really wanted a peanut butter and jelly sandwich! If there was one thing that I would never trade, it would be my mom’s red lentil and tomato soup. As a child, this was just my tomato soup. It’s what I naively expected canned tomato soup to taste like.
So when I went off to college in 2006, I knew I needed to learn how to make this red lentil and tomato soup. It was lightly spiced, felt hearty, and was amazing with the $1.10 grilled cheese I would get from school whenever my mom packed me a thermos full of this red lentil tomato soup. It was a simple meal that had more depth and flavor. When I asked my mom why she decided to incorporate red lentils, she said that the red lentil and tomato soup is more hearty and nutrient-rich than your standard tomato soup. I couldn’t disagree! My mom was the queen of sneaking in nutrients and substantial ingredients into the standard meals my brother and I would rather eat.
Notes about the Recipe
Since growing up and learning about new flavor combinations, I wanted to incorporate my little spin on my mom’s original red lentil and tomato soup recipe. I chose to garnish the final dish with a saffron and white truffle oil to bring a little floral and earthy edge. This isn’t absolutely necessary, but it does help bring the dish together in a different way!
- Saffron is a golden ingredient! It’s easy to fall into a trap and buy a poor quality one. Zaran Saffron is one of my favorite places to buy high-quality saffron.
- White Truffle oil is usually infused extra virgin olive oil. You want something that is subtle, yet still packs flavor. La Tourangelle white truffle oil is the one I always have on hand for this soup and my popcorn!
- Ground coriander is not something in everyone’s kitchen, but it’s the one ingredient that makes this red lentil and tomato soup so tasty. It has a pungent, earthy, and citrusy flavor that can’t be replicated with any other ingredient!
Serves 2-4
Red Lentil and Tomato Soup with Saffron-White Truffle Oil
ingredients
- 5 tbs olive oil, divided
- 3-4 large tomatoes
- 1 large yellow onion, peeled
- 1 red bell pepper, stem removed
- 4 garlic cloves, skin on
- 2 tbs ginger, grated
- 1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 cup red lentils
- 1 tsp turmeric
- ½ tbs ground coriander
- ¼ cup vegetable stock
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4-6 saffron threads
- 4-6 tbs white truffle oil
method
Rinse then soak the red lentils in lukewarm water for atleast 2 hours. This will soften the lentils making it easy to cook. In a small bowl, mix the saffron threads and white truffle oil and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 400F. in a prepared baking dish, add the tomatoes, yellow onion, bell pepper, and garlic cloves with skin on. Add 3 tbs olive oil all over the vegetables. Roast everything for 25 minutes. Set aside, peel the garlic, and reserve the juices.
In a large pot over medium heat, add the remaining olive oil. Then add the tomato paste. Saute the paste until the oil divides and then add the red lentils, turmeric, ground coriander, and salt and black pepper. Keep stirring so the lentils don’t stick to the bottom of the pan for about 5 minutes. Add the can of tomato sauce, vegetable stock, and the roasted vegetables and garlic from the tray including the juices. Stir until boiling and then reduce heat and let the mixture simmer for about 10 minutes or until lentils are soft.
Using an immersion blender, blend everything directly in the pot. An immersion blender will ensure that the mixture won’t splatter everywhere because of the heat.
Once the mixture is thoroughly blended, serve the red lentil and tomato soup and top with chopped spring onions and the saffron-white truffle oil.
