Hearty tomato and red lentil soup

Photographer: Melanie Jenkins

This incredibly easy, vegetarian, low cost hearty tomato and red lentil soup is a great family meal, freezes well, high in iron with a vegan option, guaranteed to warm you up this winter!

Serves: 4

Time to make: 45 mins

Hands-on time: 20 mins

Ingredients

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1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ground coriandercilantroX
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
10 medium (1kg) tomatoes, finely diced or 2 x 400g cans diced tomatoes
4 cups cold water
1 cup red lentils, rinsed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1-2 teaspoons sugar (optional)
pinch of salt, to serve
ground black pepper, to serve
4 toasted slices Vogel’s Original Mixed Grain bread (or similar)
8 teaspoons reduced-fat spread

$AVER recipes were costed at $5 or below at the time of publication. We are mindful that seasonal and regional availability and price fluctuations occur - click here for healthy shopping tips for greater savings.

Instructions

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Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, celery, carrot and cumin seeds. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Add ground coriander, paprika, turmeric and tomatoes and continue to cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring often until the tomatoes are soft.
Add water, lentils and tomato paste. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 25-30 minutes, adding a touch more water if needed. Add sugar, if using, then season with salt and pepper.
Serve hot, with toast and spread.

Variations

If you love smoky flavours, use smoked paprika in place of regular.

Make it vegan: Check bread and spread are vegan.

HFG tip

This recipe is ideal for making big batches and freezing.

Nutrition Info (per serve)

Calories 442 cal

Kilojoules 1850 kJ

Protein 19 g

Total fat 12 g

Saturated fat 2 g

Carbohydrates 65 g

Sugar 17 g

Dietary fibre 15 g

Sodium 510 mg

Calcium 130 mg

Iron 6 mg

Note: This nutrition analysis is a guide only. Nutrition composition will vary depending on the exact ingredients used. See our guides on your optimal daily nutrition intake, and supermarket shopping.