After weeks of denial, I threw on a pair of jeans and a sweater. I get it—it’s fall. My first bowl of bowl of soup this season was long overdue, but instead of buying all sorts of ingredients at the grocery, I did a total pantry/fridge raid to clear my shelves. The result was tomato carrot lentil soup that reminded me why I love swapping salads for warm bowls of veggie-packed soups.

Like so many soups and sauces from my kitchen, a can of diced fire-roasted tomatoes worked their magic for a base along with vegetable stock. I wasn’t shy about adding fragrant cumin and a pinch of dried red pepper flakes. I wanted the soup to eat like a meal without needing a hunk of bread or anything else to go on the side. Green lentils added satisfying weight to the carrots and tomatoes.

Tomato Carrot Lentil Soup

Serves 4-6

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small white onion, roughly chopped
1 pound carrots, peeled and diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup roughly chopped kale, ribs removed
1-28 ounce can diced tomatoes
4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup green lentils, rinsed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh, parsley

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Sauté the onions and carrots until they start to soften, about 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Stir in the cumin, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Then add the kale, tomatoes and stock and bring to a boil. Add the lentils, reduce the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the lentils are tender.

Divide the soup into bowls and top with fresh parsley before serving.

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