Hello, Spring? Where are you? I love winter, but definitely don’t love winters into April.
I guess soup season is still in full swing, so warm up with this Red Lentil Soup. It’s a good way to end soup season; on a high note!


The spices in this recipe will take over your kitchen, in a wonderful way, and they will warm you right up. Trust me! I used Turmeric, Coriander and Cumin Seed from Spice Islands, Chipotle Chili Pepper from McCormick, Fenugreek Seeds from Frontier Co-op, Bay leaves from Private Selection and Black Mustard Seeds from Amazon.
I made this batch and my husband and I ate it fresh that evening, topped with crunchy croutons from Mrs. Cubbisons and chili oil drizzle.
The next day, this was no longer a soup and had the consistency of mashed red lentils. As I do with most dishes, I put a fried egg on it and it was amazing and so comforting.

Using leftovers to create a totally different type of meal is totally my jam!
This is a vegan recipe too. If you’d like to keep it that way, hold the croutons and the egg.
Enjoy!
Red Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons EVOO
- 1 Tablespoon black mustard seeds
- 1 Medium onion chopped
- 1 Teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 Teaspoon turmeric
- 1 Teaspoon coriander
- 1/2 Teaspoon ground fenugreek
- 1/8 Teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 1/8 Teaspoon chili powder
- 1 Bay leaf
- 2 Cups Red Lentils
- 5-7 Cups of water
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- Mrs. Cubbisons Croutons
- Cilantro (Garnish)
Preparation
- In a large dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium/high heat.
- Add the mustard seed and cook until they begin to pop, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the chopped onion to the pan and sautee until translucent.
- Add the spices: cumin, turmeric, fenugreek, chili powders and bay leaf. Cook for about a minutes and stir well.
- Add the lentils, 5 cups of the water and salt, then bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer for about 1 hour. Mix periodically and add an additional cup of water if it becomes too thick.
- Serve with a nice drizzle of chili oil and fresh herbs. (Or Croutons and a fried egg)
Recipe written and tested by Hannah Hiller of Detroitisforfoodies.com
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