Let’s boost your body’s immune with this Carrot Ginger Red Lentil Bisque Soup, loaded with antioxidant spices and autumn flavors.
The Perfect Red Lentil Bisque Soup
Red lentil soup was not a soup I grew up eating, but with added layers of flavors from ginger, carrots and lots of spices, it has fast become a favorite.
While a French lentil or green lentil would have worked in this recipe, I wanted to strengthen the nutrient integrity of beta carotene, and keep this soup as orange as possible.
When I first made red lentil soup, with vegetable stock and lots of spices, I felt there was one small element missing to deepen the flavor.
Earthiness of Lentils
A bit more earthiness, is what I was after. Since vegetable soup can often taste light, and sometimes a bit too ‘Yin’ I knew it needed a bit more ‘Yang’ to deepen the flavors.
I decided to add black tea and ginger to the red lentil vegetable broth to give it that ‘Yang’ flavor I was looking for.
Poof, just like that, the mild red lentil soup came alive with flavor and would satisfy the picky requirements of both vegan and meat eater!
The Ginger Carrot Red Lentil Soup
Sometimes, we just want to eat clean, light and healthy. This is often true after we have over indulged in great food, drink and celebration after the long holiday season.
Not to forget the importance of strengthening our immune system as we enter Autumn, kids back to school and more indoor activities.
A hot bowl of this ginger carrot red lentil soup is the perfect solution for times such as this.
Particularly during cold and flu season, not to mention the strong immune support we now need to combat the ugly new virus.
Carrots Carrots and Colorful Carrots!
It seems that every year, when January rolls around, which where I live is cold, dark, and surrounded by naked trees, I am in need of sunshine and all things bright and cheery.
Orange, for me, is the happiest of all colors. Why? Because for me, it makes me think of the sun, warmth, energy and life.
I’ve even found how easy it is to grow carrots indoors in pots during the winter months, in a sunny window, and boy are they sweet!
The Unique Flavors Of This Carrot Ginger Bisque
When I created this ginger carrot red lentil soup recipe I was looking to load up on some delicious Beta Carotene, in the form of carrots, turmeric and red lentils.
A heaping help of fresh ginger, for all those tummy bugs that love to invade us in the winter, was also a good idea.
The red lentil soup quickly took on the appearance of sun, warmth, energy and life! Call me kookie, but this girl eats with her eyes!!
How To Make Ginger Carrot Red Lentil Soup
This soup is fast and easy to make, just under an hour from start to finish, and once pureed the soup is ready to serve, or even divided in portions and frozen for busy weekday meals.
Red lentils, unlike most dried beans or peas, cook quickly in broth, rather than needing to be soaked overnight, simmered for hours and then added to the recipe.
Once all the ingredients are chopped and spices measured out, everything gets tossed into a pot to simmer for 45-minutes.
This red lentil soup is also a perfect meal to prepare, portion out and freeze for those days when there is no time to cook.
So by all means, double this recipe and save yourself plenty time in the months ahead.
Equipment Needed
- Cutting board and chopping knife for prepping the veggies that will go into this carrot soup.
- Measuring cup and measuring spoons or simply eyeball the amounts you want in the soup, less of one thing and a bit more of another.
- Large Soup pot with lid, which of course you probably already have but if not, this one is one of my favorite multi-use pots in my kitchen.
- Grater or grinder, is a tool most cooks think twice before using because knuckles can easily be cut with these, however, I’ve found an easy to use, inexpensive grinder that has a handle to turn the grater so your hands are not at risk.
- Food processor or blender, however an Immersion blender makes it easy to puree the bisque right in the soup pot.
- Stove top stove or burner.
Ingredients Needed
- Carrots, freshly peeled and rough chopped to release their sweet nutrients, as opposed to frozen, which loses much of their flavor.
- Onions, preferably sweet yellow onions, loaded with vitamins C and B6 and other rich minerals and nutrient for immune support.
- Olive oil has so many flavors depending on the quality of the processing.
- Red lentils are a nutritional powerhouse, rich in protein, fiber and other healthful properties.
- Ginger, freshly grated adds distinctive spicy as well as sweet flavors along with a significant source of many vitamins and minerals.
- Turmeric, freshly peeled and grated is going to add amazing color, flavor and nutrients. The flavor is slightly bitter and peppery, adding depth to the gentle flavor of a carrot soup. Nutrients off the charts like iron, manganese, fiber and lots of vitamins.
- Lemon’s flavor brings a bright, tangy and refreshing zest to the flavor of foods. Of course we know the Vitamin C and antioxidant levels are important to health support.
- Coriander powder offers the floral and citrusy notes that will bring the flavors of this soup alive.
- Cumin powder offers a savory, earthy, slightly nutty flavor often complimented by the addition of a bit of cinnamon.
- Cinnamon is a versatile spice that adds warmth and flavor and is only sweet when sugar is added to it, so this carrot soup with all its other warm flavors screams for a dash of cinnamon, a spice used frequently in Middle Eastern savory dishes.
- Vegetable broth can be purchased or easily obtained by simmering a quick pot of water with a mirepoix, something I keep in bundles in my freezer for recipes such as this.
- Black tea, yes black tea because it adds depth of flavor to a variety of marinades, broths and sauces.
- Salt and pepper according to your preferences, and the pepper can be black, white or pink peppercorns.
- Honey will not make this soup sweet but will compliment the sweetness of flavor in the carrots.
More Healthy Bisques And Soups To Love
How easy it is to simmer a pot of nutrient rich ingredients, add flavors you love, and turn it into one of the healthiest meals you can eat!
I have so many favorite healthy soups to share with you, including a few cold summertime soups, and so allow me to share just a few for you here.
Never forget to toss bones for a hearty bone broth or seafood shells and bones into a pot, before tossing them, to boil the flavors from them and save for later use.
- Asparagus Ends And Garlic Soup – with olive oil and basil, makes for a delicious soup, helping not to waste the woody ends of fresh asparagus.
- Immune Boost Vegetable Onion Soup – is slow simmered in natural medicinal properties from onion, turmeric, ginger, fresh herbs and mushrooms.
- Black Bean Soup With Black Rice – has an earthy flavor from both the beans and black rice but gets its zing from hot chilies and smoked salt!
- Rich Butternut Squash Soup – Don’t let this velvety smooth coconut milk Butternut Squash Soup fool you, it’s Flavor Rich with garam masala, chili’s, turmeric, ginger and tahini!
Carrots In My Kitchen
How can we not be inspired to create a variety of recipes, both sweet or savory, with the versatile carrot.
- Carrot Ginger Scones – What could be better than a British Recipe for scones? An American Carrot Ginger Scone recipe that’s NOT a carrot cake trying to be a scone!
- Carrot and Beetroot Halva Babka, a rich decadent bread with the luscious colors and flavors of carrot and beetroot, with tahini and nuts to fast make this your favorite sweet bread.
- Garden Inspired Creamy Carrot Risotto Recipe was inspired by my first garden harvest of carrots, and rich in Parmesan, goat cheese, caramelized onion and wine.
- Or, how about the perfect Carrot Yeast Bread to dunk in your carrot soup bisque, made to look just like carrots!
Carrot Ginger Red Lentil Bisque Soup
Equipment
- Large Soup Pot
- blender or immersion blender
Ingredients
- 3-4 cups Carrots rough chopped
- 1 Onion, large rough chopped
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 cup Red lentils, dry
- 2 tbsp Fresh Ginger freshly grated
- 1 tbsp Fresh Turmeric freshly grated
- 2 tbsp Lemon juice with zest
- 1 tsp Coriander
- 1 tbsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 8 cups Vegetable broth homemade or purchased without tomatoes
- 1 Black tea bag
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp Honey
- 1/4 cup Optional toppings smoked pepper flakes or toasted nuts
Instructions
- Warm olive oil in a large soup pot. Add onions and saute for a few minutes. Layer in all the ingredients, adding broth last. Cover, bring to a boil, lower, and simmer for 45 minutes.Â
- Uncover, remove tea bag, add honey, stir and cool enough to puree in batches or with an immersion blender.
- If serving right away, warm the soup back to desired temperature. Otherwise transfer to small portion containers and keep in the fridge. Will last in the fridge for several days, or freeze small batches.Â
Video
Notes
- Ginger and Turmeric, freshly grated, contain the highest nutrients. Peel, chop, and freeze to have on hand. Â
- Meat eater topping can be crumbled bacon.Â
I believe the table... that place that draws people to gather, is the most powerful symbol of togetherness. All that happens before the table is set, the planning, the gathering, the preparing, are all an intricate part of the dance that create the mood of celebration to share with friends and loved ones.