Video:How to Make Vegetarian Red Lentil Soup

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Transcript:How to Make Vegetarian Red Lentil Soup

Hi there, Jason Carden here with About.com. Today is all about lentils. And not just any kind of lentils: red lentils.

You can buy lentils at just about any grocery store you walk into, and they are a great source of protein, high in iron and really delicious. This recipe is for a great vegetarian red lentil soup that is sure to warm up your day.

Ingredients for the Vegetarian Red Lentil Soup

To start this one off you are going to need:

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 cup each of onion, carrot and celery, diced
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 3 cups of water
• 1 cup dry red lentils
• 1/2 cup orzo
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes
• 2 bay leaves
• dash salt
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• pinch of dried mint leaves
• Parmesan cheese for garnish

Make the Vegetarian Red Lentil Soup

In a large pot, saute the onions, celery and carrots in the olive oil for 5-10 minutes until onions turn clear and the carrots are soft. Next, go ahead and add the black pepper, red pepper flakes, thyme, bay leaves, mint and salt and stir for one minute. Next add the vegetable broth, water and lentils. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until lentils are soft, about 45 minutes.

Next, add the orzo and a bit more salt and pepper to taste. Let that cook until your orzo is al dente. Remove bay leaves and stir in lemon juice before serving. Garnish with some Parmesan cheese and a bit more fresh mint if you like.

For more delicious recipes and helpful hints, visit us at About.com. Thanks for watching.