Red Lentil Soup

Very easy and low key dinner for tonight, and wanted something with no meat as well.

This soup we have made before and is a comfort soup for Jordan and we both love it.  Hardest thing is cutting the onion and garlic.  We didn't have thyme so we put some oregano instead in and it was still very good, and we didn't add the parsley either....

Overall....DELISH! 

yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings (makes 6 cups)

active time: 20 min

total time: 1 1/4 hr

• 
  
  Ingredients:
  1 large onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 cup red lentils (7 ounces), picked over and rinsed
• 3 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 3 cups water
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Cook onion in oil with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes.

Add garlic, cumin, bay leaf, and thyme and cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Add lentils, broth, water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until lentils are very soft and falling apart, about 30 to 45 minutes.

Discard bay leaf and thyme sprig, then purée 2 cups of mixture in blender (use caution when blending hot liquids) and return to pan.

Stir in parsley and season with salt.