Moroccan Pumpkin and Lentil Soup

This hearty soup is a meal in a bowl!

Ingredients:

1 onion, peeled and halved
2 cloves garlic, peeled
3 cm piece fresh ginger, peeled
1 small fresh chilli or 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
1 carrot, scrubbed
250 g pumpkin, cubed (if it’s a soft-skinned pumpkin like butternut, you can leave the skin on)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground paprika
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp ground turmeric
50 g no added salt tomato paste
400 g tin tomatoes – no added salt
200 g split red lentils, rinsed
600 g water or vegetable stock ( I use 1 tbsp Dr Fuhrman’s VegiZest, a no-salt stock powder, dissolved in 600 ml water)
Handful each of fresh coriander and parsley
2 cups baby spinach leaves

Method:

Thermomix method

Put carrot and pumpkin in Thermomix bowl and chop for 4 seconds on speed 6 then set aside.

Put onion, garlic, ginger and chilli in Thermomix bowl and chop for 3 seconds on speed 6. Add all spices and 3 tbsp water and sauté for 5 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 2 with measuring cup off.

Add chopped vegetables, tomato paste, tomatoes, lentils and stock and cook for 25 minutes at 100°C, speed 1.

Add herbs and purée by slowly increasing to speed 9, blending for 10 seconds once you reach this speed – be careful as the measuring cup will leap out if you take the speed up too quickly, spraying your kitchen with hot soup!

Stir in spinach, and serve.

Regular method

Dice carrot and pumpkin.

Mince garlic and ginger, dice onion and sauté in a large non-stick saucepan with 3 tbsp water on medium heat, until onion is soft.

Add chopped vegetables, tomato paste, tomatoes, lentils and stock, bring to the boil then simmer for 25 minutes.

Transfer soup to blender, add herbs and blend on high speed for 10 seconds.

Stir in spinach, and serve.

This is one of my Healthy Eating – for Life! course participants’ all-time favourite recipes! To learn more about the Healthy Eating – for Life! live and virtual courses, click here.