Pumpkin and lentil soup
Let's prepare the ingredients for pumpkin and lentil soup. You can use frozen pumpkin, but don't defrost it before cooking. I prefer red lentils, but green ones will work just as well. Instead of tomatoes, you can use a little good-quality tomato paste. As you can see, the ingredients for this soup are very basic.
Cut the onion and carrot into small cubes.
Peel the pumpkin and cut it into larger cubes.
Pour vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and sauté the onion until translucent. Add the carrots and stir.
After 5 minutes, add the pumpkin cubes, stir and cook the vegetables together for 5-7 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the tomato. You can peel the tomato and finely chop the flesh. I simply cut the tomato in half and grated it on a coarse grater, leaving the skin intact. Add the chopped garlic.
Place the washed lentils in the pan with the vegetables.
Pour in about 1 liter of water, maybe a little more. Adjust the thickness of the soup to your liking. Bring the soup to a boil and simmer over medium heat until the lentils are almost done. Add the tomato and garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.
Turn off the heat and let the soup simmer for 2-3 minutes. Garnish the pumpkin and lentil soup with herbs and serve. This aromatic, delicate, hearty, and delicious soup will delight you with both its color and flavor! I also added garlic seeds; the sweetness of the pumpkin and the spiciness of the garlic are a perfect combination!
The lentils turned out tender and delicious. Enjoy!
