A jarred ingredient makes this lentil soup almost effortless
After a week that involved three nights of after-work prep for Thanksgiving, and then the big day itself, what did I want? Something so easy it would border on effortless.
That's what I got from a red-lentil soup by Brandi Doming, author of "The Vegan 8" (Oxmoor House, 2018). There's very little knife work, with most of the flavor coming from a few herbs and spices, plus a good amount of jarred red salsa. The latter is a masterstroke of semi-homemade-ness, especially when you use a decent-quality product, of course. I think about that old cooking-with-wine advice: Don't cook with anything you wouldn't want to drink.
Beyond that, the recipe demonstrates again the magic of red lentils, which, besides offering their earthy flavor and nutritional benefits, break down and thicken the soup with no pureeing necessary. Diced red bell pepper and corn, along with garnishes of avocado and cilantro, add texture and color.
It's a nice break from the richness of the Thanksgiving meal (and leftovers) - and all the work that went into preparing it.