The sweet flavor of roasted red peppers, combined with these savory red lentils, form a soup that is pleasing to the palate– and the eye.

The first thing I noticed about these “Red Chief” Lentils was (obviously) their great color. Unlike their brown brethren (Delicious? Yes. Visually appealing? Not so much.), these beans might actually entice an eater to, well… eat. Contrary to most dry beans, lentils do not require soaking or an extended amount of time to cook. This makes them a great option for last minute cooks who still want to enjoy great tasting beans (without going down the mushy, aluminum-y, canned bean route).

What you need:

• 2 Cups Red Lentils
• 2 Cans Chicken Stock
• 3 Whole Roasted Red Peppers (can substitute jarred or canned)
• 1 Cup  Chopped Onion
• 1 Cup Chopped Carrot
• 1 Cup Chopped Celery
• 1 Cup Diced Potato (roughly 1 peeled Russet potato)
• 2 Teaspoon Cumin
• 2 Teaspoon Paprika
• 1 Clove Minced Garlic
• 8-10 Cups Water

1. Prepare all of the vegetables. Cut into similar sized pieces so they can cook evenly. They will all eventually end up pureed, so don’t worry too much about how they look.

2. In a large pot over med-high heat, add a couple tablespoons of oil (vegetable, olive, etc.). Once the pan is hot, add all vegetables and saute until they begin to brown and soften.

3. Rinse the beans under cold water, then transfer into pot along with the 2 cans of chicken stock and 8 cups of H2O. Bring mixture up to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for about 1 hour or until the lentils are completely soft and beginning to lose their shape.

4. At this point the soup is ready to be pureed. A submersion blender works great if you have one, otherwise pour the mixture into a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Be very careful because the liquid will be extremely hot.

5. Stir in spices and let the soup simmer for another 10 minutes.

Serve hot with some crusty bread slices… ENJOY!