Ingredients
Scale
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped
- 1 – 3 cloves garlic, peeled & chopped
- 1/3 cup carrots, peeled & chopped
- 1 cup canned tomatoes
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup red lentils
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup Romesco sauce (recipe here)
- 1/2 cup shredded Italian blend of cheeses
- 1/4 cup fat free half & half or milk (or cream … I used fat free half & half)
- About 2 Tablespoons fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon Red Robin seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground red chimayo or other hot chili peppers (optional … more or less to taste)
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large saucepan over medium heat, then add the onion, garlic, and carrots and saute for a few minutes, stirring, until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Add the tomatoes, broth, water, lentils & bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook until the lentils are tender. Keep the lid partway covering the top and cook about 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so.
- If using a traditional blender: Remove from heat, pull out the bay leaf, then pour into a blender cup. Let cool a bit, then add the remaining ingredients. Cover the top with a towel and pulse very gently a couple times to release the extra pressure, then blend till smooth. Adjust seasonings to your liking and blend again.
- If using an immersion blender: remove the bay leaf from the pan, add the remaining ingredients to the pot and blend till smooth. Adjust the seasonings to your liking and blend again.
Notes
RECIPE SOURCE: http://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/
© Copyright 2014, Sumptuous Spoonfuls. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to publish any of my images, please ask first. If you want to republish this recipe as your own, please re-write the recipe in your own words or link back to this post for the recipe.