Name: Red lentil soup
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 1.5 cups Red lentils; 1 Yellow onion; 2 Carrots; 1 Russet potato; 3 cloves Garlic; 2 tbsp Tomato paste; 8 cups Vegetable broth; 2 Lemons; 2 tsp Ground cumin; 1 tsp Paprika; 0.5 tsp Red pepper flakes; 1 tsp Dried mint; 2 tbsp Butter; 2 tbsp Olive oil; 2 tsp Salt

Red lentil soup

Turkish-style lentil soup, blended silky and finished with lemon. Costs very little and fills you up.

How many people are eating

Written for 6. Everything below is scaled to 6.

What goes on the list — untick anything you have

1.5 cups Red lentils(rice and beans aisle or international aisle)
1 Yellow onion
2 Carrots
1 Russet potato
3 cloves Garlic
2 tbsp Tomato paste
8 cups Vegetable broth
2 Lemons
2 tsp Ground cumin· most people have this
1 tsp Paprika· most people have this
0.5 tsp Red pepper flakes(or Aleppo pepper if you can find it)· most people have this
1 tsp Dried mint(spice aisle; optional but traditional)· most people have this
2 tbsp Butter
2 tbsp Olive oil· most people have this
2 tsp Salt· most people have this

It lands in the shopping form, where you can edit anything, add to it, and say what you think each thing costs. Nothing is ordered until you send it.

How to cook it · about 40 minutes

Rinse the lentils in a strainer until the water runs clear. Chop the onion, carrots and peeled potato into small pieces.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion 5 minutes, then the carrots and potato for 3 more. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste and cumin for 1 minute.
Add the lentils and broth. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, partly covered, for 25 minutes until the lentils have completely fallen apart and the potato is soft.
Blend until smooth with a stick blender, or carefully in batches in a regular blender with the lid cracked and a dish towel over the top. Season with the salt and the juice of 1 lemon. Thin with water if it is thicker than you like.
Just before serving, melt the butter in a small pan and stir in the paprika, red pepper flakes and dried mint for 30 seconds until it sizzles and turns red.
Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle the red butter over the top, and serve with lemon wedges and bread.

Amounts are on the list above — they change with the number of people; the steps do not.