Sauté the onion and carrot with 2 tbsp olive oil for 3-4 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for a couple of minutes.
1 onion chopped, 1 carrot chopped, 4 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp tomato paste
Add the rest of the soup ingredients. Cook on medium heat for about 30 minutes. Continue until the lentils are soft. The rice is added to help thicken the soup after pureeing.
1 cup red lentils, 1 14 oz can piquillo peppers or 14 oz roasted red peppers, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp crushed pepper flakes, 2 tbsp rice, 6 cups of water, 1 tbsp paprika
Blend it with a hand blender. If you prefer a chunky version, skip this step.
For a seasoned oil topping, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a small skillet and add the paprika. Stir for 5-10 seconds or until a few small bubbles start. Remove from heat and pour into a small bowl and set aside. It’s easy to scorch, so this is a very quick process.
When serving, spoon a bit of the oil on each bowl. Serve with a lemon wedge to squeeze a bit on top.
lemon wedges
