Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

Ingredients

• 40 g lentils (dry)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 50 g onions (quartered)
• 200 g red peppers (quartered (approx. 2 peppers))
• 50 g olive oil
• 400 g ripe tomatoes (cut in 2 cm pieces; can substitute with tinned chopped tomatoes)
• 1 tsp vegetable stock paste (heaped, homemade; or 1 vegetable stock cube for 0.5 l)
• 400 g water
• 1 tsp fine sea salt (or to taste)
• 0.5 tsp ground black pepper (plus extra for sprinkling)
• 0.25 tsp ground cayenne pepper (optional)

Steps

1. 1

   Place the lentils into the mixing bowl and mill for 30 seconds at Speed 10. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

2. 2

   Place the garlic cloves, 50 g quartered onions, 200 g quartered red peppers, and 50 g olive oil into the mixing bowl. Chop for 5 seconds at Speed 5.

3. 3

   Sauté the vegetable mixture for 5 minutes at 120°C (or Varoma temperature) at Speed 1.

4. 4

   Add 400 g ripe tomato pieces, 1 heaped tsp vegetable stock paste, 400 g water, 1 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, the reserved milled lentils, and 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (if using).

5. 5

   Cook the soup for 15 minutes at 100°C at Speed 1.

6. 6

   Blend the soup for 1 minute, gradually increasing the speed from Speed 5 to Speed 9.

7. 7

   Serve hot, sprinkled with extra ground black pepper if desired.

Notes

You can substitute fresh tomatoes with 400 g of tinned chopped tomatoes. If you do not have homemade stock paste, use one vegetable stock cube crumbled into the water. The lentils act as a natural thickener and add protein to the dish.

Nutrition per serving

• soup
• main
• vegetarian
• gluten-free
• thermomix
• healthy
• mediterranean
• quick