WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Small red lentils are one of our favorite legumes; they do not hold their shape when cooked but break down quickly into a creamy thick puree—perfect for a satisfying soup. Their mild flavor does require a bit of embellishment, so we started by sautéing onion in olive oil and used the warm mixture to bloom some fragrant North African spices. Tomato paste and garlic completed the base before the addition of the lentils, and a mix of broth and water gave the soup a full, rounded character. After only 15 minutes of cooking, the lentils were soft enough to be pureed with a whisk. A generous dose of lemon juice brought the flavors into focus, and a drizzle of spice-infused oil and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro completed the transformation of commonplace ingredients into an exotic yet comforting soup.

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, chopped fine

Salt and pepper

¾ teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

⅛  teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 garlic clove, minced

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth, plus extra as needed

2 cups water

10½ ounces (1½ cups) red lentils, picked over and rinsed

2 tablespoons lemon juice, plus extra for seasoning

1½ teaspoons dried mint, crumbled

1 teaspoon paprika

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in coriander, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and garlic and cook for 1 minute.
2. Stir in broth, water, and lentils and bring to vigorous simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lentils are soft and about half are broken down, about 15 minutes.
3. Whisk soup vigorously until broken down to coarse puree, about 30 seconds. Adjust consistency with extra hot broth as needed. Stir in lemon juice and season with salt and extra lemon juice to taste. Cover and keep warm.
4. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in small skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Off heat, stir in mint and paprika. Serve soup, drizzling individual portions with 1 teaspoon spiced oil and sprinkling with cilantro.