Heat a large pot over medium heat and add in the oil. Once hot, add in the onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes.

Next add in the carrots and cook until they begin to soften, about 8-10 minutes.

Increase the heat and add in the remaining ingredients minus the lemon juice and zest: dried lentils, crushed tomatoes, broth, cumin, thyme, curry powder, bay leaves, salt + pepper. Stir well to combine.

Bring to a simmer and reduce heat as necessary so that it’s at a very gentle simmer. If the stove is too hot then you may end up with mushy lentils. Cover and cook for 30-35 minutes, stirring frequently.

Remove the bay leaves and add in the lemon juice + zest.

You can serve the soup AS IS or make it a bit creamier by blending 1/4-1/2 of the soup. I do this using an immersion blender but you can also (carefully!) transfer some of the soup to a blender, blend, and then pour it back into the pot. I like my soup quite thick but you can add another cup of water or broth if desired.

Serve and ENJOY!

*I do not recommend using red lentils in this recipe

Leftovers. Store leftover soup in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Reheat. Warm up leftover soup on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Add additional broth as needed to thin the soup. You can also rewarm this soup in the microwave.

Freeze. Place leftover soup that is completely cooled in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.