Calgary’s new Bite Groceteria & Café, is my newest food muse. I recently stopped by, and while I managed to stop myself from buying a slab of their beautiful milk chocolate cheesecake, I did indulge in a wide variety of cheeses, some marinated artichokes, and a beautiful tin of hot, smoked paprika. Mmm. I could smell it through the sealed tin and knew I had to have it.
This soup is thick and chunky, full of all my favourite vegetables. I began with onions and olive oil, sautéing until tender, adding the smoked paprika after a few minutes to allow it to properly mingle with everything from the beginning. Then, a beautiful clove of garlic, saved from a summer farmer’s market in Invermere, BC. After that it’s a tomato base, with sweet potatoes, carrots, and roasted red peppers. Lentils add some protein and extra body. Simmer with bay leaves and thyme. Yum.
I served it with thick slices of wholemeal bread, butter, and chévre. Yum.
Smoked Paprika & Lentil Soup
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
½ tsp smoked hot Hungarian paprika
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 tsp dried thyme leaves1 (798ml/28oz) can diced tomatoes
2 cups vegetable stock, more as needed
2 cups diced sweet potato
2 carrots, chopped
1 cup green lentils, rinsed
2 roasted red peppers, chopped
3 bay leavesHeat the olive oil in a large sauce pot over medium low heat. Add the onion and sauté until mostly soft, then add the paprika and sauté until totally soft. Add the garlic and thyme, cook until fragrant.
Add the tomatoes and stock once the onions are soft (if you add the tomatoes early the onions will never soften up and will be crunchy for all time), and then all the other veggies, the lentils, and the bay leaves. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20–30 minutes.
Season to taste and serve with sliced bread. Yum!
This looks delicious! I have about a half dozen lentil recipes I like to circulate in the menu. Lentils are my favorite legume! Plus, the smokey flavor!?!?!? I must try it… I will have to wait for the mail to deliver some smokey Paparika though. 🙁
I am constantly searching out new sources of smokey flavour since the most common ones (smoked meats) aren’t in my diet anymore. Have you ever tried smoked tofu? It’s fantastic!
No! I love a nice smoked flavor as well. I will look for that one—wonder if they have it at the Asian Market?!?!? I really have enjoyed the smoked cheddar you introduced me to in your sweet potato gratin. I ate the remaining cheese with a nice Pinot Noir and it was absolutely lovely.
It’s a pity liquid smoke is so damn suspicious… alas.
This looks divine–I can hardly wait to try it. Smoked paprika makes everything better! 😀
So true! Have you ever tried smoked sea salt? It’s a fantastic, and relatively neutral way, to work smokey flavour into everything!
Mmmm, yes please! Also, can I steal that tin when you’re done with it? I have a slight obsession with rustic tins and paraphernalia 😛
Nope, I’m keeping it! I love me some vintage tins, too 😉
You are so creative and this soup really highlights your cooking talents. I can’t wait to try this one tonight.
Aww, thanks Patricia 🙂 How was the soup?