Lentil Tomato Soup

By Carolina Gelen

Published April 25, 2024

  • Kerri Brewer for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
30 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
25 minutes
Rating
5(4,793)
Comments
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This tomato soup recipe elevates the beloved classic with the use of brown butter and protein-packed lentils, which make this soup even more satiating than other versions. The nutty brown butter brings depth and highlights the sweetness of the tomatoes. The milk solids present in the butter caramelize as the butter cooks, resulting in its characteristic taste. By introducing heavy cream — therefore more milk solids — to the butter browning process, the final result is a fortified brown butter that will bring more richness and depth to the tomato soup. Serve with crusty sourdough toast or grilled cheese, tomato soup’s soulmate.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1 ⅓ cups heavy cream

  • 2 medium shallots, finely chopped

  • 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes

  • 1 (15-ounce) can lentils, rinsed

  • Salt

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

36 grams carbs; 120 milligrams cholesterol; 548 calories; 11 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 26 grams saturated fat; 41 grams fat; 1 gram trans fat; 13 grams fiber; 996 milligrams sodium; 14 grams protein; 12 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a medium pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Carefully add 1 cup heavy cream and bring to a boil over medium-high. Reduce the temperature to medium and simmer, occasionally stirring for 5 minutes, until the cream thickens, reduces to about a third of its initial volume, and resembles melted cheese while developing brown bits around the pot.

  2. Step 2

    Add the shallots and continue stirring for 4 to 5 minutes, until there’s very little cream at the bottom and caramelized brown bits all around the sides of the pot.

  3. Step 3

    Add the tomatoes and their juices, crushing them with your hands as you add them to the pot, or crush them inside the pot, using a potato masher. Add the lentils, 2 cups of water and a big pinch of salt to season all the liquid. Scrape the brown bits off the bottom and sides of the pot into the liquid, using a wooden spoon or spatula.

  4. Step 4

    Bring to a boil over medium-high. Partly cover the pot with a lid and boil, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Add the remaining ⅓ cup of cream and season with more salt, if needed.

  5. Step 5

    Serve right away, or blend the soup using an immersion blender until as creamy as desired.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
4,793 user ratings
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Comments

Amy in Brooklyn

What are canned lentils and why?

Sarah

Made with a can of San marzano tomatoes and I used 1 cup of dried red lentils. Cooked lentils before adding. I assumed it would need more spice but it was perfect. My spouse who usually doesn’t like tomato soup loved it. I did not add extra cream at the end. Will definitely make again.

Sarah Duran

I made this vegan using vegan butter and vegan creamer and it was great! I also added the red lentils raw and it worked well.

Allison B

So good!! I made it exactly as written but doubled the recipe because I knew I’d want more. It was pretty easy. My cream and shallots never did the browning described in the instructions, maybe because I had so much in the pot, but that didn’t affect the flavor. I added a touch of sugar, and a heavy dose of red pepper flakes and ground pepper at the end. Big hit and so yummy!

Lauren

Added fermented crushed Calabrian chili peppers (from Trader Joe’s) - perfect for spicing things up!

L.A.

Tried this both in the vegan version with coconut milk and the dairy version as written. Both were bland and chalky. The true-to-recipe dairy one tastes mostly like butter and not much else. Could be a pro or con depending on your tastes. Only seasoning is salt. I could see doing that with fresh in-season tomatoes but canned?

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