Meatless Friday: Moroccan Lentil Soup

This Meatless Friday, try Barb Szyszkiewicz's simple, frugal recipe for savory Moroccan Lentil Soup.

My neighbor gave me the recipe for this hearty, savory soup. There's a lot of flexibility within the recipe, so you can make it just the way you like it. This soup reheats well for lunch the next day. I served it over some leftover brown rice, and that was not only delicious but filling too! I'd like to find out if it freezes well -- but I've never had enough left over to freeze. (Maybe I should make a double batch.)

Moroccan Lentil Soup

Makes 8 servings

2 TBL olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 TBL fresh ginger, grated (or 1/2 tsp ground ginger)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/8 tsp turmeric
dash of ground cloves
3 plum tomatoes, chopped
2 cups dried lentils (red, green, or a combination)
6 cups vegetable broth

Heat olive oil in a 6-quart pot. Add onion and cook 5 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and cook 5 minutes more, until soft. Stir in spices, then add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer 25 - 30 minutes or until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt.