This riff on a tomato soup adds in red lentils for protein and fiber, miso paste for a salty umami boost, and Greek yogurt to make it creamy, tangy, and add even more protein. Plus we’re sneaking in some riced cauliflower for good measure, but you could totally skip that if you’d like. The soup is delicious on its own, but is truly elevated when paired with a crispy grilled cheese (see note for easy oven instructions).
P.S. I also tested this in the Instant Pot and it came out even better and more creamy, so I recommend using it if you have one!
Ingredient highlight
Lentils! My favorite small but mighty pulse (AKA legume)! They are packed full of protein, fiber, folic acid, iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, and potassium.
Servings 4 – 6
Prep Time 5 minutes 
Cook Time 30 minutes Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ yellow onion, chopped
- 1 tsp kosher salt, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed, thinly sliced or chopped
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 tbsp gochujang *
- 4 cups (12-14 oz) riced cauliflower (fresh or frozen or finely chopped by hand)
- 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
- 5 cups water
- 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1 (28 oz) can whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt (or use sour cream or do a mix)
- ¼ cup mellow white miso paste
- *This adds a little spice and more umami flavor. Feel free to leave it out (see substitutions section).
- **Greek yogurt has a greater chance of curdling. If using yogurt, you can temper it first by mixing a small amount of the hot soup into the yogurt to prevent it from curdling. Then blend it up with the soup, etc…Or skip the tempering and just be okay with it looking a little grainy, still tastes great!
- Serving suggestion: ~ highly recommend making a simple grilled cheese to pair with the soup. I like to use grated cheese and mix in some scallions if you have extra. You can make it in the oven while you cook the soup. Place the grilled cheese (oiled on both sides) on a parchment lined baking sheet in a 425F oven for about 15 minutes. Sprinkle some cheese underneath the grilled cheese before baking for a crispy cheese coating!
Instructions
- In a large pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and ½ teaspoon salt and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, tomato paste, and gochujang and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 1-2 minutes or until it is caramelized and sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Stir in the cauliflower, lentils, water, soy sauce, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Stir in the tomatoes and their juices, using your hands to crush the tomatoes open as you add them to the pot (or crush them in the can first, then add them).
- Bring to a boil, then give it a stir and reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a rapid simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the lentils are cooked/breaking down, stirring occasionally to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pot (you can add more water, if needed). Turn off the heat.
- Add about 2 cups of the soup to a blender along with the yogurt or sour cream (see note) and miso. If you don’t like big tomato chunks, fish them out of the soup and add to the blender. If you want a totally smooth soup, you can blend the whole thing in batches. Blend until smooth, making sure to let the steam escape. Stir it back into the pot.
- Serve topped with scallions, black pepper, and olive oil (or a pat of butter). Serve with a simple grilled cheese for dipping (see serving note).
Instant Pot instructions:
- Follow the recipe using the “sauté” setting on your Instant Pot. Pressure cook on high for 10 minutes, then let it naturally release for 10 minutes before manually releasing the rest of the pressure. Follow the recipe as is.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Chop ½ yellow onion
- Smash/chop 3 cloves garlic
- Make the soup
Substitutions:
- To make vegan, replace the yogurt with ½ cup raw cashews and a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Skip the cauliflower if you don’t have it or don’t want it in there. You can stir in some leafy greens at the end if you’d like.
- Skip the gochujang if you don’t have it or don’t want any spice. You could also sub with ½ tsp red pepper flakes or stir some sriracha into the blender with the soup.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Warm up leftovers on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through. You can top with a little dollop of yogurt, scallions, pepper, and olive oil or a pat of butter.
- Stir greens into the soup as you reheat it.
leave your comments!