Red Lentil Soup Recipe Healthy Quick Vegan

Start by rinsing the red lentils well. They can be soaked and then rinsed if you are especially sensitive to lentils.
In a large saucepan on medium heat, add the olive oil.
Next, add in the onion and carrot. Cook for about 3-4minutes or until soft.
Now add in the garlic, bay leaves, and Italian spice blend. Mix well and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
Next, add in broth, water, red lentils, tomato paste and chili flakes. Bring the soup to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent the soup from sticking to the bottom of the pan or burning.
Once the 15 minutes is up, scoop out 2-3 cups of the soup and transfer to a blender. Blend until smooth, and add the blended portion back into the pot with the remainder of the soup. Mix well.
If you have spinach or kale to add into the soup, add into the pot and simmer until it softens. About 5 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, add your favourite toppings and enjoy!