Red Lentil Soup with Lemon-Mint Yogurt Recipe

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion salt and tomato paste. Cook stirring often until the onion softens and the tomato paste turns a deep brick red or brown color 5 to 7 minutes.

Add garlic cumin and cayenne; cook stirring for 2 more minutes. Stir in the broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and add the lentils celery and carrots.

Stir and bring to a simmer. Cook stirring occasionally until the lentils and vegetables are very tender 30 to 40 minutes.

Meanwhile grind the mint and salt into a paste using a mortar and pestle. Add lemon zest lemon juice and yogurt and stir together until combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Taste the soup and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve as-is or use an immersion blender to puree about half of the soup to achieve a creamier texture. Serve hot with spoonfuls of the lemon-mint yogurt.