That Red Stuff: Satisfying Autumn Lentil Soup!

I’m not sure when it happened, but after a few years my children came to expect my Red Lentil Vegetable Soup for the Friday night dinner of Parashas Toldos. Eventually, they would even remind me not to forget the soup. So, this week, in honor of Parashas Toldos, I’m offering you my venerable soup that has sparked so many interesting discussions on the parashah. And if you’ll indulge me, I’ll spark my own.

Esav came back home so hungry for “that red, red stuff” that he was willing to forfeit his birthright, a trait that has left its imprint on his offspring, who became known as Edom, from the word adom (red). The soup reflected Eisav’s spiritual abdication from his heritage in favor of a fleeting material pleasure, which in turn reflected his complete disdain for all the responsibilities and obligations that would go along with his natural birthright. That same lentil soup that Yaakov prepared for his father Yitzchak who was mourning Avraham was in that instant stripped of its significance and relegated to “red stuff.” And Eisav felt his brother Yaakov was welcome to keep all that responsibility. Selling his birthright became a defining moment powerful enough to brand him with the notorious name by which he was known forever.

Former Israeli hostage Sasha Trufanov was a guest speaker with his fiancée, Miss Sapir Cohen, at the Young Israel of Woodmere this week. When asked how his experience in Gaza changed him as a person, he admitted that before October 7, he did not appreciate all he had in life, especially not his life in Israel or what it meant to be a Jew. All that changed, he explained, through his torturous existence imprisoned in the tunnels of Gaza. He actively worked to find Hashem and to value the gift of being a Jew. Sasha turned himself into a grateful person, thankful for each minute he was alive. Having seen the alternative, he came out of captivity embracing his Yiddishkeit and what it means to be a descendant of Yaakov.

Red lentils start out red…but they don’t stay that way. Unless you are using a tomato product in your soup, the red lentils will cook down and transform into a lovely mustard-yellow hue. Not red though, a spoiler for pre-school expecting to see “red stuff.” That said, my children were always excited anyway. They were eating something right out of the pages of Bereishis, a dish that Yaakov Avinu himself had prepared, and now it was our turn to do the same thing. Making that connection, feeling that unity, is delicious, even if in the end it turns yellow.

{Red Lentil Vegetable Soup

Simple to prepare, and packed with protein, this is the perfect soup to warm you up on a cold night! Red lentils are wonderful for soups, as they cook quickly and fall apart, creating a creamy texture without the fuss of pureeing!

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tablespoon)

2 stalks celery, diced (about 1/2 cup) 

2 carrots, peeled and diced

1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced (about 3/4 cup)

2 teaspoons Kosher salt or more to taste

1-pound red lentils, rinsed

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin 

1/2 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper 

10 cups (2 1/2 quarts) vegetable or chicken stock

Juice of 1/2 lemon, or more to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and add the onion, garlic, celery, carrot, and sweet potato. Season with salt. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add the lentils and spices. Stir to coat evenly with oil. Continue to cook another 3-4 minutes. Add 8 cups of vegetable or chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, then reduce to low. Cook covered, stirring often to avoid scorching, until the lentils dissolve and begin to look like a pureed soup, 30-45 minutes. Add the remaining stock as needed to adjust and thin the consistency, stirring well. Season with fresh lemon juice, salt, pepper. Ladle into soup bowls, garnish with fresh chopped parsley, and enjoy!

Cook’s Note: Lentil soups tend to thicken when chilled. Additional stock or water may be needed to thin when reheating.

Please note: In last week’s recipe we neglected to mention to add the pumpkin purée after the wet ingredients. Please adjust your recipe accordingly. Thanks! NR n

Naomi Ross is a cooking instructor and food writer based in Woodmere, NY. She teaches classes throughout the country and writes articles connecting good cooking and Jewish inspiration. Her first cookbook, The Giving Table, was released in December 2022. Follow her at @naomirosscooks on Instagram/FB/TikTok or visit her website: NaomiRossCooks.com.