📋 Instructions

1. 1Sweat the Aromatics — Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat to 350F (175C). Add onion, carrot, and celery and cook for 8 minutes, stirring, until the onion is translucent and the edges of the carrot look glossy.
2. 2Bloom the Spices — Stir in garlic, smoked paprika, and cumin and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant and the garlic smells sweet, not sharp. Do not let it brown at this stage.
3. 3Add Tomatoes and Broth — Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juice and scrape the bottom of the pot clean. Add the broth and rinsed lentils, then bring to a bare simmer at 200F (93C).
4. 4Simmer Until Tender — Cook uncovered for 28 to 32 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until a lentil crushes easily against the side of the pot with a spoon. The broth should coat the spoon, not run off it.
5. 5Season in Stages — Stir in the kosher salt at the 20-minute mark and taste at 30 minutes. Adjust with more salt if the broth tastes thin rather than salty.
6. 6Thicken the Body — Mash roughly 1 cup of lentils against the pot wall and stir them back in. Simmer 3 more minutes at 200F (93C) until the soup is thick enough to mound slightly on a spoon.
7. 7Finish with Lemon — Pull the pot off the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Taste once more, add salt if needed, and serve hot with lemon wedges and a drizzle of olive oil.