Egyptian Red Lentil and Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Lemon

This soup takes its cue from Egyptian shorbat ads — a simple, blended red lentil soup warmed with cumin and coriander — and folds in roasted red peppers for extra sweetness and body. Red lentils cook down fast, so this comes together in well under an hour.

Lentils are a solid plant-based source of iron, and roasted red peppers bring a real dose of vitamin C to the same bowl, which helps your body absorb more of that iron than either ingredient would manage alone. A generous squeeze of lemon juice stirred in at the end pushes that pairing even further.

Blend it fully smooth for a silky texture, or leave it slightly chunky if you prefer more bite. Either way, a scatter of fresh parsley on top finishes it off nicely.