I’ve been having a moment with lemons lately.

Lemon water in the morning – yes, lemon in salad dressings – of course, lemon squeezed on top of salmon and grilled chicken for the perfect pop – obviously, and lemon in guacamole for the perfect hit of bright flavor – someone hold me back!

Lemons truly are a kitchen staple, and a fruit worthy of stocking up on. Which is why, when I came home from a little trip to San Francisco, one of the only produce items in my refrigerator were lemons (around 8 of them!) and some kale on it’s last leg. Apparently the hubby subsided on spinach and grilled meat and not much else – lol.

I always love a (lemon-loaded) cooking challenge, which is how this recipe came to be! Filled with red lentils (an easy shelf-stable staple), herbs and spices, broth, kale, and olive oil, it’s a truly delicious and simple soup for crazy busy nights – or when you only have lemons in your refrigerator. I also love this lemony lentil soup for Portland’s gloomy spring weather, when it’s not quite hot, but not quite cold either.

Lemons, of course, are a delicious source of vitamin C. Just one lemon (juiced) provides roughly 50 percent of the reference daily intake of the vitamin, essential for heart health and immune response. In fact, studies show that fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C (like lemons, oranges, limes, strawberries, and bell peppers) reduce risk of stroke and lower cholesterol.

Because of their high vitamin C content, lemons are also stellar to eat alongside of iron-rich plant foods – like kale! Our bodies are able to digest and utilize animal sources of iron easily (known as heme iron), but need a little help when it comes to utilizing plant sources (non-heme) of iron. Absorption of non-heme iron can be significantly improved by eating vitamin C and citric acid – both of which are found a plenty in lemons.

So pairing this lemony soup with iron-rich kale is a match made in nutrition heaven – plus it’s delicious. Crispy kale on top of creamy soup is a fun new way to improve your garnish game. Bonus, leftover crispy kale chips are the perfect (husband-approved) snack!

Alongside of kale and lemons, this soup is simple and nourishing and is sure to make your kitchen smell amazing!

Lemony Lentil Soup with Crispy Kale

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp ghee, divided
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
2 carrots, grated
1 tsp. coriander
½ tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
¼ tsp. turmeric
½ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. black pepper
4 cups organic bone broth or vegetable broth
1 can coconut milk (from a non-BPA can)
1 ½ cups red lentils
½ bunch purple kale, stems removed and roughly chopped
The zest and juice from 1 lemon
Extra virgin olive oil, to serve (such as Brightland’s Alive olive oil)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Set aside.

Add 2 tablespoons ghee to a large stockpot over medium heat. Stir in garlic, onion, and carrots and sauté until slightly soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in coriander, ginger, cayenne pepper, turmeric, salt, and black pepper. Allow the spices to “bloom,” as in, get slightly warmed in the ghee and vegetable mixture.

Pour in broth of choice, coconut milk, and lentils. Bring soup to a boil, reduce to medium-low, and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until thickened significantly.

While soup simmers, add torn kale to lined baking tray. Drizzle with one tablespoon melted ghee and season with sea salt and pepper. Use your hands to massage ghee and seasoning into kale. Lay kale leaves in a single layer on baking tray. Bake kale for 3 minutes, flip, and bake an additional 3-5 minutes, or until kale is crispy. Remove from oven and set aside.

Stir lemon zest and juice into soup, and now the soup is ready! Bonus: you can have the soup just like this (it’s perfect), or use an immersion blender to blend the lentil soup slightly.

Ladle soup into bowls and top with crispy kale, a sprinkle of black pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. Enjoy!

Notes:

-This recipe is adapted from Real Simple’s Lemony Lentil Soup recipe!
-This post is semi-brought to you by Brightland, who generously gifted me this gorgeous bottle of olive oil.