This Roasted Carrot Red Lentil Soup with Carrot Top Pesto is a beautiful silky smooth fall inspired soup with a bit of added texture from the pesto. The flavors from the roasted carrots mixed with the red lentils are a harmonious blend. It is a delightful soup all on its own or with the addition of the carrot top pesto, which adds another dimension of flavors. 
At 18 years old, I first discovered the wondrous world of Tarot. I still have the first deck I bought back then. I continued using the deck through the years but I never took the time to learn the ins and outs. There are 78 cards to learn and even after you learn them, you will never stop learning more. I recently got back into it and I am now on a mission to learn about each card. The cards have a lot of symbology, which gives them multiple meanings and ways to read them.
When I bought my deck, there were very few options. But now there are endless possibilities. Some are light hearted while others are intense. Categories include animals, crystals, herbs, astrology, and shadow work. Basically, anything you can think of, there is a tarot deck for it.
There are two different qualities, the mass market and the indie deck. Mass market can be found in most bookstores. However, the indie decks are self-published and are only available through limited venues. They are generally a higher quality card stock, boxes and printing. They often make 2nd editions and sometimes more but there comes a time when you can no longer find them. I had no idea there was such a large community of people interested in tarot and oracle decks. It is a lot of fun and very inspiring but I will warn you, it can be addicting and you might end up buying a lot of different decks.
Like tarot, fall represents a time of letting go and releasing the old to embrace the new. As the leaves fall off the trees they bare their branches to remind us how all things come and go.
Roasted Carrot Red Lentil Soup with Carrot Top Pesto - CaliZona
Ingredients
- 7 to 8 Carrots (2 pounds)
- 1 + 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 Cups Red Lentils
- 1/2 White Onion - diced
- 2 Garlic Cloves - minced
- 2 Bouillon Cubes
- 1/3 Cup Dry White Wine - optional
- 10 Cups Filtered Water
- 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Thyme or 1 Teaspoon Fresh
- 2 Tablespoons Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
- 1 Tablespoon Sea Salt - or to taste
Carrot Top Pesto
- 1 1/2 Cups Carrot Tops
- 1/2 Cup Fresh Basil
- 3/4 Cup Aged Asiago Cheese or Parmesan Reggiano *leave out for vegan
- 1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Clove Garlic
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
- 1/2 Teaspoon Sea salt
Instructions
Carrots
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Preheat oven to 375
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Cut the ends off the carrots and cut them into 1 inch pieces.
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Spread the carrots out on a baking sheet and pour a tablespoon of olive oil over the carrots, lightly sprinkle with salt and toss to coat evenly.
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Roast for 30 – 40 minutes until the carrots are cooked through and starting to caramelize.
Pesto
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Wash the carrot tops and dry them, shred the cheese and measure all the ingredients, then puree in a food processor or blender. Set aside.
Soup
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Add the onions to a 5 1/2 quart pot with the olive oil and saute on medium-low heat for 5 minutes.
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Add the garlic and continue cooking for 5 – 7 more minutes until the garlic starts to brown.
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Add the white wine or water and bouillon cubes, mash the bouillon and cook until the wine is reduced.
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Measure, sort and rinse lentils until the water runs clear.
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Add lentils and water, bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.
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Skim off the starch and cook until the lentils are soft. (about 15 - 20 minutes)
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Add the lentils and carrots to a food processor or blender and puree in 2 to 3 batches. Or use an immersion blender right in the pot.
Recipe Notes
Make sure to scrape the bottom to make sure that no lentil stick to the pot. If there are any stuck, use a wooden spoon and scrap it until it unsticks. This will prevent the soup from burning on the bottom.
