Servings: 4

4 tablespoons unsalted butter 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1⅓ cups heavy cream 1⅓ cups heavy cream
2 medium shallots, finely chopped 2 medium shallots, finely chopped
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can lentils, rinsed 1 (15-ounce) can lentils, rinsed
Salt Salt

In a medium pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Carefully add 1 cup heavy cream and bring to a boil over medium-high. Reduce the temperature to medium and simmer, occasionally stirring for 5 minutes, until the cream thickens, reduces to about a third of its initial volume, and resembles melted cheese while developing brown bits around the pot.
Add the shallots and continue stirring for 4 to 5 minutes, until there’s very little cream at the bottom and caramelized brown bits all around the sides of the pot.
Add the tomatoes and their juices, crushing them with your hands as you add them to the pot, or crush them inside the pot, using a potato masher. Add the lentils, 2 cups of water and a big pinch of salt to season all the liquid. Scrape the brown bits off the bottom and sides of the pot into the liquid, using a wooden spoon or spatula.
Bring to a boil over medium-high. Partly cover the pot with a lid and boil, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Add the remaining ⅓ cup of cream and season with more salt, if needed.
Serve right away, or blend the soup using an immersion blender until as creamy as desired.

I made this vegan using vegan butter and vegan creamer and it was great! I also added the red lentils raw and it worked well.  I made this vegan using vegan butter and vegan creamer and it was great! I also added the red lentils raw and it worked well.
Made with a can of San marzano tomatoes and I used 1 cup of dried red lentils. Cooked lentils before adding. I assumed it would need more spice but it was perfect. My spouse who usually doesn’t like tomato soup loved it. I did not add extra cream at the end. Will definitely make again.  Made with a can of San marzano tomatoes and I used 1 cup of dried red lentils. Cooked lentils before adding. I assumed it would need more spice but it was perfect. My spouse who usually doesn’t like tomato soup loved it. I did not add extra cream at the end. Will definitely make again.
This was seriously delicious! In the pot I used I had to cook it longer to get the described effect in the cream both in step one and step 2 so I wonder if the people who found it flavorless maybe needed to cook it longer to bring out browned butter flavor. I think I needed a bigger pot. I had to double the time in both steps. So I recommend making sure the cream is as described before moving on regardless of time. And don’t add tomatoes till you have seen some browning. The result is so yummy  This was seriously delicious! In the pot I used I had to cook it longer to get the described effect in the cream both in step one and step 2 so I wonder if the people who found it flavorless maybe needed to cook it longer to bring out browned butter flavor. I think I needed a bigger pot. I had to double the time in both steps. So I recommend making sure the cream is as described before moving on regardless of time. And don’t add tomatoes till you have seen some browning. The result is so yummy
I'd recommend either brown or green lentils. Red lentils turn to mush very quickly and I like my lentils to hold their shape once they're cooked.  I'd recommend either brown or green lentils. Red lentils turn to mush very quickly and I like my lentils to hold their shape once they're cooked.
Coconut milk for the win! Everything else the same. Well, except add home made lentils and fresh tomatoes. Winner all round. Love the robust roast tomato flavor. Make it.  Coconut milk for the win! Everything else the same. Well, except add home made lentils and fresh tomatoes. Winner all round. Love the robust roast tomato flavor. Make it.
This was excellent. Amazingly rich, filling and deeply flavored. My supermarket had plenty of canned lentil soups but no stand alone canned lentils, so I just boiled up my own. I would say that you have to work the cream longer than the recipe states to get the desired evaporation, texture and caramelized shallots. Also, add a good teaspoon of sea salt and then pepper to taste. For thickening, I took out about half the lentils with a slotted spoon, pureed them and then stirred them back in.  This was excellent. Amazingly rich, filling and deeply flavored. My supermarket had plenty of canned lentil soups but no stand alone canned lentils, so I just boiled up my own. I would say that you have to work the cream longer than the recipe states to get the desired evaporation, texture and caramelized shallots. Also, add a good teaspoon of sea salt and then pepper to taste. For thickening, I took out about half the lentils with a slotted spoon, pureed them and then stirred them back in.
Canned lentils are specified in the recipe-- they are already cooked.  Canned lentils are specified in the recipe-- they are already cooked.
Adding the same volume of uncooked lentils will result in disproportionate legumes, plus they will use up much of the fluid for plumping.  Adding the same volume of uncooked lentils will result in disproportionate legumes, plus they will use up much of the fluid for plumping.
I only had a little cream in the house, so I made this with 1/2 c cream and 2 T butter. No final addition of more cream, since I didn't have any. Used 1 c dried red lentils with an extra cup of water and 3 shallots (they were old). Tossed in a couple chopped fresh tomatoes at the end. I really liked the result, though admittedly, I haven't tasted the original version for comparison. Will definitely make again.  I only had a little cream in the house, so I made this with ½ c cream and 2 T butter. No final addition of more cream, since I didn't have any. Used 1 c dried red lentils with an extra cup of water and 3 shallots (they were old). Tossed in a couple chopped fresh tomatoes at the end. I really liked the result, though admittedly, I haven't tasted the original version for comparison. Will definitely make again.
Delicious. What are we talking about ‘no flavor’? Simple and comforting. To build flavor, important that the butter/cream/shallot is really cooked down, which was fun. The consistency should look like very very greasy melted jack cheese. Added about 1 tsp salt total. Did use dried lentils that I pre-cooked. Very glad I didn’t try to mess with this honest and tasty soup.  Delicious. What are we talking about ‘no flavor’? Simple and comforting. To build flavor, important that the butter/cream/shallot is really cooked down, which was fun. The consistency should look like very very greasy melted jack cheese. Added about 1 tsp salt total. Did use dried lentils that I pre-cooked. Very glad I didn’t try to mess with this honest and tasty soup.
At a certain point, when I tasted it, I was very skeptical of this recipe but by the time it had cooked down, I discovered, it was truly delicious.Family agreed.And I'd forgotten some of the cream and not gotten enough brown on the onions!  At a certain point, when I tasted it, I was very skeptical of this recipe but by the time it had cooked down, I discovered, it was truly delicious.Family agreed.And I'd forgotten some of the cream and not gotten enough brown on the onions!
Good, but a little flat as written. I added a bay leaf, a tablespoon or so of sherry vinegar and half a tablespoon of Accent and simmered further before pureeing. Made the soup sing!  Good, but a little flat as written. I added a bay leaf, a tablespoon or so of sherry vinegar and half a tablespoon of Accent and simmered further before pureeing. Made the soup sing!
When you say"processed" what do you mean? Simply heating lentils in water makes them "processed." When i hear "processed" used negatively in the food world, people are often referring to commercially created products, high in preservatives and chemicals.  When you say"processed" what do you mean? Simply heating lentils in water makes them "processed." When i hear "processed" used negatively in the food world, people are often referring to commercially created products, high in preservatives and chemicals.
There's lots of really good tomato soup recipes but this wasn't one for me. It needed more flavor. That plus the major fat components, heavy cream and butter means I'll never make it again. If a recipe is going to be unhealthy it better be heavenly enough to carry the day. It didn't.  There's lots of really good tomato soup recipes but this wasn't one for me. It needed more flavor. That plus the major fat components, heavy cream and butter means I'll never make it again. If a recipe is going to be unhealthy it better be heavenly enough to carry the day. It didn't.
Served to 3 people with varied tastes last night. All agreed it was delicious—going in my favorites folder! Used basic store brand no salt canned whole tomatoes. Tho’ description mentioned browned butter, instructions did not, so I did brown it (though never got the browned bits in pan instructions mentioned). My shallots may have been on the larger side. Westbrae canned lentils (brown). Diamond Crystal salt fairly liberally as per instructions. Stick blender until smooth. Incredibly flavorful!  Served to 3 people with varied tastes last night. All agreed it was delicious-going in my favorites folder! Used basic store brand no salt canned whole tomatoes. Tho’ description mentioned browned butter, instructions did not, so I did brown it (though never got the browned bits in pan instructions mentioned). My shallots may have been on the larger side. Westbrae canned lentils (brown). Diamond Crystal salt fairly liberally as per instructions. Stick blender until smooth. Incredibly flavorful!