Yield: 6 servings

I served this soup at a Super Bowl party and scored a touchdown! It’s a warming soup with hints of cumin and coriander; perfect for all seasons. The addition of tahini makes a rich and creamy cup, while spinach adds color and added nutrition.

Nutrition Tip: Did you know that in the larger meat processing plants, ground meat from several animals are processed at the same time? This means that your pound of ground beef or sausage links most likely contains meat from several animals, and increases the risk of bacterial contamination. Please consider a small, local, organic farm that processes their animals individually to reduce your chances of food-borne illness.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
10-12 ounces uncooked beef, pork, chicken or soy sausage, skins removed
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups finely diced sweet potatoes or yams
1/2 cup lentils, rinsed and sorted
1/2 cup milk, any variety
3 tablespoons tahini (sesame butter)
1-2 teaspoons salt (check sodium content of stock)
1/4 teaspoon white or black pepper
2 1/2 cups shredded spinach

Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add the onions and sausage meat, breaking up the large pieces with a wooden spoon. Saute 5-6 minutes, until the onions are soft and fragrant. Add the garlic, coriander and cumin, and cook another 1-2 minutes.

Add the stock, sweet potatoes and lentils. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 25-30 minutes, until the sweet potatoes and lentils are tender.

Turn the heat to low and stir in the milk and tahini. Add 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper; taste, adding a little more salt, if needed, to bring up the flavors.

Optionally blend a third of the soup to make it a bit creamier, while maintaining the chunky texture.

Stir in the spinach and cook another minute. Serve warm.

Food photos by Jackson D. Carson

©2010 Copyright Alison Anton – All rights reserved.