Step 1: Sauté the Aromatics

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.

2. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery (the mirepoix). Sauté for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened and the onion is translucent. This slow sauté is crucial for building flavor.

Step 2: Bloom the Spices

1. Add the minced garlic, ground cumin, coriander, and smoked paprika to the pot. Stir constantly and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. This step, known as “blooming,” toasts the spices and deepens their flavor.

2. Add the tomato paste and stir it into the vegetables, cooking for another minute to caramelize it slightly.

Step 3: Simmer the Soup

1. Add the rinsed lentils, the vegetable broth, the bay leaf, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon of black pepper to the pot.

2. Stir everything together and increase the heat to high to bring the soup to a boil.

3. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender but not mushy.

Step 4: Finish with Freshness

1. Remove the pot from the heat. Discard the bay leaf.

2. Stir in the fresh baby spinach, a handful at a time. The residual heat from the soup will wilt the spinach within a minute or two.

3. Stir in the chopped fresh parsley and the fresh lemon juice.

4. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning as needed. It will likely need another generous pinch of salt and pepper to make the flavors sing.

Step 5: Serve

1. Ladle the hot soup into bowls and serve immediately.