Cooking on deadline: Can lentil soup be fast? Of course!

In my kitchen, dry lentils get about the same treatment as dry beans. That is, on the rare occasion that I buy them, they land at the back of the pantry where they are promptly forgotten for months or years.

Most bean varieties take hours of soaking before you can even begin cooking. Lentils can soften in about an hour, but during the week even that's too long.

Canned beans and lentils are a much better choice, offering good quality and convenience.

This simple lentil soup was inspired by those used to break the fast during the monthlong Muslim celebration of Ramadan. Traditional versions use dry lentils and take an hour or more to make. Canned lentils cut that time in half.

If you'd like a heartier soup, root vegetables such as carrots and potatoes can be added along with the onions. Serve this with croutons, olives, flatbread and yogurt.

Lentil soup with lemon zest

Start to finish: 30 minutes

Servings: 4

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for

drizzling

1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced

3 plum tomatoes, cored and chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon cumin

1⁄4 teaspoon smoked

paprika

15-ounce can lentils, drained

21⁄4 cups chicken broth

Zest and juice of 1⁄2 lemon

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

In a large saucepan over medium, heat the oil. Add the onion, tomatoes and garlic, then saute until the onions are soft, about 6 minutes. Add the cumin and paprika, then cook for another minute, stirring constantly.

Add the lentils and chicken broth, then bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes.

Transfer the soup to a blender, in batches if necessary, and puree until smooth. Return the soup to the saucepan, then stir in the lemon zest and juice. Season with salt and pepper, then return to a simmer. Ladle into serving bowls and drizzle olive oil over each serving.