ray_burns60•21d agoProlific Poster

My friend said my lentil soup tasted like dishwater, so I changed one thing.

She came over for dinner last week and straight up told me it was bland and sad. I was just boiling lentils with an onion and calling it a day. Now I always fry a spoonful of tomato paste with the onions for a minute before adding the water and lentils. It costs maybe 10 cents more and makes it taste way richer. Anyone have other cheap tricks to add flavor without buying a ton of spices?

3 comments

3 Comments

karenwest21d ago

A bay leaf or two while it simmers makes a huge difference... just fish it out before you eat.

bell.jessica21d ago

Oh man, I was the same way... just throwing stuff in a pot. But frying that tomato paste is a total game changer, right? It gets all dark and sticky. I started doing the same thing with a tiny bit of paprika when I fry the onions. It doesn't taste spicy, it just makes the whole pot smell amazing and adds this warm depth. That one step makes it feel like real cooking.

the_jessica21d ago

Add a splash of vinegar at the end. It sounds weird but it wakes up the whole pot. Just a little bit right before you turn off the heat. It makes the flavors pop without making it taste sour. That trick saved my soups when I was broke.