Sweet Potato, Carrot, Apple, and Red Lentil Soup

1. Melt butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add sweet potatoes, carrots, apple, and onion; cook and stir until onion is translucent, about 10 minutes.

2. Stir in lentils, salt, ginger, pepper, cumin, chili powder, and paprika, then pour in broth. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until lentils and vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes.

3. Purée soup in the pot with an immersion blender until smooth. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until simmering, about 10 minutes. Add water as needed to thin the soup to your preferred consistency.

Tips

If you don't have an immersion blender, you can use a blender. Working in batches, pour the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, then carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to purée. Purée in batches until smooth, then pour into a clean pot and continue with Step 3.