Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot. Sauté until the carrot is soft and the onion is translucent, about 4–5 minutes.
Meanwhile, rinse the lentils in a colander under cool running water.
Add the garlic, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne pepper to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute.
Add the lentils, chicken stock, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 18–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the lentils are tender.
Stir in the lemon zest and juice.
Divide the soup among 3–4 bowls. Garnish with chopped cilantro and olive oil. Crushed pita chips are nice, too!
Notes
You do notneed to soak the lentils before cooking. Just rinse them under cool running water to remove any debris. While the soup is cooking, chop up some raw veggies and get out some hummus. Warm some pita bread in the oven (wrap it in foil and heat for 5 minutes at 350°F). Serve the veggies, hummus, and pita with the soup!