Best Lentil Soup
User Reviews
5
Best Lentil Soup
Description
Best Lentil Soup begins with sautéing onions, carrots, celery, and kale stems in olive oil alongside ground cumin and salt to build a flavorful base. Fresh garlic and fire-roasted diced tomatoes add aromatic depth before green lentils and vegetable broth are incorporated and simmered until the lentils reach tenderness. Late addition of kale leaves preserves their texture and color. The combination delivers a soup with a balance of earthy lentils, subtle spice, and bright acidity from white wine vinegar. Topping each serving with parsley, red pepper flakes, and Parmesan cheese provides fresh, spicy, and savory finishing touches.
The soup’s hearty and slightly creamy broth makes it suitable for cold weather meals or any time a filling bowl of legumes and vegetables is desired. It pairs well with crusty bread to soak up the flavorful liquid.
Leftover soup can be refrigerated for up to four days and may thicken upon cooling; adding a little water while reheating adjusts the consistency. The recipe also freezes well, making it convenient for batch cooking and future meals.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 onion chopped, medium
- 4 carrot chopped (2 cups, medium
- 2 celery chopped, stalks
- 6 small or 3 large kale leaves stems finely diced, leaves chopped (8 cups)
- Heaping ½ teaspoon cumin ground
- 1½ teaspoons salt sea salt
- black pepper freshly ground
- 4 garlic grated, cloves
- 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes fire-roasted
- ¾ cup green lentils rinsed, dry
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 12 fresh thyme bundled, sprigs
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- ½ cup parsley for garnish, chopped, fresh
- red pepper flakes
- Parmesan Cheese for serving, optional, grated
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, kale stems, cumin, salt, and several grinds of pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Stir in the garlic, tomatoes, lentils, vinegar, thyme, and broth. Cover and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. Add the kale leaves and cook for 5 minutes, or until wilted.
- Remove the thyme bundle and season to taste. Serve topped with the parsley, red pepper flakes, and Parmesan, if desired.
Notes
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, stirring in a bit of water when reheating if the soup has thickened.
- This soup freezes well; cool completely before freezing in airtight containers.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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