by Chris, December 17, 2019

Soup has to be one of my all time favorite things. From brothy soups, to hearty vegetable, or creamy. You name it, I love it! I can honestly say that I don’t think I ever met a soup I didn’t like. They are a perfect one pot meal that warms the heart and soul, bringing comfort to your belly, mind, heart and soul. This lentil soup recipe will do just that! So grab your ingredients …and lets get started. Comfort in a bowl awaits…….

I start with a one pound bag of dried lentils that I picked through, rinsed, and drained.
Three medium sized carrots peeled and diced. I like to keep my dice a little larger for my carrots in this recipe.
Two stalks of celery diced. I like to chop some of the celery leaves and add to the soup. They are so delicate and reinforce the flavor. I think celery leaves are under utilized. I really enjoy the flavor of these delicate little leaves.
One half large onion peeled and chopped. I use sweet onions, such as Vidalia in most of my cooking with an occasional purple onion thrown into the mix. Fell free to use whatever type of onion you have on hand.
Three cloves of garlic peeled and minced. I am a huge fan of garlic. I pretty much add it to almost everything I cook. It is a main staple in my household. I guess that’s why I don’t have vampires in my house ……or do I? (lol, just kidding)
The addition of dried parsley and one large bay leaf are the only herbs I add to this soup. I feel the use of just a few quality ingredients is all you need to create a hearty, healthy, filling soup. I love adding bay leaf to this soup. Growing up in an Italian family, bay leaf has a funny way of finding itself in a variety of things we eat and drink. This is my addition to keeping the tradition alive. It really elevates the flavor of the soup, adding a distinct, herbal, slightly floral flavor similar to oregano or thyme. If you are not a fan of bay leaf, then by all means leave it out. It will still taste scrumptious.
I add a quarter cup of grated Pecorino Romano cheese to the soup once it has finished cooking. I love that bit of salty cheesiness that really pulls the flavor all together for me.
Add two tablespoons of olive oil to a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions, carrots, and chopped celery. (Do not add the celery leaves to the pot just yet. The leaves are very delicate and will disintegrate or burn at this stage of sautéing and sweating out the veggies). Sprinkle with a teaspoon of salt and a quarter teaspoon of black pepper and give the veggies a good stir. I like to season the veggies in the beginning at this stage because it’s the only chance you will get to impart flavor to them before adding the other ingredients. Cook for about five minutes or so.
Then add the minced garlic, celery leaves, dried parsley, and bay leaf. Cook for about another three minutes. At this stage of the game, you can really smell the hearty aroma of all those veggies and herbs.
Add the lentils, two quarts of vegetable stock, and one quart of water. Turn the heat to low and cover with a lid cooking for about forty five minutes, stirring occasionally. Simmer away….simmer away…..you can really smell that unmistakable aroma of hearty lentil soup with fresh veggies wafting through the air. I love the smell of soup. It reminds me of those cold winter days as a kid, coming home from school. I’d walk into the house and smell soup cooking ..I’d throw on comfy sweats, and patiently await dinner. A hot, steaming bowl of soup that would warm up from the inside out.
Lentil soup perfection !!!!! Add a side of warm, crusty bread for dunking and a simple tossed salad on the side for a complete meal….. or just cozy up to a steaming bowl of goodness. Sometimes, that is all you need. The possibilities are endless.

Recipe

Ingredients :

  • 1 pound of dried lentils, picked through and rinsed
  • 3 medium sized carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 1/4 cup celery leaves, roughly chopped
  • 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1/2 large onion, peeled and chopped
  • 1 large bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • 2 quarts vegetable stock
  • 1 quart of water
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons of butter
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1/4 cup of grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Directions:

Add two tablespoons of olive oil to a large pot, over medium-low heat. Add the onions, carrots, chopped celery, salt, and pepper. Stir occassionally, allowing the veggies to sweat and soften for about five minutes. Add the minced garlic, celery leaves, dried parsley, and bay leaf. Cook for another three minutes or so. Add the lentils, vegetable stock, and water. Turn the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for about forty five minutes, stiring occassionally. Turn off the heat and add the butter and grated romano cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Notes :

  • Adding two tablespoons of butter will result in a rich and silky soup. A perfect finishing touch.
  • A nice addition would be to add a cup of cooked white rice to the last 15 minutes of cooking.
  • A variety of root vegetables would work well in this soup. Such as celery root, turnips, or parsnips.
  • This recipe is Gluten Free