Lentil Soup
A bowl of this comforting soup will warm you up on the chilliest nights. It's hearty and healthy, and serve with a piece of crusty bread for the ultimate feel-good dinner!
Servings: 6 Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 slice of bacon cut into strips
- 2 carrots peeled
- 2 celery stalks
- 1 small white or Spanish onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 16 oz bag of lentils
- 1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
- 4 cups of water
- 1 tablespoon of Better than Bouillon (I use reduced sodium roasted chicken base)
- 1 cup of fresh spinach
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon of salt
- 2 teaspoons of pepper
- Chopped parsley and Pecorino or Parmesan to garnish
Instructions
- Prep your veggies - finely dice the carrots, celery, garlic and onion so they are all relatively the same small size. Place your lentils in a colander and thoroughly rinse to remove any debris.
- In a large dutch oven or stock pot, start sautéing the bacon until it starts to curl and slightly brown. Add in the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the diced vegetables. Cook for about 10 minutes on medium, until they’re soft and translucent. Season lightly with salt and pepper and add in the leaves of the fresh thyme. Once all the vegetables are soft and cooked, add in the lentils and sauté all together for a few minutes. Add in the diced tomatoes, water, Better than Bouillon, and bay leaves. Stir and let it come to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and with the lid on, cook for about 3 hours, checking every hour or so to stir to ensure nothing sticks to the bottom. About half way through, taste for seasoning. This is when the tablespoon of salt will probably be needed, since we added so much water. Add if you wish (and maybe more!), as well as the pepper and the spinach, stirring until everything is incorporated.
- Once it’s all cooked, it will be thick and the lentils will have plumped up. Spoon ladlefuls into a bowl, and garnish with fresh parsley and pecorino! Serve with crusty bread for the ultimate chilly night dinner.