Lentil Soup

Lentil soup is so satisfying, it’s easy to make, good for you and delicious.  The easy to make part is really where it’s at because you can pull together a hearty satisfying pot of soup in no time at all. It also freezes well.  I grew up on my Mom’s lentil soup which she usually made with Italian sausages, everything’s better with some Italian sausage.  I usually cook it vegetarian style but will occasionally bust out Mom’s version since as mentioned everything really is better with Italian sausage.

I make this so often that I don’t usually bother with a recipe but here’s the gist of it. 

2 Tablespoons Olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
2 carrots, sliced into rounds
2 cloves garlic, chopped

3 cups stock
1 can chopped tomatoes, 15.5 oz
1 cup lentils
1 Bay leaf
½ tsp Cumin
¼ tsp cayenne

Salt & pepper
2-3 cups Spinach, torn or shredded

In a medium sized soup pot warm olive oil, add onion and carrot and cook over med heat until softened.  Add garlic and sauté another 30 seconds-1 minute until garlic is fragrant.

Add stock, tomatoes, lentils, bay leaf, cumin and cayenne.  Allow to boil for about 2 minutes and then reduce heat to low and cook for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes start checking your lentils, they will probably need another 5-10 minutes to reach your desired tenderness. 

Once done to your preference, add salt and pepper and torn spinach.  Cook for a few minutes more, until spinach has wilted and serve.

Serve with warmed up pita and a dollop of yogurt top with chopped parsley or cilantro if you have it. 

Sausage version:

Replace olive oil with ½ pound of sweet Italian sausage

Cook sausage in soup pot until cooked through

Remove from pan and slice into sausage coins or bite sized chunks

Add onion and carrot and cook over med heat until softened.

Follow recipe above from this point on

Notes

Stock: You can use any kind of stock, I usually use chicken because that is what I have around but if you want it to be vegetarian you can use vegetable stock.

Lentils:  Use green or brown. If you want to use red lentils combine them with green or brown lentils otherwise you end up with a mushy soup.  The red (or orange?) lentils fall apart after cooking and you end up with a more pureed type of soup. 

Spices:  You can use any spices you like in lentil soup.  I have settled on the cumin/cayenne combo above but you can give it a more Indian flavor with curry powder or ground coriander and turmeric.  I will add chopped cilantro or parsley if I have them around.