How to make a Lentil Soup
Lentil soup is bold, hearty and bursting with flavour. In Italy, it is a New Years’ tradition to eat this soup at the stroke of midnight. My lentil soup recipe has an aromatic twist – fresh rosemary and oregano which I’m convinced Nonna would approve of. The smell alone in your kitchen is enough to tempt tastebuds! Fill your bowl with these soft lentils drowning in a delicious herby tomato broth then topped with crispy bread bites and a fresh parsley garnish.
Watch the Lentil Soup video recipe
How To Make Lentil Soup Like an Italian
Vincenzo’s Top Tips
Stop it from burning
If the vegetables cook too fast, add 2 tablespoons of water to help prevent the onion from burning. You can also reduce the heat if necessary.
What is the best way to cut the oregano?
Use scissors to cut the oregano to help keep the flavor off the cutting board and instead, in your soup! Add bay leaves whole. They make such a difference so don’t skip adding them in!
Other ways to make your soup!
Create this recipe as an instant pot soup or even in the slow cooker if you don’t have a cast iron pot.
Lentil Soup
Equipment
- Large cast iron Dutch oven with lid or slow cooker
- wooden spoon
- Food shears or Scissors
- Large mixing bowl
- Hand sieve
- Toaster or Grill
- knife
- Ladle for serving soup
- Cutting board
- Large Serving bowl
Ingredients
- 500 grams Red lentils 17.6oz
- 1 Carrot chopped
- 400 grams Diced tomatoes 4oz
- 1 Celery stick chopped
- ½ Onion chopped
- 1 L Vegetable stock 4 cups
- 1 bunch Fresh oregano
- A few slices of Sourdough bread
- bunch Fresh thyme or Bay leaves
- 4 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil EVOO
- Salt & Pepper
- Chopped fresh parsley optional garnish
Instructions
- This lentil soup recipe is easy, fast, and filling! Start your lentil soup with 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and add it to a large pan on medium heat.
- Add in your soffritto (pre-chopped carrot, celery, and onion).
- Stir the vegetable mixture gently, then cover and cook for 5-7 minutes on medium heat.
- While the vegetables are cooking, rinse the lentils with water and strain them using a hand sieve.
- When the vegetables are soft, add in the diced tomatoes and mix them through.
- Next add the lentils and mix again using a wooden spoon, cooking them on a low-medium heat.
- Sprinkle salt and add a generous amount of freshly ground pepper to the lentil soup.
- Stir through then add about half of the vegetable stock, so the lentils are covered by the liquid.
- Now add in your fresh rosemary, pulling the leaves off by hand along with thyme, oregano or bay leaves. Be generous - Use as much as you’d like!
- Stir the lentil soup to combine the flavors and keep the heat on medium.
- After five minutes, the lentils should have absorbed some stock, once you see the liquid drying up, add the rest of the stock and continue stirring.
- Cover the lentils and cook until soft remembering to stir them every 5-10 minutes. These red lentils only need 30 minutes to cook, so I set the timer for 25 minutes.
- Toast the sourdough bread, or bread of choice, then slice into cubes. This will be the topping for the lentil soup.
- Taste the lentils before serving to make sure they are soft; if they aren't ready, add more water and continue cooking gently until done.
- E ora si mangia, Vincenzo’s Plate….Enjoy!
Video
How to serve Lentil Soup
Add the soup into a large serving bowl and place it in the middle of your table so you and your guests can serve as much as you like. It also makes it easier to back for seconds! This warm, herby soup is the perfect way to get in a filling, delicious meal.
Top this soup with chopped parsley and add the crunchy, toasted bread bites to the center. You’ll be left with an incredibly tasty, hearty soup with a nice crunch of bread for texture.
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