Description
This lentil soup is the perfect vegetarian meal to cozy up with for fall and winter. It’s hearty, healthy, wonderfully filling thanks to its plant-based protein, and extra special with it’s vibrant Mediterranean flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, small diced
- 2 medium carrots, small diced
- 2 celery ribs, small diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 to 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup green or brown lentils
- 3 leaves kale, stemmed and sliced
- 1 lemon, juiced (about 3 tablespoons juice)
Instructions
- Saute the vegetables: Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and stir for 4 to 5 minutes, until the onion becomes translucent.
- Infuse with flavor: Add the tomato paste, minced garlic, dried spices, salt and pepper. Stir and toast the spices for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Simmer: Add the diced tomatoes, broth, and lentils and stir together. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, partially cover with a lid, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Blend: You can keep the soup chunky, or use an immersion blender to create a more creamy texture, by spot blending for just a few seconds.
- Finish with flavor: Stir in the kale and lemon juice, and simmer for an additional minute or two to soften the kale. Taste the soup, and add any additional lemon juice, salt, or pepper before serving.
Notes
Store in the fridge for 4 to 5 days in an airtight container or freeze for up to 3 months. For a slow cooker version, cook on high for 5 to 6 hours or low for 7 to 8 hours (excluding kale and lemon juice), then spot blend and stir in the finishing ingredients.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 cups
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 421 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 56 g
- Fiber: 22 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: Mediterranean lentil soup, healthy soup, vegetarian, plant-based protein, winter meal