I love using lentils because they are so versatile. you can use them on top of salads, as a side dish, eat them hot or cold and my favourite, in soup! what I love about this soup is that you can prepare the vegetables any way you want. If you want them chunky, go for it. If you want them in smaller pieces, you can do that too. you can also adjust the flavours by adding more spices or using less spices. Totally up to you.
Chunky Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup dry green French lentils
- 2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 leek stalk, chopped (see notes for how to chop)
- 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 4 cups chicken bone broth (I used homemade broth from The Simple Kitchen)*
- 1 can crushed tomatoes (I used Longo’s Organic Crushed Tomatoes – 398 ml)
- 2-3 cups filtered water*
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon coconut aminos
- Sea salt + pepper to taste
- 1-2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Rinse lentils very well with filtered water, then put aside.
- In a medium sized pot, add olive oil, minced garlic and leeks on low-medium heat. Sauté for 3-4 minutes or until leeks are soft. Add a little bit of water if needed.
- Add the carrots and celery, and sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Add a little bit more water if needed.
- Add the cumin, paprika, turmeric, salt and pepper, and stir.
- Add the chicken broth and crushed tomatoes and stir.
- Add the lentils and stir again.
- Add the bay leaves.
- Simmer on low-medium heat for about 35-45 minutes, or until vegetables and lentils are cooked to your liking (also depends on the size of your chopped vegetables and lentils). When soup starts to thicken, add the balsamic vinegar and coconut aminos and stir. Keep some filtered water close by so you can add as needed. Stir occasionally adding water if it gets too thick and the vegetables and lentils need more time.
- Remove bay leaves before serving. Garnish with parsley, if desired.
- Serve with crusty sourdough bread and with a mixed green salad. Yum!
- Store in air-tight container(s) in the fridge for 2-3 days or freeze for up to 3 months (cool soup before freezing).
- Enjoy!
Notes
For the leeks, cut off the root and the dark green tops. Then, cut in half length-wise. Put the halves face down and then thinly slice. The end result will be cute little half-moon pieces! If you find some dirt in-between after the chopping, just give them a little rinse. Save the dark leafy parts for homemade stock.
*Different types of broth may alter taste of soup but will still be delicious!
*I fill a large glass measuring cup with 3 cups of water and leave it beside the stove to add when needed. You can also use more broth instead of water.
No green French lentils – use other lentils but if they are bigger, adjust the amount you use. Cooking time may also vary.
No leeks – use 1 medium white onion or 2 shallots
Vegan/vegetarian – use vegetable broth
No homemade broth available – use store bought in carton
No balsamic vinegar or coconut aminos – use tamari or omit
No crushed tomatoes – used diced tomatoes or tomato sauce
Add greens – add in some chopped kale around half way through
More flavour – add more of the spices as you go!
