Description
Comfort meets nutrition in this rich Hearty Lentil Soup, blending earthy legumes with aromatic vegetables and warm spices. Mediterranean flavors dance through each spoonful, promising a nourishing meal that warms and satisfies you completely.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 cup green lentils
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 can diced tomatoes
Vegetables:
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Sauté diced onions, carrots, celery, and minced garlic in a large pot over medium heat until vegetables become translucent and fragrant, approximately 5-7 minutes.
- Pour vegetable broth into the pot and add dried lentils, diced tomatoes, ground cumin, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Increase heat to high and bring the mixture to a rolling boil, then immediately reduce temperature to low, creating a gentle simmer.
- Cover the pot and allow the soup to cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for 25-35 minutes until lentils are tender and have absorbed the rich, aromatic broth.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, ensuring the lentils are completely soft and the vegetables are perfectly cooked.
- Ladle the steaming soup into warm bowls, allowing the hearty blend of flavors to showcase the rustic, comforting nature of this nutritious dish.
Notes
- Rinse lentils thoroughly before cooking to remove any dirt or debris, ensuring a cleaner and more refined soup texture.
- For a protein boost, consider adding diced chicken or ham during the sautéing stage, transforming this into a more substantial meal.
- Enhance the soup’s depth by roasting vegetables beforehand, which caramelizes their natural sugars and intensifies the overall flavor profile.
- Make this soup gluten-free and diet-friendly by using low-sodium vegetable broth and checking spice labels for potential gluten contamination.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 1.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg