Lentil soup recipe

Red lentils cook very quick as they don't have a skin and can get mushy, which can be a good thing. Green lentils have a skin so take a bit longer to cook and tend to stay more firm. I like to add a little kick using chipotle powder.

Made this soup too many times to count. It was our house soup and regulars would order quarts to-go. I usually just put rough chopped mire poix in a Robot Coupe and process it until it's fine. You can also omit the zucchini with out affecting the final product. Also, a bit of demi glace will enrich the texture and flavor.

Italian Sausage and Lentil Soup

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound green lentils
1 lb ground Italian sausage (You can also use ground Italian turkey sausage)
1 small onion, diced (about 1 cup)
2 celery stalks, cut in half and diced (about 1 cup)
2 carrots, peeled (about 1 cup)
1 ½ cup diced zucchini (about 1 small)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (2 large cloves)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
6 cups chicken broth
2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained

For Garnish
grated Parmesan
fresh parsley

Instructions
1. In a large bowl, cover the lentils with boiling water and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drain.
2. In a large stockpot over medium heat, heat the olive oil and add in the Italian sausage. Brown the
sausage until it is cooked through.
3. Add in the onions, celery, carrots, zucchini, garlic, herbs and spices, cook for about 15 minutes,
stirring often.
4. Add the chicken stock, canned tomatoes, and drained lentils, cover, and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 1 ½ hours, or until the lentils are cooked through
and tender, stirring occasionally. Add water as needed to adjust the consistency of the soup. If you prefer yours a little on the thick side, add in about 3 cups half way through the cook time.
6. Check the seasonings – add more salt and pepper to taste. Serve sprinkled with grated Parmesan and
fresh parsley.

Not a worry. It's a soup that can be taken in many different directions.

Sometimes I add kale or mustard greens.

Rice can be added for a complete protein.

You can also add a pasta like Ditilini, Orzo, or Acini di Pepe to give it a Pasta e Fagioli feeling.

quote:

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A big scoop of your favorite flavor of Better Than Bouillon

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An excellent product

No, I'm not a chef. I'm just a culinary arts instructor that used to pretend I was a chef.

The Washington Post ran an article in 2020 about a nurse who ate a lentil soup for lunch almost every day for 17 years. What he made was a recipe from “Dairy Hollow House Soup & Bread” (1992).

It is pretty darned good. Below is my slightly-altered version of the recipe, which makes a ton.

Greek Lentil and Spinach Soup With Lemon

1 pound brown or large green lentils, rinsed
10 cups chicken stock (made from Better than Bullion)
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
2 teaspoons ground coriander seed (freshly ground if possible)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano (also some dried basil is an option)
2 bay leaves
2 medium potatoes (about 1.25 pounds total), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
10 ounces baby spinach, chopped
1 lb. bag of diced Marketside Butternut Squash from Wal-Mart (or dice a fresh squash)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, with leaves, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons kosher salt, or more
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more
1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
Optional: Fage’ Greek Yogurt

1: In a large pot or Dutch oven (recipe will fill a 7.25 quart pot) over medium-high heat, combine the stock, jalapeño, coriander, cumin, oregano and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Add the lentils. Reduce to low and simmer, partially covered, about 30 minutes.

2: Add the potatoes, spinach, and butternut squash. Re-cover and simmer another 20 minutes.

3: Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet. Saute the onion until it starts to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the celery and garlic and cook, stirring often, another 3 minutes. Add the mixture to the soup. Deglaze the skillet with soup liquid and add that to the pot.

4. Salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until potatoes and squash are tender and spinach is done to your liking.

5: Just before serving, stir the lemon juice into the soup. It’s ready to eat. A dollop of Fage’ Greek Yogurt mixed in your bowl adds a lot. Can squeeze more lemon on the bowl to taste.

I used your recipe but instead of Italian sausage I used smoked sausage diced in small pieces and pickled meat.
Came out very good.

Next time I’ll do your Italian sausage recipe.

And looking forward to trying cabbage also.
Thank you