Italian Lentil Soup
Total Time
55 minutes
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Rating
4.9 out of 5 stars
(34)
Ingredients
8 - 10 servings
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large white onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 1/4 cups green or brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
- 1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 cups chopped kale or collard greens
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil, plus extra for topping
- fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
- freshly-grated Parmesan cheese, for topping
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Preparation
Step 1
Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, and sauté for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent. Add garlic and sauté for an additional 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 2
Add the stock, lentils, tomatoes, bay leaves, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a simmer.
Step 3
Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the lentils are tender and cooked through, stirring occasionally.
Step 4
Remove and discard the bay leaves. Stir in the kale and basil until combined. Taste and season with salt, black pepper, and/or extra Italian seasoning as needed.
Step 5
Serve warm, garnished with lots of Parmesan cheese and extra basil. Enjoy!
Step 6
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Chef's notes
Add a protein like Italian sausage, ground beef, or shredded chicken.
Add extra veggies such as bell pepper, fennel, green beans, potato, sweet potato, zucchini or other soup-friendly veggies.
Add pasta by including 1 cup ditalini (or another small pasta shape), along with an extra 2 cups of broth, about 10 minutes before the lentils have finished cooking.
Make it spicier or milder by adjusting the amount of crushed red pepper flakes.
Make it vegan by omitting the Parmesan, or add plant-based Parmesan or a sprinkling of nutritional yeast.
