Description
This Mediterranean Lentil Soup is a hearty and flavorful dish featuring green or brown lentils simmered with fire-roasted tomatoes, aromatic vegetables, and a blend of Mediterranean herbs. Finished with fresh kale and a splash of lemon juice, this soup offers a comforting, nutritious meal perfect for any season.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables & Aromatics
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, small diced
- 2 medium carrots, small diced
- 2 celery ribs, small diced
- 3 to 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 3 leaves kale, stemmed and sliced
Spices & Seasonings
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Pantry & Liquids
- 1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup green or brown lentils
- 1 lemon, juiced (about 3 tablespoons juice)
Instructions
- Sauté the vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, celery, and carrots. Stir frequently and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the onion becomes translucent and the vegetables soften slightly.
- Infuse with flavor: Add the tomato paste, minced garlic, cumin, oregano, basil, thyme, salt, and black pepper to the pot. Stir well and toast the spices for 1 to 2 minutes to deepen their flavors.
- Simmer: Add the fire-roasted diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, and lentils to the pot. Stir to combine everything evenly. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Partially cover the pot with a lid and let it simmer gently for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.
- Blend: Decide your preferred texture; you can leave the soup chunky or use an immersion blender to blend small sections for a creamier consistency. Blend just for a few seconds to achieve a semi-smooth texture without losing all the vegetable pieces.
- Finish with flavor: Stir in the sliced kale and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Let the soup simmer for another 1 to 2 minutes to soften the kale. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with extra lemon juice, salt, or pepper as needed before serving.
Notes
- Each serving is approximately 2 cups.
- If you want to avoid opening a second container of broth, use 4 cups of broth and 2 cups of water since vegetable broth usually comes in 32-ounce (4 cup) containers.
- The soup may thicken as it sits because lentils absorb liquid; add more broth or water to thin it out if necessary.
- You can substitute 3 teaspoons of Italian seasoning for the oregano, basil, and thyme.
- To make in a Crockpot, add all ingredients except kale and lemon juice to the slow cooker. Cook on high for 5 to 6 hours or low for 7 to 8 hours. Blend 2 to 3 cups of soup until semi-smooth, return to cooker, then stir in kale and lemon juice before serving.
- Store the soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freeze in freezer-safe containers or silicone trays for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 2 cups)
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 12g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
