Lentil Soup - Simple, Comforting, and Healthy

The cure for all that ails you - I have worked on perfecting this soup over several iterations. It is rich and hearty and the vitamins are just leaping out of the bowl at you.

We had several days of rain this week, so this soup was just the comfort that we needed. My collard greens were ready to harvest, so I used them instead of my usual kale in this recipe. You toss them in at the end for a healthy (and tasty) boost.

The tomato paste is the key to the rich umami flavor. The original version had the bright acidity from the lemon juice but was lacking some depth, so I added the tomato paste and it was perfection.

This soup freezes well and can be stored several months to grab for an easy weeknight meal.

Collard greens and lettuces ready to harvest

Lentil Soup

¼ cup olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon curry powder

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 large 28 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained

1 cup rinsed green (French) lentils

4 cups vegetable broth (click here for homemade)

2 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

freshly ground pepper to taste

1½ cups chopped kale or collard greens

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots, stir frequently and sauté for 5 minutes or until onions are slightly translucent. Add the tomato paste, garlic, cumin, curry and thyme. Sauté for 3 more minutes to meld the flavors. Add the diced tomatoes, lentils, broth, water, salt and red pepper flakes. Give it a generous grind of black pepper. Increase the heat and bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Use an immersion blender to blend about half the soup to make it creamier. If you don’t have an emulsion blender, you can pour ½ the soup into a blender or food processor and blend, then pour it back into the pot. Add the chopped greens and then simmer 5 minutes more. Take the soup off of the heat and add the lemon juice, adjust for seasoning, adding more salt or red pepper flakes if desired.