Description
This Mediterranean Lentil Soup is a hearty and flavorful dish featuring tender lentils simmered with fire-roasted tomatoes, aromatic spices, and fresh kale. Perfect as a nutritious lunch or dinner, this soup combines the warmth of cumin and oregano with the brightness of lemon juice for a well-balanced and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, small diced
- 2 medium carrots, small diced
- 2 celery ribs, small diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 to 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup green or brown lentils
- 3 leaves kale, stemmed and sliced
- 1 lemon, juiced (about 3 tablespoons juice)
Instructions
- Saute the vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, celery, and carrots, stirring occasionally for 4 to 5 minutes until the onion becomes translucent and the vegetables soften slightly.
- Infuse with flavor: Stir in the tomato paste, minced garlic, cumin, dried oregano, basil, thyme, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Continue stirring and toast the spices and ingredients for 1 to 2 minutes to release their aromas.
- Simmer: Add the fire-roasted diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, and lentils to the pot. Stir well and bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, partially cover with a lid, and let it simmer gently for 30 minutes until the lentils are tender.
- Blend (optional): Choose to keep the soup chunky or for a creamier texture, use an immersion blender to blend small portions of the soup for a few seconds. This will thicken the soup while retaining some texture.
- Finish with flavor: Stir in the sliced kale and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Simmer the soup for an additional 2 minutes to soften the kale. Taste and adjust seasoning by adding more lemon juice, salt, or pepper as needed before serving.
Notes
- Each serving is about 2 cups.
- The soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- For longer storage, freeze the soup in freezer-safe containers or portions; it will last up to 3 months in the freezer.
- Use low-sodium vegetable broth to control the salt level in the soup.
- If preferred, substitute kale with spinach or Swiss chard for similar leafy green flavor.
