It’s the end of August and I made the best veggie lentil soup for you. Actually, I made the best veggie lentil soup for you and ten of your friends. This recipe makes a TON of soup. I plan on eating it everyday for lunch this week and freezing the other half. I love Ina, but I did change the recipe a wee bit. I added some curry powder and chopped kale to the recipe to veg it up a bit – other than that, it’s pretty close to the original. And it’s awesome.
Lentil Soup in August
Just the Tip / Inspired by Ina Garten
Serves 10
What I used:
- 1 pound french green lentils
- 4 cups chopped yellow onions (3 large onions)
- 4 cups chopped leeks, white part only (3 leeks)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup good olive oil, plus additional for drizzling on top
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp minced fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp curry powder
- 3 cups medium-diced celery (8 stalks)
- 3 cups medium-diced carrots (4 to 6 carrots)
- 3 quarts chicken stock
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- 2-3 cups chopped kale leaves
- 2 tbsp red wine
- Freshly grated parmesan or pecorino cheese
What I did:
- In the largest pot you own, heat the oil over medium heat. Saute the onions, leeks, and garlic. Season with salt, pepper, thyme, and cumin, and curry powder, and cook for 20 minutes, until the veggies are very tender.
- Add the celery and carrots and saute for 10 more minutes. Add the tomato paste and let cook on the bottom of the pot for a couple of minutes. Add the chicken stock and lentils and cover and bring to a boil. Add the kale leaves and reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, until the lentils are cooked through.
- Taste for seasonings. Add the red wine and serve drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with grated cheese.
