Lentil Soup

• servings: 8 servings
• active time: 10 minutes
• total time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped

• 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped

• 1 onion, finely diced

• 2 garlic cloves

• 10 cups water

• 1 pound (16 ounces) dried green or brown lentils

• ½ tablespoon ground cumin*

• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

• Optional garnishes: Freshly ground black pepper, finely chopped fresh parsley, grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Directions

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the celery, carrot, onion, and garlic and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until tender.

2. Add the water, lentils, cumin, and kosher salt. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 30 minutes until the lentils are tender (if not tender, keep cooking a few more minutes). Taste and add additional salt to taste (we usually add another 1/2 teaspoon) and fresh ground black pepper.

3. Serve immediately with grated Pecorino Romano cheese if desired, or refrigerate for meal prep. The soup lasts up to 1 week refrigerated and leftovers taste even better (you can also freeze them for up to 3 months). Leftovers may soak up extra broth, so you can add a splash of water and pinch of salt if the texture becomes too thick.

Nutrition

• Calories: 256
• Total Fat: 4.3 g
• Saturated Fat: 0.6 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg
• Sodium: 516.6 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 41.9 g
• Dietary Fiber: 7.7 g
• Total Sugars: 3.7 g
• Protein: 14.7 g