Tomato Lentil Soup

By á-3209

Nothing is more comforting than a bowl of this Tomato-Lentil Soup. It's also budget friendly, easy to make and very nutritious!

Ingredients

• 1 pound lentils, such as lentils de Norcia or small French lentils
• 4 cloves garlic, 1 crushed and 3 chopped, divided
• Salt, to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small bulb fennel, cut into small dice
• 1 leek, quartered lengthwise then chopped
• 2 to 3 ribs celery with leafy tops, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 large bay leaf
• Herb bundle of parsley, thyme and rosemary (a few sprigs of each)
• Pepper, to taste
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 2 cups passata or tomato purée
• 1 (28-ounce) can San Marzano tomatoes
• Chili flakes and Extra Virgin Olive Oil, to serve

Preparation

Step 1

Rinse lentils well and add them to a large pot with enough water to cover by about 2 1/2 inches. Add crushed garlic clove and bring to a boil. Add salt, reduce heat and simmer 30-40 minutes. Turn off heat and let lentils cool in any remaining liquid.

Heat a soup pot over medium-high heat with olive oil, 2 turns of the pan. Add chopped garlic, fennel, leeks, celery, onions, bay, herb bundle, some salt and pepper, and cook partially covered for 7 to 8 minutes to soften, stirring frequently.

Add stock, passata or purée, and tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon or crushing them with your hands when you add them to the pot. Stir in cooled lentils; combine and simmer to combine flavors and until soup reaches desired thickness.

Remove bay and herb bundle, and serve in shallow bowls garnished with chili flakes and a swirl of extra virgin olive oil.