Copycat Amy's Lentil Soup

By á-29897

- Make sure to mince the vegetables, not dice. They should be chopped very small.

- Use any lentils you like, but I strongly recommend red lentils. They cook very quickly, require less water and cook to the texture that is desired for this soup. That said, if you prefer to use brown or green lentils (you’re so stubborn!) just note that you’ll need to probably double the water and cook the soup longer. I refuse to vouch for the results of this soup with the use of other lentils. Yea, I’m mean like that. Red lentils also are the most nutritious of all the lentils,so get yourself some! I’m not lying…check it out here.

- If you don’t have fresh herbs, use 1/4 tsp. of dried instead and add them in at the same time as the cumin.

- I used a pressure cooker to reduce the cooking time of this soup, but if you don’t have one, I’ll include regular stove-top directions as well.

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 medium carrots, minced
• 3 stalks of celery (leaves too!), minced
• 1/2 yellow onion, minced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 15 oz. can of stewed tomatoes, blended
• 2 cups of vegetable broth
• 2 cups of water
• 1/2 medium sweet potato, minced
• 2 tsp. pink himalayan salt
• 3/4 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 large bay leaf
• 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 2 1/2 cups red lentils
• 1 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 tsp. fresh oregano, chopped

Preparation

Step 1

1.Heat oil in the pressure cooker (lid off) or a large soup pot. Add in the chopped carrots, celery and onion. Saute for about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and continue to saute for another 3 minutes or so.
2.In a blender, add the can of stewed tomatoes and blend until mostly smooth. Add to the pot along with the vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and then add the sweet potatoes and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the potatoes have softened. Stir occasionally.
3.Add in the remaining ingredients, excluding the fresh herbs. If you’re using a pressure cooker, put the lid on and bring to pressure. Allow to pressure cook for about 20 minutes and then slow release the pot. After the time is up, stir the soup, you may need to add more water if necessary. Taste to ensure that the lentils are cooked through and are soft, especially if you’re not using red lentils! If you’re using a regular soup pot, cover and simmer for 45 minutes to one hour. All of this could vary greatly depending on what lentils you use and what method of cooking you implement. Take note, this soup is on the thicker side.
4.When the soup is done cooking, remove from heat and stir in the chopped herbs