Equipment
- Veggie Workstation (cutting board, Chef knife, planer, discard bowl, damp towell)
- Soup pan with well fitting lid
- Wooden spatula for stirring
Ingredients
- 3 T Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Yellow onion Large onion, diced
- 4 Cloves Garlic Minced
- 3 Carrots Orange, diced
- 3 t Oregano
- 3 t Cumin
- 2 t Rosemary
- 1 t Red pepper flakes
- 2 Bay leaves
- 1 C Crushed tomatoes I prefer Pomi
- 7 C Vegetable broth or Chicken broth, homemade is preferred
- 2 C Red lentils rinsed + drained
- 2 t Kosher salt
- 1 t Black Pepper or Lemon Pepper
- Zest of 1 lemon Meyer Lemon
- 2 Lemon juice Meyer Lemon
Instructions
Mise en Place
- Wash veggies. Dice onions and carrots and mince garlic.
- Measure out all the herbs and spices, since they will be all added within quiick sequence.
Cooking
- Place soup pan on medium (sautéing) heat, once hot, add oil. (EVOO has a low smoke point so do not allow it to overheat or smoke.)
- Add carrots, onions, and garlic in sequence, stirring regularly until the onions are translucient..
- Add the herbs, spices, and bay leaves and stir until fragrant.
- As soon as it appears the oil has disappeared, add the crushed tomatoes, broth, and lentils. Season with salt and pepper, mix well and turn up heat.
- Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a low simmer for ~45 minutes. You want the lentils and veggies to be soft.
- [ I do not blend this soup to make it smooth, as I prefer the soft chunky feel. But if you want to puree this soup, let it cool a bit, then remove the bay leaves and use an immersion blender, pulsing until it is as creamy as you like. ]
- At this point, keep the pot on a low simmer, add lemon zest and lemon juice, then taste and add more salt, pepper, cumin, or red pepper flakes as needed for tastes.
- Transfer soup to serving bowls and top with a splash of extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of zest and a little bit of chopped parsley.
Notes
Topping: You can also add a bit of crumbled feta cheese on the soup as it is served.
Storage: This soups keep in the fridge well for up to 4-5 days and freezes well.
