What's for Dinner Tonight? - Authentic Italian Lentil Soup (Zuppa di Lenticchie)

From Lora at savoringitaly.com, this hearty Italian Lentil Soup, or Zuppa di Lenticchie, comes together in just thirty minutes. This healthy soup is absolutely delicious, naturally gluten-free, and vegan! A total freezer-friendly soup, so you can make extra to have later.

Authentic Italian Lentil Soup

¼ cup olive oil extra virgin

1 medium onion finely diced

2 carrots peeled finely diced

2 stalks celery leaves removed and finely diced

2 cloves garlic minced

2 cups lentils brown or green picked over and rinsed

1 tsp dried sage

1 tsp dried rosemary

14 ounces canned whole tomatoes hand crushed

7- 8 cups stock vegetable or chicken, low sodium (I used my homemade chicken broth)

2 bay leaves

1 head Tuscan kale destemmed and chopped (regular kale is fine too) 

*I used spinach in place of the kale*

salt and pepper to taste

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional

extra olive oil for drizzling

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Add in the diced onions, carrots, and celery, and sauté for about 8-10 minutes until onion is soft and translucent.
3. Add the minced garlic and sauté for a couple of minutes. Keep an eye on the garlic and stir as it will brown quickly (1-2 minutes is enough to cook up the garlic).
4. Add in the lentils and stir, combining it with the sofrito mixture (about 2-3 minutes).
5. Add in the tomatoes and use a wooden spoon to break them up and combine them with the lentils (if using canned plum tomatoes, break them up before adding, and remove the tough white core). Let this simmer together for a few minutes and season with salt (and pepper, if you’re using). If you’re not using a low sodium broth, wait to add salt until after you add your broth.
6. Next, add in the broth and bay leaf.
7. Bring to a boil for a few minutes and then lower the heat to a simmer.
8. Check the seasoning and add more salt (if needed) and pepper and let it simmer for about 30 minutes.
9. Stir in kale (or spinach) during last 10 minutes of cooking. You just want the kale to be wilted but cook it more if you don’t mind it on softer side.
10. If soup is thickening too much, add a bit of water (start out with 1/4 cup and check how consistency is). The lentils will thicken up as they cook.
11. When ready to serve, remove the bay leaf.
12. Ladle into serving bowls and drizzle on some olive oil.
13. Add in red pepper flakes, if using.

Slow Cooker instructions:

• Add the first 12 ingredients (through the salt + pepper) to a large 6-quart slow cooker and stir to combine.
• Cook for 4-5 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low, until the lentils are tender and cooked through.
• Stir in the kale during the last hour of cooking.
• Taste, and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Remove the bay leaves.
• Serve warm, garnished with optional toppings if desired.

Notes

• Lentils: The lentils need to be rinsed. The lentils do not have to be soaked, as they cook up so quickly. I used brown lentils. Green lentils also work. If you use red lentils, it will be a mushy soup.
• Kale: You could omit kale if you don't have any on hand.
• Vegetable: Be sure to chop up the sofrito vegetables all the same size to make sure they cook evenly.
• Herbs: I have a combo of dried rosemary and sage (about 1 teaspoon of each) that my mother-in-law made in a little jar, and I like to add that to the lentils when they are sautéing. Homemade dried herbs taste a bit different than store-bought. Dried herbs are always more concentrated than fresh, so use the amount that fits your taste.
• Fresh herbs: If you have fresh rosemary and sage on hand, go ahead and use a few sprigs of the rosemary (just the leaves) and a few sage leaves, instead of dried.