Brown lentils hold their shape better than red lentils and do not need a soak. Rinse them and pick out any small stones before they go into the pot.
Ingredients
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- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups brown lentils, rinsed
- 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
How to make it
- Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Cook the onion, carrots, and celery for 6 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cumin and stir for 30 seconds.
- Add the lentils, tomatoes, broth, bay leaf, and salt.
- Bring to a boil, then simmer partly covered for 30 to 35 minutes, until the lentils are tender.
- Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the parsley and lemon juice. Add water if the soup is thicker than you want.
Lentils from an older package can take longer. Add broth and keep simmering until they are tender, not crunchy.
Substitutions
- Green lentils can replace brown lentils.
- A teaspoon of curry powder can replace the cumin if you want a different pot next time.
Storage
Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat with extra water because lentils keep absorbing liquid.
Pan and tools
- A large pot
- A lid
- A wooden spoon
What to prep first
Rinse the lentils and check them for small stones. Dice the onion, carrots, and celery before the oil goes in, because the simmer is long enough that you should not be chopping halfway through.
What to serve with it
Bread, or a spoon of yogurt if you want it richer. The lentils are the protein and the starch, so a second side is optional.
Leftovers for lunch
Lentil soup keeps well for several days and often tastes better the next day. Add a splash of water when you reheat it. The lentils keep drinking liquid.
If it goes wrong
Crunchy lentils are undercooked, often because the package was old. Add broth and keep simmering until they are tender. Mushy lentils were boiled hard for too long. A gentler simmer next time keeps their shape.
Make it part of your week
Save this recipe in the weekly planner so the grocery list is ready before you shop.
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