Weeknight Lentil Soup

With this long stretch of below-freezing temperatures my soup pot has been getting a lot of use this past week. While I love slowly tending to a gently simmering pot of soup, sometimes I need a quicker turnaround. Lentils are my go-to quick cooking legume to bring a lot of big flavor to a recipe in under an hour. This nutrient-rich and comforting lentil soup is perfect on a dreary winter night after a long day at work.

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed

1 large onion, diced

2 carrots, diced

2 bay leaves

Salt and fresh ground black pepper

½ cup red wine

1 quart chicken or vegetable stock

1 cup green or brown lentils, rinsed

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 sprig fresh rosemary

2 garlic cloves, finely minced or grated

1 teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

½ cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped

Directions:

In a heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch-oven, heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Stir in the onions, carrots, and bay leaves, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook until onions are soft and beginning to brown at the edges, stirring frequently, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the red wine and cook for a few minutes until the alcohol cooks off and the wine reduces a bit. Next add the chicken stock, lentils, thyme and rosemary sprigs and bring to a simmer. Add a pinch of salt and reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover the pan and cook until the lentils are tender, about 30 to 40 minutes.

When lentils are tender, remove and discard the bay leaves and herb stems. Stir in the garlic, paprika, and remaining 2 tablespoons of oil then take the pot off the heat. Use an emersion blender to puree the soup to the desired texture, completely smooth or slightly chunky. If you do not have an emersion blender you can blend in two batches in a regular blender jar.

Stir in the vinegar and return the soup to low heat. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt, pepper, paprika and/or vinegar as needed. If soup is too thick you can stir in some more stock and bring to a simmer. Alternatively, if the soup is too thin you can raise the heat and cook until soup reduces to desired texture. Keep in mind, the soup will thicken as it sits off the heat. Serve in warm bowls, garnishing the tops with a drizzle of olive oil, a crack of black pepper, and a sprinkle of the fresh parsley.

Notes:

This nourishing and earthy soup comes together fairly quick making it a wonderful weeknight dinner option. This simple recipe makes a wonderful base that can be dressed up any way you can imagine. Play with different herbs and spices or add other vegetables such as parsnips or celery to the onions. You could leave it as a brothy soup or blend it velvety smooth as I did above. For a richer soup try stirring in some sour cream, crème fraiche, or Greek yogurt after you puree the soup.

If you use vegetable stock this makes a flavorful vegan soup. For a meatier version, use chicken or beef stock. You could also layer more flavor by crisping some bacon lardons and using the drippings to sauté the vegetables. The crisp bacon could then be used as a garnish when serving.

Serve with a big, crisp salad or a side dish of sautéed greens along with a hunk of crusty bread and plenty of butter.

Enjoy.