If the song is right that December is the most wonderful time of year, then January must be the most penitent when it comes to food. Even those of us who eschew New Year’s resolutions often try for healthier fare in January but in the often-frigid Northern hemisphere, salads and other light meals usually give way to heartier, warm-us-up foods. This filling and nutritious soup proves we don’t always have to take in a lot of calories, cholesterol or fat to be satisfied and we don’t have to spend a lot of money.
I spotted this recipe last week at the Boston Globe, which says a 1-cup serving has only 134 calories. It tastes more indulgent. Like nearly every soup, substitutions are simple; when I discovered I was out of carrots, I sliced a few mushrooms instead. I used tiny red lentils for a change of pace and had one bowl with fresh-grated Parmesan on top. Some crusty bread on the side rounded out the meal.
Its only possible drawback is the long simmer, taking it out of the realm of a quick weeknight meal, but this is a perfect candidate for cooking ahead; I plan to make a double batch this weekend or next and freeze portions. Then I can have a quick meal any night of the week without remorse or breaking the bank.
Lentil and Vegetable Soup
Adapted from the Boston Globe
1 cup/200g lentils, rinsed and picked over
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
1 -2 large carrots, chopped or sliced
1 celery stalk, sliced
1 bay leaf
1 14.5-ounce/411g can diced tomatoes and their juices
4 cups/scant 1L low-sodium, low-fat vegetable or chicken broth – more if needed *
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
*One 32-ounce container of broth just covered the ingredients in my 4-quart sauce pan. I added 8 ounces of water for good measure and didn’t need to add any further liquid during cooking.
In a large (3 quarts or larger) sauce pan or stock pot, combine the lentils, onion, garlic, carrots, celery, bay leaf, tomatoes and their juices and 32 ounces of broth. Add more broth or water to cover. Season with salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil, uncovered, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 2 hours or until all the vegetables are tender and the lentils are soft. Stir from time to time, adding liquid as needed to achieve the desired consistency. Remove the bay leaf and serve.
Serves 4
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Mmmm, want! Lentil soup is one of the things I actually do make, but this recipe is different and looks wonderful. I love that it’s totally veg (or can be), and I don’t mind the long cook time because I can be doing other things during it.
I like the close-up of the spoon! How do you do that? Can you hold the spoon in one hand and the camera in the other? Or do you have a helper?
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Hi, Muse. It is a very fine soup and I really am going to make a double batch for the freezer. And you’re right about putting it on the stove and going about with the day, with an occasional stir or check on the liquid.
The spoon was sheer luck. It balanced itself and I kept expecting soup to dribble off but it never did. Once I knew I had an okay shot, I ate it!