Attempting to Duplicate Progresso Lentil Soup

Submitted by Barb 3663

"just what the title says"

 

• Ready In: 1hr 30mins
• Ingredients: 9
• Serves: 6

ingredients

• 1 cup celery, diced
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
• 1⁄4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 1⁄2 cups lentils, washed and drained
• 5 cups vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 cup frozen spinach

directions

1. Spray a stock pot with non-stick cooking spray. Saute' celery with salt until tender. Reduce heat to low and add garlic, ginger, and pepper. Cook until aromas are released, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Add lentils and cook an additional 3 minutes, constantly stirring so the beans are evenly cooked.
2. Add stock, tomato paste and spinach, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Stir soup regularly to ensure even cooking so the beans do not burn. When done, beans should be soft inside, with no chalkiness. Puree with stick blender to desired consistancey.

Reviews

[Robert H.]

Not too bad, though I added some tomato sauce as well. One note to the submitting cook: lentils are NOT beans; they are pulses, a type of seed.

 

[Lauren B.]

Made this last night and the ginger is so overpowering! This might have been better without it all together. I also felt that the lentils needed to cook longer, as mine were pretty hard. In addition, I needed more stock, so I added a substantial amount more and the ginger was still too much. If I make this again, it would definitely be without any ginger, or if with any, the tiniest amount. 1 1/2 tablespoons is waaaayyyy too much. It is all you can taste. Not a good duplication of the progresso recipe but maybe it would be with more salt, more stock, and no ginger.

 

[akmichalik]

I made minor changes - ground ginger instead of raw, better than bouillon vegetable instead of vegetable stock, doubled the tomato paste, and I added three teaspoons of soy sauce (the original recipe by Progresso calls for Yeast Extract). I was extremely happy with the taste of the soup and found it very close to the original. I would perhaps add just 1-2 teaspoons of soy next time, and I would consider a thickener (I didn't puree at all) but overall I am very happy. Thanks for putting this together.

 

[cvwalter]

I made this last night. I substituted fresh kale because I had so much in my garden and omitted the ginger because I didn't have any. It came out awesome! Great recipe!

 

[Jane Smigocki]

If you like Progresso Lentil soup, and I do, this is FABULOUS. It captures the savoryness of the soup (lentils can be a little pasty tasting in other recipes). The 1st time I made it I offered a taste in cognito to my husband and asked if he thought it was good. He said with hesitation (not wanting to offend me) that it tasted like Progresso. TRUE STORY. well done!