Smells so Good Lentil Soup

photo by 49flavours

- Ready In:
- 1hr 40mins
- Ingredients:
- 17
- Serves:
-
8
ingredients
- 2 potatoes, chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 3⁄4 cups water
- 3 3⁄4 cups vegetable broth (or 35 broth cubes from freezing in ice cube trays)
- 16 ounces stewed tomatoes, chopped
- 1⁄2 cup tomato juice (from the can of stewed tomatoes)
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cups dried red lentils
- 1⁄2 lb fresh spinach, chopped (or 5 oz frozen spinach)
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
directions
- Cook the potatoes a little over half way before chopping. (I microwave them on high for about 5 minutes.).
- In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, carrots and celery. Saute until onion is tender. Stir in potatoes, garlic, oregano, basil, and pepper. Cook for 1-2 more minutes.
- Stir in water, broth, tomatoes, tomato juice, and bay leaves. (The liquid added should total 8 cups.) Bring to a boil. Add lentils and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for at least 1 hour.
- Cook frozen spinach separately, by the package directions, or skip this step if using fresh spinach. Add the spinach and vinegar to the soup in the last 5 minutes of simmering.
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Thank you to everyone who reviews my recipes! I love hearing feedback and new ideas. I only post things I have made and DH and I both like.
Some of my favorite things are creating new meals, trying new foods, and this wonderful site. DH and I usually cook together. Cooking is even more fun with company and conversation.
We have been mostly vegetarian but occasionally pescetarian for several years, and I collect all the vegetarian cookbooks I can get my hands on, especially vintage. I try to think about the sources and processes my food goes through before arriving at the store.
For fun I take pictures, make digital mandalas, play with my cats and dogs, make websites for animal rescues, and I am learning to grow vegetables and herbs.