Quick Potato and Lentil Soup




I've just moved into a new apartment. There are boxes stacked up everywhere, yet I'm trying to make things feel like home. It's getting there...just more slowly than I'd like. One thing that is pretty much guaranteed to make a new place feel like home is a home-cooked meal. And this soup fits the bill nicely.





I made this soup last month while I was packing up the old place and trying to use up bits from my cupboards. The results were pretty spectacular and it makes for a simple and delicious meal that you can whip up quickly.


The key with this soup is to keep all the vegetables similar in size to the lentils. That means keep your dice small and uniform. Your vegetables and lentils will cook quickly, plus there's the added aesthetic bonus too!


Quick Potato and Lentil Soup
Add in more stock for a more soupy bowl, less for something more stew-like.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, diced
1 large stalk of celery, diced
1 large potato, small dice
1 cup green or brown dry lentils, well rinsed
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon herbs du provence
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
1 tablespoon ketchup (or tomato paste - but I think ketchup adds a bit more punch)
4-6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
pinch of salt and a good hammering of black pepper
juice of 1 lemon
crumbled feta, optional

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat and add in the onion, garlic, carrot and celery. Stir everything around and let it get fragrant for a few minutes. Add in the potato, lentils, bay leaves, herbs due provence, cumin and chili flakes along with the chicken or vegetable stock. Cover and let simmer over medium heat until it boils, then turn down to a low heat. Continue to simmer until vegetables and lentils are tender. Add in lemon juice along with salt and pepper, if needed. Serve in deep bowls alongside some crusty bread or biscuits. Top with feta, if desired.

By Jeannette Ordas of Everybody likes Sandwiches

Jan Halvarson

11 comments:

Mandy said...

This looks and sounds amazing...will have to try a big batch of this...cheers...xxx

Julie [Plums for Breakfast] said...

I'm on a quest for the perfect lentil soup recipe. My host mother in Spain used to serve us big, stew-y bowls of lentils, but nothing I ever make comes close to what she used to dish up. I'll have to give this one a try ;)

Ariadne said...

That's a very usual dish in my country!I love it!
AriadnefromGreece!

jeanette from everton terrace said...

I don't know why but I've only recently started cooking with lentils and I'm loving it. Adding this one to my must try list.

Maria said...

I love lentil soup, espcially because it lends itself to so much variation. I'm defintely going to try yours; the feta idea is GENIUS!

Susan Schwake said...

I made this today and it was FANTASTIC!

Alaina Leslie said...

Yum that looks great. I love lentils AND I love that Kobenstyle pot! I have one in yellow but the lid is long lost unfortunately. It's even in one of my blog posts here: http://www.morethanjustwaffles.com/post/4148157607/spanish-night-churros-con-chocolate

ANFIdesign said...

Funny! I cooked a similar lentil stew on friday. So yummy with some fresh bread. Enjoy and good luck unpacking.

Anna from Anfi Design

Heather said...

I have a pot of this on right now (and a loaf of sourdough bread just came out o the breadmaker). I have to say, the ketchup thing is kind of brilliant. How may times have I bought a can of tomato paste only to use 2 tbsp and have the rest go bad in the fridge? Never again, I say! :D

Anonymous said...

This recipe has become one of my all-time favorites. My whole family loves it, it's delicious, nutritious, and quick to make. A total winner!

Thank you!

Unknown said...

Made this for dinner tonight. Did not have Herbs du Provence, but looked up a recipe for it and added a pinch of what I had. DELICIOUS! Had some mushrooms I needed to use and added them and a little extra ketchup. SOOOOOO good!!! Thank you for sharing!