Simple Tomato & Lentil Soup – Nourishing, Budget-Friendly & Delicious

 

I confess that over the past year or two I have become very fond of lentil soup. It is not a soup I really made very much when I was younger. I had never had lentils until I moved over to England and started to work at the manor. You tend to use what you are used to, n'est ce pas? I had just never considered them.

I have become a huge fan, however.  For one thing, they tend to cook much quicker than dried beans or peas do and don't require the long soaking time that beans and peas do. That is a bonus in my books.  I tend to cook as I am inspired and often if I have to soak something overnight, I move on to another recipe as I want to cook what I want to cook . . .  NOW.

 

I love the heartiness of lentils, and beans for that matter. They are loaded with nutrition and texture. This soup is no exception. It is hearty and delicious, with lots of sweet tomatoes, and veggies to add interest.

It's also rather quick and easy to make. Always a bonus in my book! Especially this week when I am running back and forth to the hospital. This sits well which made it perfect for purpose. I was able to cook it in the morning, then go to the hospital and come home to a decent supper afterwards. 

It is a small batch recipe, making only two to three servings. You can very easily double it if you wish. It will keep beautifully in the refrigerator for up to five days. You may need to add some more hot stock in that case as lentils tend to absorb liquid.  It can also be very easily frozen.

Enjoy!

 

WHAT YOU NEED

TO MAKE TOMATO & LENTIL SOUP

A few fresh and simple store cupboard ingredients. There is nothing complicated about this recipe. 

• 1 TBS butter or light olive oil
• 1 small brown onion, peeled and chopped fine
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves (1/2 tsp dried)
• 1 medium carrot peeled and finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, trimmed and finely chopped
• 1/2 cup (100g) green lentils
• 1 (14 oz/396g) tin of crushed tomatoes, undrained
• 3 cups (720ml) vegetable broth
• 1/2 TBS sherry vinegar
• 1/2 tsp honey
• salt and black pepper to taste

  

I use light olive oil. This has a very mild flavor and doesn't make its presence known as far as taste goes.  I will often use half butter and half oil, so that I get some of the flavor of the butter. I love butter.

By brown onion I mean regular cooking onion. I chopped all of my vegetables fairly fine. This is called a mirepoix, and this is the basis of any good sauce or soup. You can keep them chunkier if you wish.

I used dried thyme today as that is all I had. You could also add a broken bay leaf for another level of flavor.

I used Mutti crushed tomatoes. They are in tomato juice and are a good quality of Italian tomato. They do cost a bit more, but the taste is beautiful.

I used better than bullion stock concentrate mixed with boiling water for the broth. Using a vegetable stock keeps this vegetarian friendly. You can use chicken or beef stock if you wish.

You could use brown lentils instead or dark French Puy lentils. It's your choice. I happened to have the green lentils in my cupboard.

No sherry vinegar? No problem. You can use Balsamic or red wine vinegar if that is all you have.

Don't skip the honey. You can replace it with sugar or brown sugar if that is all you have, but it doesn't help with the acidity of the tomatoes.

 

HOW TO MAKE

TOMATO AND LENTIL SOUP

Soup making is really quite easy most of the time. This one is a real doddle.

1. Heat the butter/oil in a saucepan over medium heat. As soon as the butter begins to foam, add the garlic and onions. Season lightly and cook, stirring frequently, without browning, until softened. (Don't be in too much a hurry. You really don't want the garlic and onions to brown.)
2. Add the thyme along with the smoked paprika and ground cumin. Stir to combine. (Toasting helps to enhance the flavors of the spices.)
3. Stir in the carrots and celery, then add the lentils. Give everything a good stir and season lightly again. (Do be judicious with the salt. It can toughen pulses, and they may need longer to cook. You can always add more salt at the end if need be.)
4. Add the tomatoes and 2 cups (480ml) of the broth. Bring to the boil.
5. Reduce to a simmer and stir in the sherry vinegar and honey. Partially cover the saucepan and leave to simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as required. (The honey will help to temper the acidity of the tomatoes, and the vinegar adds a lovely touch which counteracts the sweetness of the honey.)
6. The consistency should be perfect for serving now, but if you are leaving it for later, you may need to add the additional cup of broth as the lentils will continue to absorb the broth as it sits.
7. Serve hot with crackers, crusty bread or rolls. (I floated a few buttery croutons on top.)

HINTS AND TIPS FOR 

MAKING THE BEST SOUPS POSSIBLE

1. There are a lot of really great readymade stocks available in the shops these days, but often they can be high in salt.  I always try to make my own stock when I have bones left from a roast or ham or chicken. 

 

• Just pop the bones into a saucepan (you can roast them first to brown them off in a hot oven. This will greatly amplify their flavor. 450*F/230*C until they are crisp and golden brown).  Add an onion, peeled, several stalks of celery, a large carrot peeled, some pepper corns and salt.  You can also add some fresh herbs if you have them like parsley and thyme.  Bring to the boil. 
• Skim off any foam and discard.  Simmer over low heat for an hour or so.  Obviously the longer you simmer it the more flavor filled it will be.  Strain through a sieve and then pack into one or two cup containers to use when needed. You can also freeze it in ice cube trays for when you only need a spoonful or two.

2.  An immersion blender is a valuable tool when it comes to pureeing soups for a creamy finish.  It will still have texture, however. The only way to really make sure your soup is extremely smooth is to puree it and then pass it through a sieve.  Passing it through a sieve will remove any solids and make for a creamier soup. 

3.  If you are making a stock from scratch, you may want to chill it before separating it into smaller containers. Any fat will harden, and you can just lift it off the top and discard.  Alternately you can pass several layers of paper towel across the top, just skimming it.  The paper towel will soak up the fat very easily.

 

4.  Try to have all of your vegetables cut to a uniform size. That way they will cook in about the same time. You can start by adding vegetables that have a longer cook time, adding the remainder in stages.

5.  Most soups freeze very well. Certain soups like cream soups are the exception as they can have a tendency to split when frozen. I do not recommend freezing cream soups.  There are also certain vegetables whose textures alter a bit when frozen, such as potatoes.  You may, or may not, like the texture of them afterwards.

6. Adding ingredients like citrus juices, vinegars, tomato paste, wine, coffee, and beer can often make a difference between creating a good soup or creating a great soup! Adding these during cooking brightens up the flavor profile significantly, which will make your soup or stew feel less heavy, even as it remains delectably savory.

7. When making soups that include pasta be aware that the pasta will soak up some of the broth and soften as it sits. This means that pasta soups are not idea keepers. If you are going to prepare a soup which has pasta in it ahead of time. Don't add the past until about half an hour or so before you plan on serving it.  You can cook the pasta separately as well and then just add it in at the last, heating it through before serving.

 

A FEW OTHER HEARTY SOUP RECIPES

YOU ARE SURE TO

 ENJOY

BEEF POT PIE SOUP

A deliciously hearty beef soup filled with loads of vegetables and rich flavors. You can use leftover roast beef for this, or deli beef, or even brown some ground beef. A puff pastry crouton is sprinkled with everything bagel seasoning and baked until crisp. Ready to float on top of each serving of that delicious soup!  

HAM & WHITE BEAN SOUP

A fabulously tasty soup filled with ham and white beans. You do need to plan ahead as the beans will need soaking. One word describes this perfectly. Delicious. This is gorgeous ladled into heated bowls and served hot with some crusty bread.

LITTLE MEATBALL SOUP

It's amazing what you can do with a package of macaroni, a tin of tomatoes, some stock cubes and a pound of Italian sausage!! This deliciously hearty soup is fantastic ladled into heated bowls and topped with a smattering of good, grated cheese!  Some garlic toast on the side would be great! 

 

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Yield: 3 to 4 servings, depending on appetites

Author: Marie Rayner

Tomato & Lentil Soup

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 50 Min

Vibrant, rich, thick and delicious. Prepare to fall in love with this hearty soup! Enjoy with crackers, crusty bread or rolls. I sprinkled a few buttery croutons on top.

Ingredients

• 1 TBS butter or light olive oil
• 1 small brown onion, peeled and chopped fine
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves (1/2 tsp dried)
• 1 medium carrot peeled and finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, trimmed and finely chopped
• 1/2 cup (100g) green lentils
• 1 (14 oz/396g) tin of crushed tomatoes, undrained
• 3 cups (720ml) vegetable broth
• 1/2 TBS sherry vinegar
• 1/2 tsp honey
• salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat the butter/oil in a saucepan over medium heat. As soon as the butter begins to foam, add the garlic and onions. Season lightly and cook, stirring frequently, without browning, until softened.
2. Add the thyme along with the smoked paprika and ground cumin. Stir to combine.
3. Stir in the carrots and celery, then add the lentils. Give everything a good stir and season lightly again.
4. Add the tomatoes and 2 cups (480ml) of the broth. Bring to the boil.
5. Reduce to a simmer and stir in the sherry vinegar and honey. Partially cover the saucepan and leave to simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as required.
6. The consistency should be perfect for serving now, but if you are leaving it for later, you may need to add the additional cup of broth as the lentils will continue to absorb the broth as it sits.
7. Serve hot with crackers, crusty bread or rolls.

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