Italian Lentil Soup
Healthy and delicious Italian Lentil Soup bursting with flavour and hearty vegetables. This soup makes a super easy and comforting meal that'll make you feel good inside and out!
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 235kcal
Ingredients
- 1 carrot
- 1 onion
- 1 celery stalk
- 1.5 cups dried green or brown lentils (300g)
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ cup white wine (120ml)
- 6.5 cups chicken or vegetable stock (1.5 litres)
- 1-2 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to season
- fresh parsley optional garnish
Instructions
- First rinse the lentils in cold running water according to packet instructions, set aside.
- Roughly chop the carrot, celery and onion and add to a large pot with 1-2 tablespoon of olive oil. Saute it slowly on a medium-low heat for around 10 minutes until soft but not browned.
- Add the wine and let it simmer until it has reduced by half. Add the lentils (1.5 cups/300g) and stir to coat in the vegetables and wine.
- Add the stock (6.5 cups/1.5 litres) and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and simmer it uncovered for 35-40 minutes until the lentils are tender but still have a bite. If the lentils have soaked up too much liquid add more as necessary.
- Once cooked, taste the soup and season with salt and pepper. Serve in bowls with a drizzle of olive oil and fresh parsley (optional).
Video
Notes
- Soffritto - soffritto is chopped carrot, celery, and onion, it's used to add a huge amount of flavour to soup and stews. You need to saute it slowly so it softens without browning. If you rush this step you'll lose a lot of the flavour.
- Add tomato - you can add a spoonful of tomato paste or canned chopped/whole tomatoes with the stock if you'd like a tomato flavoured lentil soup.
- Other veggies to add - you could add cubed potatoes, green beans, kale, zucchini or any other vegetables you like.
- White wine - this is added for flavour and I really recommend adding it but you can omit it if you need to.
- Herbs - you could also add a sprig of rosemary, thyme, or oregano for added flavour.
- Storage - the soup will keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days or can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 235kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1038mg | Potassium: 584mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2989IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 4mg