Italian Vegetable Lentil Soup

Italian Vegetable Lentil Soup is in fact more like a stew than a soup! It has a homestyle tomato flavour combined with the heartiness of tender, cooked lentils, and is paired with lots of fresh and good-for-you vegetables too. Top with grated parmesan and serve with crusty bread!

Until last month, soup season – which is what I call January and February – was my favourite time of the year!  I still love it when the weather turns cold and the days get shorter.  I still get overly excited about piping hot soups, like this Italian Vegetable Lentil Soup, and I still love to wear socks and slippers around the house all day long. But, I have to say, Dear Reader, I’m so tired of winter!

I used to love winter with such passion. There could never be enough snow and it could never be cold enough. I was miserable when summer rolled around! But, now that I’m in my late 40s, winter just does not have the same appeal. Some of the reason is because I have found a love for gardening, but this winter specifically, it’s the snow. This is our 5th winter in this house and I have never seen this much snow! I’m over it!! To make myself feel better, I’m eating soup for dinner tonight.

WHAT ARE LENTILS?

According to Bob’s Red Mill, which is the brand I turn to for dried lentils, they may be the oldest cultivated legume in history. Archeological digs have produced artifacts dating lentils clear back to 8,000 to 7,000 BC! Bob’s Red Mill sources their lentils from Washington and Idaho, where the very best lentils in the world are grown. The rich volcanic soil brings forth an abundant harvest year after year, earning the region its nickname, “Land of Lentils.”

Though small in size, lentils are a nutritional all-star. They’re rich in fibre and contain about a steak’s worth of protein, which makes them a healthy meat substitute for vegetarians and vegans. They are also packed with folate, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc and potassium.

Lentils work wonderfully in just about any kind of savoury dish you want to create. Lentils are delicious when added to soups, stews, dals, curries and chilis, and are fantastic as a meat substitute for wraps, veggie burgers and meatless sloppy joes. They’re also quite tasty cooked by themselves and served over rice or mixed with other vegetables.

THE HOLY TRINITY OF A GOOD SOUP

Have you ever heard of a mirepoix? Sometimes, it’s referred to as the Holy Trinity of cooking. It is a flavour base made from diced vegetables cooked in some type of fat, usually, butter or oil. The veggies are sometimes cooked for a long period of time on very low heat. The goal is to not brown the veggies. Other times, they are cooked on a higher heat to bring out the natural sweetness. This is usually the case in soups.

A mirepoix is most often found combined with tomatoes or tomato paste. This creates a darker, brown mixture called a pincage. It is a long-standing cooking technique in French cuisine. Mirepoix is widely used to flavour a variety of Western dishes, such as stocks, soups, stews and sauces.

In Italian cuisine, the onions, carrots and celery are chopped to form a battuto. It is slowly cooked in butter or olive oil, becoming soffritto. It is used as the base for most pasta sauces, such as ragu, but occasionally it can be used as the base of other dishes, such as sautéed vegetables. Most of the time, the Italian version will also include garlic, shallots, or even leeks.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Olive Oil
• Onion – I use yellow, white, and sweet onions interchangeably.  Either of them will do just fine.
• Celery – I know many people who don’t care for celery in soup, but the flavour is needed here. If you prefer, add big chunks of celery and remove them before serving.
• Carrots 
• Garlic – Use fresh garlic whenever possible. Even the pre-minced stuff in the jars is better than garlic powder or granulated garlic in this recipe.
• Canned Diced Tomatoes – Use the juice too.
• Low Sodium Vegetable Stock – You can use chicken stock too if you don’t care to keep this soup vegetarian.
• Italian Seasoning – There are many differing Italian seasoning blends out there. Use the one you’re most comfortable with. I have a great homemade Italian Seasoning Blend if you want to make up your own.
• Salt and Ground Black Pepper
• Lentils – I’m using brown lentils, but you can use red or black too.
• Parmesan Cheese – This is optional and is used only as a garnish at the end. I think it tastes wonderful on the soup, but it’s completely up to you!
• Parsley – For garnish, colour, and freshness.

HOW TO MAKE ITALIAN VEGETABLE LENTIL SOUP

Add the olive oil, onion, carrots, and celery to a large, heavy-bottomed stock pot. Over medium heat, cook the vegetables for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add all of the remaining ingredients with the exception of the parmesan and parsley. Stir well. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to simmer and place the lid on the pot. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring often.

Depending on the lentils, you may need a few minutes more or less of cooking time. Cook until the lentils are tender. Additionally, if the soup begins to thicken too much, add another 1/2 cup of low-sodium vegetable stock or water. (The thickness of the soup is based on your preference, so only add the stock if you want soup with more broth.)

Once the lentils are tender, turn off the heat and stir in half of the chopped parsley and half of the grated parmesan. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with parmesan and more parsley. Serve with crusty bread.

CANNED TOMATOES

Ever try canning your own tomatoes at home? I prepare a huge batch at the end of every summer so that I can have freshly canned tomatoes all winter long. They’re best used in dishes that require chunks of cooked tomato. Think of dishes such as pot roast, or foods that require longer cooking times, such as soup, stew, or chili.

Having these tomatoes on hand eliminates the need to buy canned tomatoes at the store. All you need is three ingredients and a little patience. Besides, canning can be a family event. Get everyone involved and make it a fun day. The reward is enjoying the fruits of your labour in the winter months when local tomatoes are not available.

You can find whole canned tomatoes in most local grocery stores. But, the taste of homemade is much better. When you make your own, you can control the sodium. You also eliminate the use of chemicals and preservatives found in the store-bought variety. And, I find that most of the tomatoes you buy at the store leave some of the skin on the tomatoes. I don’t know about you, but I do not care for cooked tomato skins.

The skin doesn’t break down very well at all. If you get a fair-sized piece of it, you’re left with this weird, chewy bit that’s hard to swallow. Take the time to prepare tomatoes this summer and you’ll save yourself time and energy when preparing meals later!

MY RULES FOR CANNED STORE-BOUGHT TOMATOES

Listen, I’m not totally blind to the fact that everyone leads a different life. I know that not everyone is comfortable with, or has the desire to can their own tomatoes. And, I know that some of you will buy canned tomatoes from your local grocery store. Before you do, please read this section so that you can get the best results from store-bought canned tomatoes. I apologize if you’ve read this on my blog before, but it’s worth repeating.

First, if you need tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes, buy them in a glass jar. You can see what you’re buying. The colour should be bright and vivid; the sauce/tomatoes should look fresh and cohesive. If there are seeds or pieces of tomato skin, move on to another brand.

Second, if you need chopped or diced tomatoes, always buy whole tomatoes. When produce companies can the tomatoes, the best tomatoes are packed in cans marked “whole.” The blemished, not-so-perfect tomatoes, are crushed, chopped, or pureed and sold as such. I would rather buy canned whole tomatoes (they’re always the same price!) and spend the extra two minutes chopping them myself so that I know I’m getting really good and really ripe tomatoes.

LEFTOVERS AND/OR FREEZING

This Italian Vegetable Lentil Soup recipe does make about six hearty servings, which might be too much or too little, depending on the size of your family. The recipe can easily be halved or even doubled. Just be sure to use a really big soup pot if you’re doubling this recipe! Once everyone has had their fill, you might have some leftovers. If so, you can transfer the cooled soup to a food-safe container and store it in the fridge. It will keep for at least 3-4 days. Otherwise, you can freeze it and it will last for 3 months.

If you do refrigerate or freeze the leftovers, you may need to add a bit of water to the soup when reheating. Start with just a few tablespoons of water at a time to avoid turning the soup into a broth! Of course, if you add more water, you will need to re-season as well.

MORE LENTIL RECIPES

If you want more lentil recipe inspiration, look no further! As mentioned at the beginning of this post, I learned to cook with lentils with the hopes of replacing some meat-based recipes with them. By doing so, I have found some great recipes that use lentils and they are delicious – look at this Mujadarra, for example. Doesn’t it look great!? It’s a dish created with black lentils, brown rice, and onions.

I also have this Sausage and Lentil Skillet recipe. It is spicy Italian sausage combined with prepared lentils, tomatoes, and warm, comforting, familiar seasonings. This is an easy meal that satisfies the toughest critic. A perfect weeknight meal! And, what about these Curried Coconut Lentils? Or these Mexican Spiced Lentils?

One thing I never grow tired of is sandwiches. I’ve even made a sandwich recipe using canned lentils. Well, I figure if we can use canned tuna, chicken, or ham to make sandwiches, why not canned legumes too!? Try this Smashed Lentil Salad Sandwich – you won’t regret it!

QUESTIONS?

If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down below the recipe card to find my Follow Me on Social Media box and never miss another recipe!