Hearty Lentil Soup

Here is a thick, rich and delicious soup that will warm you up on a chilly fall evening. This hearty soup takes less than an hour to prepare, which is always great news on a busy weeknight in my house.

I made this hearty lentil soup on trick-or-treat night to warm us up after spending a few hours outside. I prepared the soup earlier in the day then placed it in a crock pot set to low heat.

The crock pot kept the soup warm for all of our guests and allowed me to interact with our guests and trick-or-treaters instead hanging out in the kitchen. Serve this soup with freshly baked corn bread for an incredibly tasty meal.

Hearty Lentil Soup

Servings: 2 quarts, 4 to 6 servings

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Ingredients 

Ingredients:

• 3 slices bacon, about 3 ounces, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 large onion, chopped fine (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped (about 1 cup)
• 3 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1 can, 14 1/2 ounces diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
• 1 cup lentils, 7 ounces, rinsed and picked over
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 4 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

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Instructions

• In large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, fry bacon, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add onion and carrots; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, about 2 minutes.
• Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Stir in tomatoes, bay leaf, and thyme; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Stir in lentils, salt, and pepper; cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until vegetables are softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Uncover, increase heat to high, add wine, and bring to simmer.
• Add chicken broth and water; bring to boil, cover partially, and reduce heat to low. Simmer until lentils are tender but still hold their shape, 30 to 35 minutes; discard bay leaf.
• Transfer 3 cups of soup to a blender and puree until smooth. Return pureed soup to pot; stir in vinegar and heat soup over medium-low until hot, about 5 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons parsley and serve, garnishing each bowl with some of remaining parsley.

Author: Laura

Source: Cook’s Illustrated, January 2004