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Lentil Tomato Soup

5.0(2452)

I’m a firm believer in eating foods that symbolize good luck and expanding fortune at the beginning of the year. Usually I stick with my black-eyed peas salad. But I’ve always been curious about how people in other countries usher in the New Year. Lentils and raisins are present on Italian tables because they resemble coins and swell when cooked. They’re usually accompanied by pork, a symbol of prosperity and abundance. This is an easy, robust vegetarian soup that tastes almost meaty. The rosemary in the bouquet garni contributes a savory, earthy flavor.

by Martha Rose Shulman

Open original recipe

ItalianDinner, Lunch, One Pot, Appetizer, Main Course

Servings

4 servings

Total time

1h 30m

Calories / serving

247 kcal

Ingredients (13)

serves

1 cup lentils, washed and picked overlentils
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oilextra-virgin-olive-oil
1 medium onion, choppedonion
2 garlic cloves, mincedgarlic
1 carrot, dicedcarrot
1 stalk of celery, dicedcelery
Salt to tastesalt
1 14-ounce can chopped tomatoes, with juicetomato
5 cups waterwater
A bouquet garni made with 2 sprigs rosemary and 1 bay leaf
Freshly ground pepper to tastepepper
Grated Parmesan or Gruyère for servingparmesan
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsleyparsley

Instructions (1 steps)

01Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven, and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, carrot and celery, and a generous pinch of salt, and continue to cook for another 5 minutes until tender. Add the tomatoes and bouquet garni, and cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down somewhat and smell fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add the lentils, water and salt to taste. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently one hour. Taste and adjust seasonings. Remove the bouquet garni, and stir in the parsley. Serve, garnishing each bowl with Parmesan or Gruyère.