Italian-Style Lentil Soup
111
- Prep Time20 mins
- Total Time40 mins
- Makes8 servings
(Photography: Christie Vuong. Produced by Aimee Nishitoba. Food styling: Ashley Denton. Prop Styling: Cailen Speers)
A hearty winter soup packed with healthy legumes, plus pancetta, rosemary and parmesan to round out the flavour.
Ingredients
900 mL no-salt chicken broth
4 cups water
1 1/2 cups green lentils, rinsed
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs of rosemary
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
110 g pancetta, diced (about 3/4 cup)
1 large onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 sprigs of thyme
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2/3 cup finely grated parmesan, divided, plus more for garnish (optional)
Instructions
COMBINE broth, water, lentils, bay leaves and rosemary in a large pot over medium-high. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, covered, until lentils are softened, 20 min.
HEAT 2 tbsp oil in a large frying pan over medium. Add pancetta and cook until browned, 4 min. Add onion, carrots, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring until vegetables are tender, about 10 min. Add to lentils and continue cooking, covered, until lentils are tender, about 15 min. Remove and discard bay leaves, rosemary and thyme sprigs. Stir in cheese. To serve, drizzle with remaining 2 tbsp oil and sprinkle with more parmesan. Kitchen Tip: Cooking lentils and vegetables separately saves you time while delivering full flavour. Add leftover parmesan rind to your broth mixture for added flavour.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories 279, Protein 16g, Carbohydrates 27g, Fat 12g, Fibre 6g, Sodium 549mg.
Excellent source of vitamin A.