Hearty Lentil Minestrone



(Taken from 'Love Real Food' by Kathryn Taylor of Cookie and Kate)

This hearty minestrone soup is delicious! I love how flavorful and nourishing it is. Plus, you get your greens in combination with so many wonderful flavors. Perfect for this cold snap we’re in here in the Northeast!

Ingredients:

1 Medium yellow onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

Fine sea salt

1 cup chopped seasonal vegetables (yellow squash, zucchini, butternut squash, potatoes, or peas)

4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, with their liquid

¾ cup French green lentils or brown lentils, picked over for debris and rinsed

4 cups (32 oz) vegetable broth

2 cups water

2 bay leaves

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup whole-grain orecchiette, elbow, or small shell pasta

1 can (15 oz) Great Northern beans or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked beans

2 cups chopped Tuscan (lacinato) or curly kale, tough ribs removed

2 teaspoons lemon juice, or more if needed

Instructions:

  1. Add onion, carrots, celery, tomato paste, and a pinch of salt to a soup pot or dutch oven. Add enough water to cover the bottom of the pot, and cook between 7-10 minutes, or until the onions are turning translucent and the vegetables have softened.

  2. Add the seasonal vegetables, garlic, oregano, and thyme. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Pour in the tomatoes, lentils, broth, and water. Add 1 teaspoon salt, the bay leaves, and the pepper flakes. Season generously with black pepper.

  3. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a simmer, then partially cover the pot with the lid, leaving about a 1-inch gap for steam to escape. Reduce the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer and cook for 15 minutes.

  4. Uncover and add the pasta, beans, and chopped kale. Continue simmering uncovered until the lentils are tender and the pasta is cooked al dente, about 20 minutes.

  5. Remove the pot from heat, then remove and discard the bay leaves. Stir in the lemon juice. Taste and season with more salt (I usually add another ½ teaspoon), pepper, and/or lemon juice until the flavors really sing. Serve!