Fall Vegetable and Lentil Soup
Serves 6
Nutrition per serving – calories: 310, fat: 8g, carbohydrates: 47g, protein: 14g, fiber: 14g, sugar: 11g, sodium: 224mg
Lentils du Puy, sometimes called French green lentils, are our first choice for this recipe, but brown, black, or regular green lentils are fine, too. Note that cooking times will vary depending on the type of lentils used. You can use any dense vegetables for this recipe. Turnips, sweet potatoes, celery root, and rutabaga are all suitable substitutes. You need a total of 4 cups of vegetables.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cloves garlic, minced
¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 teaspoons fresh
1 bay leaf
1 ½ cups small green French lentils
9 cups water or vegetable stock
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
10-12 ounces butternut squash, cut into ¾-inch dice
Kosher Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar, plus more to taste
Heat oil In a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. add the onions and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally until onions are golden and lightly browned about 8 minutes.
Add the tomato paste. Stir for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the tomato paste darkens to a ruddy brown. Add the garlic and spices and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the lentils, water, vegetables, ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper, Simmer for 30-35 minutes, or until the lentils are soft. Discard bay leaf.
Scoop out 2 cups of the soup and purée it in a blender until smooth, or use an immersion blender and purée just until the soup takes on a little body and thickens, but you still have texture. Return the blended soup to the pot and stir in the vinegar and simmer for a minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
