During this crazy time, both a pandemic in the world and a new baby, I’m making a lot of one pot dinners and finding ways to use basic pantry ingredients. Soup is the perfect solution! Of course you can make your own fancy stock, soak dry beans overnight, and add wonderful additions like pistou (basil, garlic, olive oil) to the finished product, but this recipe is the easy way to make a healthy, hearty one pot meal.

Toasting green or brown lentils helps plump them up a little faster since they require the longest cooking time of all lentil varietals. If you use red or yellow lentils they need a lot less cooking time, like 15 minutes, so adapt the recipe time accordingly.

You can really use a variety of beans and vegetables as you have on hand in your cupboard and fridge so play around with different kinds. Similar to a casserole the idea is to use up what you’ve got in one easy recipe. I’ve used cannellini and Great Northern white beans but I really like the texture of the bigger dark red kidney bean best. But again, use what you have in your pantry. This is also great reheated the next day for lunch, so you can make it ahead of time as well and just reheat when ready.

Vegetable Lentil Soup

Recipe by: Everyday Cooking Adventures, 2020

Serves: 4

Hands On Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup green or brown lentils, rinsed through a sieve
• 64 oz. vegetable or chicken stock
• Handful of fresh oregano
• Handful of fresh thyme
• ½ yellow onion, diced
• 1 zucchini
• 1 small butternut squash
• 3 medium carrots, any color
• 8.5 oz. can of kidney beans

Directions:

1. Pour the olive oil in a 3.5 qt Dutch oven or saucepan and warm over medium heat. Add the lentils, stirring on and off, to toast the lentils for 2-3 minutes. Saute in the onion, stirring to combine, for another 2 minutes.
2. Add the stock to the pot. Stir in the oregano and thyme. You can leave the herbs on their stalks to save time as the leaves will fall off into the soup as it cooks. Just remember to remove the stalks with tongs before serving.
3. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
4. Stir in the zucchini, squash, carrots, and beans. Bring back to a low boil and then reduce to simmer uncovered for another 20 minutes.
5. Remember to remove herb stalks with tongs. Taste for seasoning and add salt and fresh ground black pepper as needed and divide between bowls. Serve with crusty bread.