French Lentil Soup

By Mischa DeHart on Oct 27th, '09. Viewed 588 times.

A really satisfying vegan soup for all those chilly nights ahead.

Ingredients

  • 1 large sweet onion or yellow onion
  • 2 large carrots, thinly sliced
  • 4 stalks of celery, thinly sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 5 plum tomatoes, peeled and diced*
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon herbs de provence (optional)
  • 2 cups of French lentils
  • 1 sprig of fresh tarragon
  • 6 cups of vegetable stock**
  • salt
  • pepper
French Lentil Soup
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings

1

Saute the Mirepoix

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy bottom pot and cook the onion, carrot and celery over medium low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions are translucent.

Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Add the tomatoes, dried herbs and the lentils. Stir for one minute. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer.

2

Simmer

Add a sprig of tarragon to the pot and simmer the soup, partially covered, for 1 hour, or until the lentils are tender.

3

Check for Seasoning and Season

Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and enjoy!
Mischa DeHart
*To peel tomatoes make a shallow X at one end of the tomatoes. Place the tomatoes in a heat safe bowl and pour boiling water over and gently stir until the skin begin to peel back from the X. Pour cold water over the tomatoes to cool them and peel them.

**I love to use a mushroom based vegetable stock. To make your own, Roast two large chopped onions, 2 peeled & chopped parsnips, 4 stalks roughly chopped celery, 4 peeled garlic cloves, and 1 cup of mushrooms or mushroom stems, drizzled with a 1/4 cup of olive oil in the oven at 400 degrees for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Place the vegetables in a stock pot and deglaze the roasting pan with two cups of water, scraping up all the brown bits if any. Pour over the vegetables and add 10 cups of water. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat and simmer for 45 minutes, partially covered. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.