Kitchen Crafts 'n' More

Thursday, December 23, 2010 Frugal and Filling Lentil Soup

Do you ever just crave a bowl of hot soup, fresh and steaming? Are you looking for frugal meals to put on the table that are both nourishing and filling? Here is a simple, delicious lentil soup that I've created myself, and have been making often. It's nothing fancy, but boy does it taste good on a cold day! As with many homemade soups and stews, it tastes even more delicious the second or third day.

Frugal and Filling Lentil Soup

4 quarts water (approximately - more or less to fill your soup pot)
olive oil
1 large or 2 small onions, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 lb carrots, peeled and sliced
4-5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced (or garlic powder to taste)
1 or 2 chicken or beef stock cubes
1 or 2 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 small package red lentils
salt and pepper to taste
hot sauce to taste
fresh parsley, optional

Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a pot (the one I use is a 5 1/2 quart lime green Le Creuset - a definite investment, but oh so worth it when making homemade soups).

Saute onions, celery, carrots and garlic until softened. Add water, stock cubes and let soup simmer together to blend flavors. Flavor with salt and pepper and hot sauce, all to taste. Add in chopped potatoes and cook about 5 minutes. Add in the entire package of lentils. Simmer together until soup is the consistency you like - I like the potatoes cooked down and quite soft, as they also help to thicken the soup.

In the last few minutes of cooking, throw in some fresh chopped parsley, if you have it around. Makes a TON of soup - great for leftovers for lunch the next day, or to stock the freezer. :) Enjoy, soup lovers!

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Labels: cold weather food, comfort food, family favorites, frugal recipes, homemade soups, lentil soup, vegetarian recipes