Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 zucchini, diced
- 1 red capsicum, diced
- 1 cup dried lentils, rinsed and drained
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 4 cups chopped kale or spinach
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)
- Crusty bread to serve
Instructions:
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery, and sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened.
- Add the minced garlic, diced zucchini, and capsicum to the pot, and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in the rinsed lentils, vegetable stock, diced tomatoes (with their juices), dried thyme, and dried oregano. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring the soup to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Let the soup simmer for about 20-25 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.
- Once the lentils are cooked, stir in the chopped kale or spinach and let it cook for an additional 5 minutes until wilted.
- Remove the soup from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Ladle the vegetable and lentil soup into bowls and garnish with fresh chopped parsley, if desired. Serve hot and enjoy!
This vegetable and lentil soup is packed with nutritious ingredients and makes for a hearty and satisfying meal. You can change it up to suit your preferences with different vegetables and herbs. In fact, it’s a great recipe for using up those left over veggies in the fridge before they go off – saving on potential waste. Even for those of us already using Fresh & Crisp bags this does happen from time to time. ENJOY!