This simple lentil soup makes for a perfect hearty meal on a busy night. Serve with gluten-free bread or spoon over steamed rice.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, finely sliced
- 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or put through a garlic press
- 4 cups (32 ounces) low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 15-ounce cans lentils, rinsed and drained
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Heat oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan until shimmering but not smoking. Add onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Stir occasionally, until onion softens, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in broth, tomato paste, cumin and bay leaf. Whisk to combine.
Add the lentils. Bring to a boil. Once soup boils, reduce heat to low and simmer until soup thickens slightly, about 10 minutes.
Turn off heat. Stir in lemon juice. Remove bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Nutrition Analysis: 160 calories, 1.5 g fat, 0 mg chol, 290 mg sodium, 26 g carbs, 11 g fiber, 6 g sugar, 10 g protein
Elizabeth Barbone, author of the cookbooks Easy Gluten-Free Baking and How to Cook Gluten-Free, is a regular contributor to Gluten-Free Living. She also blogs at glutenfreebaking.com.
