Lentil Soup

Lentil soup
Nothing like making a good hearty soup on the weekend that can be eaten again over the week.  This is so easy and quick.  The key to making this soup taste really rich is the beef broth.  You can use vegetable or chicken broth but I prefer the beef.

6 pieces of dried chorizo sliced into pieces (about 12 ounces)

1 large sweet onion diced

5 medium carrots peeled and cut into 1/4" pieces

1 tsp. cumin

2 cups dried French green lentils ( you could use other lentils)

4 cups beef broth + 4 cups water

Spice bag filled with 3 bay leaves and two sprig thyme

Heat up a large soup pot on the stove and put in the chorizo.  Saute the chorizo until it is crispy on a medium heat.  Then take all the chorizo out with a slotted spoon into a bowl and set aside.

Add in the onions, carrots and cumin.  Leave this on the stove for about 10 minutes until this mixture is soft.  Add in the lentils and mix.  Add in the beef stock, water and spice bag and bring to a boil.  Throw in a pinch of kosher salt. 

Bring down to a simmer, put a lid on it and let this sit on the stove for about an hour.  Once this is done mix in the chorizo.  Serve.

Comments (Archived):

  1. William Mougayar

    It looks very hearty and yummy. Curious why did you do the chorizo separately- to drain the fat out?

    1. Gotham Gal

      the fat of chorizo is good for the soup but if it sat in there the entire time the soup was cooking the chorizo would get soft and overwhelming

  2. Olivia Michele Gelade

    yum !

  3. AG

    Where do you buy your beef broth, or if a brand, whats your favorite?

  4. takingpitches

    Another great use of lentils I rediscovered last weekend is the Middle Eastern dish mujaddara — roughly rice (bulgur), lentils, and caramelized onions, topped off with a little tahini and/or hot sauce.

  5. pointsnfigures

    Ha, made a similar recipe yesterday! Instead of chorizo used grass fed beef. We use V8, and throw in beef bouillon cubes with some water. Also throw in a cup of chopped cabbage. My grandmother used to make it. I will have to try it with green lentils. They are smaller and more delicate than brown lentils.

  6. Daniel Routman

    Made this tonight — nice recipe.

    1. Gotham Gal

      excellent!

  7. AMT Editorial Staff

    Which chorizo did you use? There’s quite an array. And why dried? Trader Joe’s soy chorizo is really flavorful…We’re not vegetarian but try to limit the saturated fat.

    1. Gotham Gal

      I always used dried. Any kind but not fresh.