This Mediterranean Vegan Lentil Soup is an amazing comfort food, it keeps you full, it's delicious and can be used for New Year's Eve traditions or regular weekly meal planning.
1tbspred wine vinegar (optional)usually add on each individual bowl as you serve the soup
Instructions
Chop celery and parsley, dice onion, celery and tomatoes. Mince garlic.
Rinse and inspect lentils for impurities. Soak them for a short amount of time.
Start by heating olive oil in a medium size pot, add onions, garlic and start sauteing. Then once onion becomes translucent, add celery. Stir well and a minute or two later add lentil and parsley. Keep stirring so the ingredients don't stick to the bottom (keep heat at medium)
Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and bay leaves. Stir and when it starts bubbling, add water or vegetable broth. Add cumin, stir and let it come to a boil.
Cover and let cook for about 35 minutes. I sometimes lower the heat in low and let cook for about 45 minutes instead of 35 but heat has to be lower. It gives the soup a creamy texture.
Towards the last 10 minutes, add salt/pepper, stir and try the soup for taste. Cover and let cook for the last minutes.
Turn heat off, set aside to cool a bit. Once ready to eat, serve in soup bowl with a side of rice, bread or favorite salad or just on its own:). Top with freshly chopped parsley, red wine vinegar or any spicy toppings according to individual taste.
Notes
Traditional lentil soup from where I am from includes potatoes and carrots too. If adding 1 potato and 2 carrots to this soup, add an extra cup of water and adjust for salt and pepper accordingly.
If you don't have fresh tomatoes, add 1 tbsp of tomato paste. I just love how the soup tastes with fresh diced tomatoes so I try to use fresh any chance I get.
I usually use a whole parsley bunch from my grocery store. That usually yields 2 cups of packed chopped parsley. I use 1 cup and a half in the soup and the last half cup for garnishing each bowl at the end.
If you like the soup to be spicy, add some crushed red pepper to the soup or serve with fresh chilis as a side.