Lentil Soup

My friend A has been asking for this recipe and this morning my daughter said she used The Joy of Cooking recipe because I hadn't given her one. I am sure that the recipe she found will make delicious soup, but it won't be fat-free and it won't be vegan. When two people mention a recipe, I know that it is time for me to get busy.

This is a quick and filling meal we rely on when I have been at the pool too late to spend time cooking. Serve it with a salad and/or a loaf of rustic bread.

I like to use Amore Concentrated Tomato Paste in a tube. I used to throw out half used cans of tomato paste and feel guilty about it. Then I discovered the pastes in tubes, widely available in grocery stores. The pastes keep in the refrigerator indefinitely and make it easy to use a couple of tablespoons without waste.

Lentil Soup

1/2 cup water
1 small onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1-quart vegetable broth
2 cups water
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 pound dried lentils, sorted and rinsed


In a 5-quart pan, cook the onion in water over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Add the carrot, celery, and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, adding more broth as necessary to keep liquid in the pan. Add the broth, water, and tomato paste, stirring until the tomato paste is combined. Add the lentils and cook over medium heat until the lentils are soft, about 40 minutes.

Serve piping hot. Like so many soups, this one tastes even better the second day.

Makes 4 servings.