French Lentil Soup | Sunday Soup

vegetable broth

🥗Healthier: homemade vegetable broth

💰Cheaper: water

Using water is a cost-effective way to prepare the soup, though it may lack depth.

green lentils

🥗Healthier: brown lentils

💰Cheaper: split peas

Brown lentils are often less expensive and still provide a similar texture.

olive oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: canola oil

Canola oil is a more budget-friendly option with a neutral flavor.

bay leaves

💰Cheaper: dried basil

Dried basil can substitute for bay leaves, offering a different but pleasant flavor.

Chop three strips of bacon and cook in a medium stock pot until just short of crispy.

Add about one tablespoon of olive oil to the pot.

Throw in two cups of finely chopped yellow onion, one and a half cups of chopped carrots, one quarter cup finely chopped celery, and three cloves of minced garlic; stir and let the vegetables sauté in the oil and bacon grease for a few minutes until the onions are translucent.

Add a 14 and a half ounce can of petite diced tomatoes including the juice from the can.

Add six cups of chicken broth, one cup dried french lentils, one teaspoon salt, one quarter teaspoon black pepper, and two teaspoons of herbs de provence.

Bring everything just to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer, cover the pot, and simmer on low for 45 minutes stirring occasionally.

Remove two cups of the soup from the pot and blend it either with an immersion blender or a standard blender, then pour the puree back into the pot and stir it up.

Garnish with a pinch of fresh chopped parsley before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: