Lentil Soup
lentil soup with sausage and vegetables
Ingredients
- 400 g red lentils
- 1500 g water
- 20 g vegetable oil
- 160 g carrot
- 200 g onion
- 100 g celery
- 400 g canned tomatoes
- 300 g Polish sausage
- 0.5 g ground cumin
- 0.4 g ground coriander
- 4.6 g paprika
- 1.6 g garlic powder
- 40 g lemon juice
- 8 g salt
- 1.6 g black pepper
Method
- Legume: Pick over and rinse the lentils; neither type needs soaking. For the navy bean swap, soak overnight, then drain and rinse. Put the chosen legume in a pot with the water and bouillon cube, or the stock, adding enough liquid to keep it covered. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook red lentils until soft and breaking down, 15–20 min; cook whole brown lentils until tender through the center but still holding their shape, 30–45 min. For soaked navy beans, simmer until fully tender, ~60–90 min. Add more hot water as needed and use tenderness, not the clock, as the final check. Wait until the lentils or beans are tender before adding the tomatoes.
- Vegetables: While the legume cooks, heat the oil in another pan. Sauté the carrot, onion, and celery, or leek, until softened. Add the vegetables and cubed Polish sausage to the legume pot.
- Finish: Stir in the crushed tomatoes, cumin, coriander, paprika, and garlic powder. Simmer 10–15 min, stirring occasionally; stir red lentils more often as they thicken. Leave the brown lentils whole, or mash a few against the pot to thicken the soup. Add hot water if needed to loosen. Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.