Lentil and Tomato Soup

What, it’s totally in vogue to post soup in the middle of May, didn’t you know?

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Actually, I made this lentil soup last week when Mother Nature was on a roll at the slot machines, and Old Man Winter went behind her back and played a risky little game with the rest of us at home. MEN.

And you know what, I heard they’re still not on speaking terms. To be honest, I’m not surprised.

Not. Surprised. One. Bit.

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But to be even MORE of a walking contraction, I almost enjoyed it. (please don’t stab me)

Not 100%, oh Lord no, but just barely enough to have the festive excuse to uncork a Malbec that’s been giving me bedroom eyes since . . . whatever, the day before.

SPEAKING OF CORKS, omgggg. I have a funny story for you.

And I swear this won’t take long at all. Not too long. Just a regular length story. It’s worth it! I promise I won’t ramble or litter this post with run-ons. I’ll get straight to it! Straight to the story I want to tell you. This is the best story, I’m laughing so hard already just thinking about it.

Do what? Oh, okay.

You know how dogs love toys? And when they hear a jingle or a squeak or whatever they get all waggy and foamy and cute and mildly psychotic? Right.

You’ll never guess what gets my dog maniacal on life. You’ll never ever ever guess. Never.

 

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Wine corks! Is that not hilarious/don’t call AA??!

She goes certifiably BERSERK when she hears the wine bottle opener clinking and sees the motion of the opener going into the cork and that little airy POP that occurs right after. Just coo-coo.

She doesn’t EAT the cork, oh no way. She just shreds it into a zillion little corky pieces all over the couch and I get to clean it up! Isn’t that just a gas?! Hahaha hahahaha ahha.

Oh.

I guess I need to wrap this up.

This lentil soup? Bonkers delicious.

Super simple to pull together because it’s mostly pantry-style ingredients. It has depth and complexity and flavor and dimension and pizzazz and punch and charisma and chiseled features and strong biceps and legs that won’t end an- oh I’m sorry! I didn’t realize you were still here.

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Spring schmring. Make this.

Lentil and Tomato Soup:

What it took for 4:

* 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 small white onion, diced
* 2 carrots, thinly sliced
* 5 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 tsp cinnamon
* 1 tsp smoked paprika
* 1 pinch crushed red pepper
* 1 Tbs. tomato paste
* 2 Tbs. fresh thyme and oregano leaves
* 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
* 1 (14.5 oz) can fire-roasted tomatoes
* 1 quart vegetable stock (or chicken stock, or water)
* 1 cup French green lentils (picked over for stones)
* 1 Tbs. honey
* 1 Tbs. red wine vinegar
* coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high. Add the onions and carrots; sauté until they start to soften, 5 minutes. Add the garlic and and sauté 30 seconds. Toss in a pinch of salt and pepper.

Add the cinnamon, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper, tomato paste, thyme and oregano; stir it around until combined, about a minute.

Stir in the canned tomatoes and stock. Add the lentils, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer on medium until the lentils have mostly softened, but are still a little toothy, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Okay now taste it. So good, right? Now add the honey and red wine vinegar. Simmer another 5 to 10 minutes, or until the lentils are cooked through and phenom. (I’m not saying dot com and you can’t make me.)

Garnish with fresh parsley and crusty bread!

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Fiiiiine, I’ll pour us some wine. Geez.

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24 Responses to Lentil and Tomato Soup

  1. Tieghan May 9, 2013 at 8:18 am #
    IT IS SNOWING HERE! This means I want this soup! looks so good right now!
  2. Mande @ Newfound Foodie May 9, 2013 at 8:35 am #
    I normally don't like tomato soup (I know, what's wrong with me), but man do I want this in my mouth.
  3. Kelli @ The Corner Kitchen May 9, 2013 at 8:45 am #
    It could be the middle of August and I'd still want to eat this soup!
  4. Arthur in the Garden! May 9, 2013 at 8:51 am #
    This combines two of my favourite ingredients! I will have to try it!
  5. Cassie | Bake Your Day May 9, 2013 at 9:39 am #
    I can eat soup all year 'round. Looks amazing!
  6. Marie @ Little Kitchie May 9, 2013 at 9:56 am #
    I'm literally cold 200% of the time, so soup always sounds good to me. This sounds amazingggg!
  7. Meagan @ A Zesty Bite May 9, 2013 at 10:08 am #
    I would eat this soup in 104 degrees. Ok, maybe that is a bit extreme but I do love soup in the warm months too.
  8. Megan {Country Cleaver} May 9, 2013 at 11:13 am #
    Huck is the same way when he hears the wine cork. or the clink of a bottle. He's a booze hound. He likes beer. And I like lentils. A. Lot. So...yeah.
  9. Liz @ The Lemon Bowl May 9, 2013 at 11:19 am #
    I eat soup year-round with pride. I want ten bowls of this!
  10. Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar May 9, 2013 at 11:28 am #
    What a weird thing for a dog to obsess over!! This soup looks awesome!
  11. Erin L May 9, 2013 at 11:40 am #
    Soup is ALWAYS appropriate! It's the food equivalent of a nude pump, or Van Morrison, or Earl Grey tea (wait... does that count as food??). My point is that it's pleasing to everyone! This looks GLORIOUS!! Thank you for sharing it with us!!!
  12. Tracy | Peanut Butter And Onion May 9, 2013 at 12:45 pm #
    I posted a soup last month and thought that was riska... but you have proven me wrong.... why not soup in May, or June or all year round
  13. Kevin (Closet Cooking) May 9, 2013 at 12:48 pm #
    I could go for a bowl of this soup right now!
  14. Tracey @ Cooking with Love May 9, 2013 at 2:13 pm #
    This would be sooo good with a grilled cheese! I'm still in love with that green pot!!! :)
  15. Katie May 9, 2013 at 4:08 pm #
    It's pouring rain here...so, soup for life.
  16. Daniel - Comedera.Com May 9, 2013 at 8:54 pm #
    This is an amazing recipe. I usually cook lentis at spanish style: with a lot of pork and potatoes! I will try this one, with tomato :D
  17. Dixya May 11, 2013 at 7:18 am #
    I will take a quart of that- no not the wine!
  18. Nutmeg Nanny May 14, 2013 at 9:56 am #
    Oh, this looks so wonderful and inviting :) I love tomato soup, yours looks amazing!
  19. Sally May 22, 2013 at 10:27 am #
    I eat soup for lunch nearly every day all year long. In the very hottest dog days of summer, I might make a cold soup, but usually it's a hot soup. I make soup once or twice weekly. This sounds delicious and another variation of lentil soup for me.
  20. Deborah@delicioushappens May 24, 2013 at 9:55 am #
    Lentil soup is one of my favorites! This looks rich and yummy!! I make soup a couple of times a week - even in the summer!
  21. Shona October 2, 2013 at 4:19 pm #
    I just made this soup...delicious beyond..had 3 large bowls..couldn't stop! Thank you for this crazy good recipe ;)
  22. Jen Renee January 4, 2018 at 5:14 pm #
    This is great, love all Bev’s soup recipes, it was just a little too much cinnamon for me. I would probably reduce it to 1/4 tsp cinnamon and add a teaspoon of garlic powder. Love what the honey and red wine vinegar do for this at the end!

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  2. The Great Soup Roundup of 2015 | Bev Cooks - January 13, 2015 […] Lentil and Tomato Soup: Hearty hearty hearty. But light! Healthy healthy healthy. But complex! Eat it eat it eat it. Invite […]

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