1 ¼cupsgreen lentilsor brown lentils, about half of a 1-pound bag, rinsed
4cupslow-sodium vegetable brothor chicken broth
114.5-ounce candiced tomatoeswith their juices
½teaspoonground cumin
¼teaspoondried thyme
1bay leaf
½teaspoonsea saltplus more to taste
freshly ground black pepperto taste
½lemonjuiced
¼cup choppedfresh parsleyto garnish
Instructions
Prep: Chop the onion, celery and carrots, and mince the garlic.
Sauté: Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, sauté the onion, celery and carrots for a few minutes, add the garlic, and sauté for one more minute. Add the lentils, broth, tomatoes and spices and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam that rises to the top with a slotted spoon.
Simmer: Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 35 minutes. Skim the foam off the soup a couple times during cooking.
Season: Remove the bay leaf, stir in the lemon juice, season to taste with additional salt and pepper, and garnish with fresh parsley.
Enjoy: Serve immediately, or store up to 5 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer. Enjoy!