Lentil Tomato Soup

By Martha Rose Shulman

Updated March 20, 2017

  • Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
About 1 hour 30 minutes
Rating
5(2,475)
Comments
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I’m a firm believer in eating foods that symbolize good luck and expanding fortune at the beginning of the year. Usually I stick with my black-eyed peas salad. But I’ve always been curious about how people in other countries usher in the New Year. Lentils and raisins are present on Italian tables because they resemble coins and swell when cooked. They’re usually accompanied by pork, a symbol of prosperity and abundance. This is an easy, robust vegetarian soup that tastes almost meaty. The rosemary in the bouquet garni contributes a savory, earthy flavor.

Featured in: New Year’s Dishes for Prosperity and Longevity

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

FOR THE LENTIL TOMATO SOUP

  • 1 cup lentils, washed and picked over

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 medium onion, chopped

  • 2 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 carrot, diced

  • 1 stalk of celery, diced

  • Salt to taste

  • 1 14-ounce can chopped tomatoes, with juice

  • 5 cups water

  • A bouquet garni made with 2 sprigs rosemary and 1 bay leaf

  • Freshly ground pepper to taste

  • Grated Parmesan or Gruyère for serving

  • 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

40 grams carbs; 1 milligram cholesterol; 247 calories; 3 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 5 grams fat; 9 grams fiber; 1177 milligrams sodium; 14 grams protein; 6 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. FOR THE LENTIL TOMATO SOUP

    1. Step 1

      Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven, and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, carrot and celery, and a generous pinch of salt, and continue to cook for another 5 minutes until tender. Add the tomatoes and bouquet garni, and cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down somewhat and smell fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add the lentils, water and salt to taste. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently one hour. Taste and adjust seasonings. Remove the bouquet garni, and stir in the parsley. Serve, garnishing each bowl with Parmesan or Gruyère.

Tip

  • Advance preparation: This soup will improve overnight, and keeps well for three or four days, though you will probably finish it sooner. It can be frozen for a couple of months.Martha Rose Shulman can be reached at martha-rose-shulman.com

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Ratings

5 out of 5
2,475 user ratings
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Comments

Jeffrey Hill

Another trick is to thrown in a Parmesan rind. You will not regret it.

CEM

I added lemon juice (about one lemon's worth) to the recipe - it was delicious. As noted, the soup did improve overnight.

Mordecai

Good tip on the lemon juice. I added it at the end as a garnish, along with a little olive oil, and it helped. Also, pancetta helped.

Day of the soup wasn't as exciting as it was the day after or even two days after. I highly recommend making it ahead.

BBC

I really love this soup but agree with the comments to spruce it up with lemon juice, olive oil, and then I add some vegetable stock.

Loretta

I have not cooked this yet. It sounds wonderful as lentils are among my favorites. I am careful about my sodium consumption, and I hesitate to cook this dish as the nutritional information says it contains over 1000 mg of salt per serving. The only high sodium ingredient is the canned tomatoes or perhaps the grated cheese, so I wonder if the listed sodium level is in error. Can anyone clarify?

Milo

I’ve made this soup as written about three times. It’s perfect - hearty and filling. I love to eat it with sourdough bread soaked in the broth. Heaven!

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