Ingredients
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1/4 cup olive oil (or thereabouts)
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4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped medium
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4 celery ribs, chopped medium
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6 garlic cloves
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2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
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1 large bay leaf
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2 cups lentils
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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8 cups vegetable broth
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3 cups water
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8 ounces spinach, baby whole or 8 ounces regular spinach, chopped
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1 1/2 large onions, chopped fine
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ground black pepper
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2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
- Heat olive oil at medium-high heat.
- Add onions, carrots and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften (4-8 minutes).
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant (30 seconds).
- Stir in tomatoes, bay leaf and thyme; cook until fragrant (30 seconds).
- Stir in lentils, salt and pepper to taste.
- Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook until vegetables are softened and lentils have darkened *7-10 minutes).
- Uncover, add vegetable broth and water.
- Bring to a boil, cover partially, and reduce heat to low.
- Simmer until lentils are tender but not mushy (30-35 minutes).
- Discard bay leaf.
- Puree 3 cups soup in blender until smooth, then return puree to pot.
- Stir in spinach until wilted.
- Serve! (or place in plastic containers for work!).