Lentil Soup with Fennel
This lentil soup with fennel is made from humble ingredients. It's a wonderful way to transform pantry staples into a satisfying, nourishing bowl of deliciousness.
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 40 minutes mins
Course dinner, lunch, Side Dish, Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 4 main dish (6 side dish)
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 medium carrots, chopped (or try 1 cup chopped butternut squash)
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 medium fennel bulb, chopped (or use 1-2 parsnips, chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups water* or use vegetable stock (instead of water and bouillon)
- 2-3 teaspoons Vegetable bouillon*
- 1 cup dried green or red lentils, rinsed and sorted
- 1 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley (plus extra for garnish)
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- salt, to taste
- freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese (for serving) (or try a dollop of pesto!)
To a large Dutch Oven over medium heat, add olive oil. Add onion, carrots, celery, and fennel if using, and saute for 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute for another minute, until fragrant.
Add water, vegetable bouillon, lentils, tomatoes, parsley, oregano, and thyme. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes. Add extra water or stock as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Ladle into bowls and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.