Description
Italian Lentil Soup, or Zuppa di Lenticchie, is a warm, hearty, and nutritious soup featuring brown lentils simmered with aromatic vegetables, herbs, and a Parmesan rind for depth of flavor. This classic Tuscan-inspired recipe is perfect for a comforting meal, served with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons (¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium brown/yellow onion, peeled and finely diced
- 1 large carrot, washed and finely diced
- 2 ribs celery, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 cup (200 g) dried brown lentils
- 400 g (14 oz) tin of crushed tomatoes
- 5 ½ cups (1.375 litres) vegetable stock
- 1 piece Parmesan rind – about 7 ½ cm (3 inches)
- ¼ teaspoon dried red chilli pepper flakes
- 1 ½ teaspoon dried basil
- 1 ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
To Serve
- 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- Extra virgin olive oil, a drizzle
- Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: Add the olive oil to a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery, and sauté gently for about 5 minutes until the vegetables soften and the onion becomes translucent, stirring occasionally.
- Add Garlic: Stir in the chopped garlic and sauté for one additional minute until fragrant.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Add the dried brown lentils, crushed tomatoes, vegetable stock, Parmesan rind, dried red chilli flakes, dried basil, dried oregano, and fresh rosemary to the saucepan. Stir to combine.
- Simmer Soup: Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 30-40 minutes. Stir regularly until the lentils are tender and the soup has thickened. If the soup becomes too thick, add extra vegetable stock as needed.
- Season and Finish: Just before serving, discard the Parmesan rind and stir in the finely chopped parsley. Adjust seasoning with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to your liking.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Serve hot.
Notes
- Tablespoon: This recipe uses a standard Australian tablespoon (20 ml). For other regions, use 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon to equal one Australian tablespoon.
- Lentils: Brown and green lentils take about 30-40 minutes and hold their shape well. Red lentils take 25-30 minutes, and split red lentils cook in about 20 minutes but tend to disintegrate, making the soup smoother. Puy lentils are not commonly used in Italy but hold their shape and take around 30 minutes to cook.
- Parmesan rind adds depth of flavor and softens during cooking. Omit if making the soup vegan or vegetarian.
- If using dried rosemary instead of fresh, reduce to about ⅓ teaspoon due to its concentration.
- Adjust seasoning with sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper to your preference. Add extra chilli flakes if you prefer more heat.
- Storage: Store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat on the stove or microwave, adding extra stock or water if thickened.
- Freezing: Cool completely before freezing in freezer-safe containers; lasts up to three months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 350 ml)
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 15 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 2 mg
