Italian tradition says lentils are good luck and after diving into this soup you’re bound to agree. Sometimes lentils make their first appearance of the year on January 1, at the cenone (big dinner) shared by family and friends in the afternoon. Chef Michele Savoia of the Pittsburgh’s Dish Osteria says that no matter when you eat lentils, they always bring good fortune.
Why Use Lentils in an Italians Soup?
Why use lentils? The plump roundness of a single lentil is said to resemble a Roman coin. Because their sheer numbers represent a lot of coin, they bring prosperity. They’re also traditionally served with pork, whose fatty richness is also associated with living “high on the hog,” to borrow a phrase from another tradition!
By happy coincidence, lentils are also good for you. High in both fiber and protein, they offer up substantial amounts of iron, manganese, folate and phosphorous – all essential to healthy human bodies.
Whether you’re motivated by symbolism and tradition, or by their endless health benefits, put lentil soup on your menu.
If you need of more healthy, warm soup ideas, try TABLE’s top 10 soup recipes of 2024.
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Italian Lentil Soup
- Yield: Serves 4-6 1x
Description
The lentils in this soup are sure to leave you full and ready to take on the day.
Ingredients
- 1 small onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 shallot, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 ribs of celery, diced
- 1 small head of fennel, sliced
- Olive oil for cooking
- Extra virgin olive oil for finishing
- 1 bunch of Lacinato Kale, ribs removed and roughly chopped
- 2 quarts of chicken or beef broth
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
- Pecorino Pepato, grated
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup dry black Lentils
- 3 cups Lentil broth
Instructions
- Rinse lentils and add them to a pot and cover with 4 cups of water. Add ½ onion, bay leaf and fennel stem. Bring to a simmer and cook until al dente, about 15-20 minutes. Add salt to taste after lentils are cooked. Strain lentils and reserve the broth. Discard bay leaf, onion and fennel stem.
- In a soup pot, brown the sausage over medium heat and break into small pieces. Remove sausage from pot and set aside.
- Add olive oil to pot and turn heat to medium high. Add celery, carrots, fennel, onion, garlic and shallot. Stir occasionally for about 10 minutes until veggies are translucent and a fond begins to form in the bottom of the pot.
- Add kale and saute over medium heat for 10-15 minutes. Add cooked sausage back to the pot, stir. Add chicken or beef broth, and lentil broth. Stir together and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add lentils and simmer until soup is hot, being careful not to overcook them. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with grated Pecorino Pepato and extra virgin olive oil.
Recipe by Chef Michele Savoia
Story by Keith Recker
Styling by Ana Kelly
Photography by Adam Milliron
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