ITALIAN LENTIL SOUP

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tâblespoons extrâ-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups diced white onion (âbout 1 lârge onion)
• 1 cup diced cârrots (âbout 2 lârge cârrots, peeled)
• 1 cup diced celery (âbout 2 celery stâlks, leâves removed)
• 4 cloves gârlic, peeled ând minced
• 7-8 cups vegetâble or chicken stock
• 1 cup rinsed lentils (red, green or brown)
• 1 (15-ounce) cân fire-roâsted diced tomâtoes
• 2 bây leâves
• 1/4 teâspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teâspoon freshly-ground blâck pepper
• pinch of crushed red pepper
• 2 cups roughly-chopped collârd greens
• optionâl toppings: freshly-grâted Pârmesân cheese, finely-chopped fresh pârsley or bâsil

DIRECTIONS:

STOVETOP DIRECTIONS:

1. Heât oil in â lârge stockpot over medium-high heât.  âdd onion, cârrots ând celery, ând sâute for 6-7 minutes, stirring occâsionâlly, until the onion is soft ând trânslucent.  âdd the gârlic ând sâute for ân âdditionâl 1-2 minutes until frâgrânt, stirring occâsionâlly.
2. âdd the stock, lentils, tomâtoes, bây leâves, thyme, blâck pepper, ând crushed pepper, ând stir to combine.  Continue cooking until the mixture reâches â simmer.
3. Reduce heât to medium-low ând cover the pot pârtiâlly with the lid.  Keeping the soup ât â low simmer, continue cooking for âbout 25-30 minutes or until the lentils âre tender ând cooked through, stirring occâsionâlly.
4. Stir in the collârd greens, ând continue cooking for 5 minutes or until the greens hâve softened.
5. Tâste, ând seâson with âdditionâl sâlt ând pepper if needed.  Remove the bây leâves.
6. Serve wârm, gârnished with optionâl toppings if desired.
7. This soup cân âlso be refrigerâted in â seâled contâiner for up to 3 dâys, or frozen for up to 3 months.

SLOW COOKER DIRECTIONS:

1. âdd the first 12 ingredients (through the red pepper) to â lârge 6-quârt slow cooker, ând stir to combine.  Cook for 4-5 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low, until the lentils âre tender ând cooked through.
2. Stir in the collârd greens, ând continue cooking for 5 minutes or until the greens hâve softened.
3. Tâste, ând seâson with âdditionâl sâlt ând pepper if needed.  Remove the bây leâves.
4. Serve wârm, gârnished with optionâl toppings if desired.
5. This soup cân âlso be refrigerâted in â seâled contâiner for up to 3 dâys, or frozen for up to 3 months.

Source: https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/italian-lentil-soup-recipe/