Recipe: Spicy Lentil and Kale Soup

This big-batch soup will wow you with flavor and hearty goodness. It offers a blend of onions, leeks and garlic with lots of spices, including thyme, black pepper, cumin and a surprising ingredient: hot sauce. All this flavor with fiber-rich lentils and kale are sure to keep you feeling full and satisfied. It’s perfect for when you want to feed a crowd, or are looking for a recipe to have leftovers for throughout the week!

Ingredients

4 cups onions – diced
4 cups leeks – diced, white part only
3 teaspoon fresh garlic – minced (about 2 medium-size cloves)
¼ cup tomato paste
6 cups crushed tomatoes – or two 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
8 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
3 cups carrots – peeled and diced
3 cups celery – diced
2 teaspoon black pepper
3 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon cumin
½ cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoon hot sauce
2 cup red lentils
6 cups kale – stems removed, blanched and chopped

Preparation

1. In a large pot on medium heat, add onions, and dry sauté slowly on low flame in a covered pot stirring frequently until onions are lightly caramelized.
2. Add leeks, cook until soft.
3. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
4. Add tomato paste and stir until well blended and sauté on low flame stirring frequently for two minutes.
5. Next, add crushed tomatoes, vegetable stock, carrots, celery, dried spices, balsamic vinegar and hot sauce.
6. Cover, bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes.
7. Add lentils, reduce to a simmer and cook covered for about 15 minutes or until lentils become tender while stirring often (every three minutes).
8. After the soup is ready, add and mix in kale and serve.
   

Chef’s Notes

About two medium bunches of kale will equal 3 cups blanched and chopped. Kale can easily be substituted with chard or spinach.

Nutritional Information (per serving)

Makes 22 servings. Serving size: 1 cup.

Calories: 137
Total fat: 1.3 g
Saturated fat: 0.9 g
Sodium: 223 mg
Total carbohydrates: 26.4 g
Dietary fiber: 9.5 g
Total sugars: 7.5 g
Protein: 7.7 g
Iron: 3 mg
Potassium: 498 mg