Lentil Kale Soup

This lentil kale soup is such a hearty, filling, and nourishing soup. Made with tender green lentils, and packed with lots of veggies such as celery, carrots, and kale. It's flavor-packed, and make-ahead and freezer friendly.

📝 Ingredients

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 cups dried green lentils (rinsed through a colander)
• 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 8 cups vegetable broth (plus more as needed)
• 3 cups chopped kale
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1In a large Dutch oven, heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onions and celery, and cook for about 5 to 6 minutes until softened. Then, stir in the minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Season with cumin, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to taste.
2. 2Add diced carrots and stir to coat.
3. 3Add the lentils and the canned diced tomatoes, and stir to coat.
4. 4Add the vegetable broth and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. 5Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to simmer. With the lid partially covered, simmer for 45 minutes until the lentils are tender, stirring occasionally. Tip: If it foams (lentils tend to do that), skim off foam with a spoon. That’s normal.
6. 6Using an immersion blender, blend a few times, without completely pureeing the soup. This is just to give it some consistency. You may also use a countertop blender - blend ⅓ of the soup and stir it back into the pot.
7. 7Add chopped kale and cook for another 3 minutes until reduced and tender. If too thick, add more broth as needed. Adjust seasoning to taste. Enjoy!