Lentil Soup

I wasn't planning to post this soup - thought it would just be another Lentil Soup and not worth posting. But it turned out really well - different from most lentil soups I've had - more Italian, I guess. I used rosemary instead of thyme. Also, 1# of lentils is one bag - more like 2 cups. I had to add extra liquid at the end, between the pasta and beans a lot of liquid was absorbed.

Tricia’s Notes: Used rosemary instead of thyme. Needed to add additional liquid (1# of lentils = 2 cups or more)

Lentil Soup
Giada De Laurentiis/Turtlemom001

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

1 medium onion, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 pound lentils (approximately 1 1/4 cups)

11 cups low-salt chicken broth

4 to 6 fresh thyme sprigs

2/3 cup dried elbow pasta

1 cup shredded Parmesan

Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper and saute until all the vegetables are tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices. Simmer until the juices evaporate a little and the tomatoes break down, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add the lentils and mix to coat. Add the broth and stir. Add the thyme sprigs. Bring to a boilover high heat. Cover and simmer over low heat until the lentils are almost tender, about 30 minutes.

Stir in the pasta. Simmer until the pasta is tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle with the Parmesan, drizzlewith olive oil, and serve.