Description
Delicious, nourishing, and hearty, this oil free Healthy Lentil Macaroni Soup is perfect when you need something warm, filling, and tasty for weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients:
- 1 medium yellow onion, fine dice
- 1 to 2 carrots, sliced into thin penny rounds
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
- 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth *
- 4 cups water
- 1 – [ 14.4 oz. can ] petite diced tomatoes *
- 1 cup dry brown lentils, picked through and rinsed *
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda *
Spice/Herb Ingredients:
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 Tablespoons dried minced onions
- ¼ teaspoon dried rubbed sage (+/-) *
- ¼ teaspoon dried ground rosemary (+/-) *
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried crushed thyme leaves (+/-) *
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper (+/-)
- 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt (+/-) *
- 1 bay leaf
Other Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
- 2/3 cup dry elbow macaroni *
Instructions
- If using gluten free macaroni, we recommend cooking the macaroni separately according to package direction. Once cooked, drain and rinse with cold water to remove excess starches. Drain well and set aside until Step 6.
- Place the Spice/Herb Ingredients (except the sea salt and bay leaf) in a small bowl, mix well, set aside.
- In a large ceramic/enamel-lined pot or similar stock soup pot, add the diced onions, celery, and carrots, sauté over medium-high heat until the veggies begin to soften, approximately 7 to 9 minutes, stirring periodically to prevent burning. Add a tablespoon or so of water if they start to stick and/or to prevent burning.
- Add the minced garlic, sauté for 30 seconds, then add all the remaining Base Ingredients and Spice/Herb Mix, stir well to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, tuck in the bay leaf, then lower to a low-boiling simmer, cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes (or until the lentils are tender). Stirring occasionally.
- After 20 to 30 minutes, check the lentils for tenderness. If the lentils are not tender, continue to simmer (covered) until tender. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
- Once the lentils are tender, add the distilled white vinegar, sea salt, and dry elbow macaroni (or cooked macaroni, if gluten free). At this time, also add an additional pinch of the following herbs: sage, rosemary, and thyme. Stir to combine, then turn off the burner, and allow the pot to sit on the stove, covered with a tight-fitting lid and allow to sit for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, check the macaroni for tenderness (if needed), if not tender, simply cover and allow to sit for several more minutes or until the elbow macaroni is tender. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
*Please reference the blog post for Tips for Success, Pantry Items Used, Storage and Freezing, and Kitchen Products Used.
*Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.
*Servings: 4 to 5 (makes 8 ¾ cups)