Ham and Lentil Soup
This ham and lentil soup is a comforting one-pot recipe that is ready in less than an hour. With easy to find ingredients, it's full of so much flavor. The best part, it makes great leftovers.
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry lentils green or brown
- 1 cup cubed ham or leftover ham from holidays
- 1 ham bone optional
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup sliced carrots about 2 medium sized
- ½ cup chopped celery 2-3 ribs
- ½ cup diced onion 1 medium
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic 2 fat cloves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika smoked or sweet
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 2 - 3 dry bay leaves
- 5 oz fresh baby spinach
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.
- Add carrots, celery, onion and garlic and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until the vegetables are slightly soft.
- Add dried oregano, paprika, salt and pepper and sauté that for a minute for the spices to warm up. Then, add lentils and ham. Mix well with the vegetables and spices.
- Nestle bay leaves and ham bone, if using, on top of the lentil and vegetable mix.
- Add chicken stock and bring the soup to a boil over medium high heat. Lower the heat and let the soup simmer till lentils are cooked through. It’ll take 20-30 minutes.
- Once the lentils are soft, fish out and discard the bay leaves and ham bone, if used.
- Add spinach and let it simmer for a couple of minutes or till the spinach wilts. (You don’t want to overcook the spinach.) And then stir in parsley and serve hot, either on its own or with some crusty bread. A squeeze of lemon will amp up the flavor.
Notes
Storing Tips:
- Store leftover lentil soup in the fridge for up to 2 days or freeze it for up to 3 months in an airtight container. When ready to reheat, thaw the soup on the counter for a couple of hours or overnight in the fridge.
- This lentil soup with ham tastes even better the next day, but it tends to thicken up in the fridge. Simply add half a cup of water or chicken stock before reheating it in a microwave or stovetop to thin it out.
- Store leftover lentil soup in the fridge for up to 2 days or freeze it for up to 3 months in an airtight container. When ready to reheat, thaw the soup on the counter for a couple of hours or overnight in the fridge.
- This lentil soup with ham tastes even better the next day, but it tends to thicken up in the fridge. Simply add half a cup of water or chicken stock before reheating it in a microwave or stovetop to thin it out.
Nutrition
Calories: 318kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 21gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 1045mgPotassium: 858mgFiber: 11gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 4303IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 72mgIron: 4mg
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only.
