Ham and Lentil Soup

Description

This is a hearty soup so you might call it a stew. You could skip the ham and make it vegetarian, but then it wouldn’t be Ham and Lentil soup.

Ingredients

Soup

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup green lentils
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1.5 cups ham, diced

Gremolata

• 1 cup loosely packed parsley
• 1 garlic clove
• Zest of 1 lemon

Directions

Soup

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions, carrots, celery, salt, and pepper. Saute, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are slightly softened and onions have become translucent.
2. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
3. Add the lentils and broth. Bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat and simmer with pot partially covered for 20 minutes.
5. Add the ham, increase the heat for a minute or so to return to simmer. Continue to simmer for additional 10 minutes.
6. While the soup is cooking, mince parsley and garlic together until everything is finely chopped. Add lemon zest and mix.

Serve the soup topped with the gremolata.