Lentil Soup with Pasta

By ltrodrigu

This pairs well with smooth, full-bodied red wines like the Thorn-Clarke William Randell Shiraz

Ingredients

• 3 Tbs. olive oil
• 2 ounces chopped pancetta, bacon or ask your butcher or delicatessen for prosciutto ends. (The cost should be a fraction of the price of sliced prosciutto
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoons minced fresh sage
• 2 cups lentils
• 1 cup canned whole plum tomatoes, chopped, with juice
• 6 cups chicken broth, plus more if needed
• 1 tablespoon salt, plus more, to taste
• 1/4 pound tubettini, ditalini or other small soup pasta
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Details

Adapted from williams-sonoma.com

Preparation

Step 1

Make the Soup Base:
In a large pot over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the pancetta and sauté until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, carrot, celery and sage and sauté until the vegetables are softened, about 3 minutes.

Cook the Lentils:
Stir in the lentils and tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Increase the heat to high, add the 6 cups broth and bring to a boil. Add the 1 Tbs. salt, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, until the lentils are nearly tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Add more broth if the soup starts to dry out.

Cook the Pasta:
Add the pasta to the lentils. Cook, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the pasta is not quite al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package instructions. The pasta will continue to cook in the heat of the soup. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve immediately.