Hearty Lentil Soup

By Addie

Use a meaty ham bone, ham hocks, or diced leftover ham to flavor this tasty lentil soup. I used escarole to add to the nutrition and color, but feel free to use chopped spinach, chard, or other greens.

Ingredients

• 6 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried leaf thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic herb seasoning or 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 meaty ham bone or smoked ham hock
• 1 pound lentils, washed and picked over
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 3 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 cup chopped escarole
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

Preparation

Step 1

In a large pot combine the broth, water, 1 teaspoon salt, thyme, garlic seasoning or minced garlic, bay leaf, ham bone or hock, lentils, carrots, celery, onion, and escarole. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes. Remove the bone and chop the ham. Return chopped ham to the pot. Cover and continue cooking for 45 to 60 minutes longer. Taste and add salt and pepper, along with parsley.
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REVIEWS:

"Delicious! I was surprised to see that nobody had posted a review for this yet. It is absolutely delicious, one of the best soups I have ever made. I change it up a little bit, depending on what I have in the house. I sometimes end up adding zucchini, tomato or corn. I sometimes prepare this vegetarian, in which case I just use vegetable stock instead of beef stock, and about 1 tablespoon of chicken seasoning at the beginning instead of a ham hock. Thank you so much for sharing this, it is a real treat!"