Lentils are quite possibly one of the easiest ways to add protein and fiber to your diet without breaking the bank. Although they may be super healthy and ridiculously inexpensive, I think they are very underrated. Don’t you agree? That is why I love this soup. It highlights the lentils with the hearty kale, diced veggies and ground turkey meat.
This soup was really simple to make, and used many similar base ingredients to the chicken noodle soup. Onions, carrots and celery are the soup essentials. After chopping the veggies, all the preparation entails is stirring and waiting to enjoy!
The ground turkey makes the soup more filling and hearty. I probably wouldn’t eat nearly as much meat if I didn’t sneak it into my soups for nutrients. You could leave this out to make it vegetarian, or even use ground beef.
Don’t the carrots add the prettiest pop of orange?
The real color comes from the amazing kale! The green just pops and adds another huge source of nutrients. It appears to have a thick, leaf-like texture before, but when it is cooked down in the soup it adds a nice chewiness. You could also add spinach to the soup if you had that on hand instead.
After only thirty minutes, the soup is ready to eat! The bold green kale turns into a darker color eventually, but it still holds it’s taste. I keep my soup in the fridge for about 5-7 days and it maintains flavor. I mix up my side dish with the soup to keep a variety. It’s great paired with a grilled cheese, crackers or garlic toast. Thank you Seattle Times for the inspiration!
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 2 large carrots
- 2 celery stalks
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 cup lentils
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cup water
- 4 cup kale
- Heat olive oil in a French Oven or large pot. Add ground turkey and cook until browned (5-6 minutes). Season with a bit of the salt and pepper.
- Add onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add carrots, celery and garlic. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes.
- Stir in tomatoes, bay leaves and oregano. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the lentils and the rest of the salt and pepper. Cover the pot, turn heat down to medium low, and cook for 8-10 more minutes.
- Remove the cover, add the broth and water, and turn the heat up to high. When the soup comes to a boil, turn the heat down to low. Simmer uncovered until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape, about 30-35 minutes. Stir the kale into the pot when you have about 5 minutes cooking time left. It will wilt and reduce in volume quickly. Remove bay leaves, and serve.
Love food. Love self. Love life.
Gabriela
So... what do you think?