French Green Lentil Soup with Winter Root Vegetables

When I cook a soup for a meal it has to be so appetizing that I’m not anticipating when the next side of “this” and the main course of “that” will appear. I find a good French green lentil soup to be a full course meal that it can make you forget your next spaghetti dinner.

When using root vegetables such as rutabagas, parsnips, and kale, it’s like the January farmer’s market in February (or late fall to mid winter as that’s when they’re in season).  Root vegetables are packed with minerals and fibers, so they have the type of benefits that you don’t find if you’re in an eating rut eating the same fare.

When in the midst of a long winter season in the northeast, I try to adjust to cold temperatures and do what I do best when not ruminating over the lost hours of daylight-cook with vegetables that are deep as the color of my mood and as stripped down as the trees outside.

French Green Lentil soup with Root Vegetables

The surprise ingredients of coco powder and jalapenos give the soup depth of flavor, a hint of chocolate that goes well with the lentils, a nice addition when not using pancetta or bacon, and a vegetarian lentil soup.

Use an immersion blender to puree vegetables to help with consistency and texture.  If you don’t have a hand blender,  leaving larger pieces of potatoes and vegetables would give this a rustic appearance-more stew than soup.  I prefer a smooth soup consistency with a few large pieces of vegetables. 

The French green lentil is a tighter, smaller, lentil when compared to the red or brown lentil bean. This type if lentil won’t turn to mush when boiled.

The Kale should be the last vegetable added; I usually add this ingredient when the soup is still hot, yet about to be served, approximately 5minutes before, so to retain both texture and deep green color.

Ingredients in order of use:

• 1 cup celery diced
• 1 cup leeks or onion
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 -2 jalapenos (optional)
• 6 cups water
• 1 cup Yukon gold potatoes
• 1/2 cup carrots, chopped
• 1/2 cup parsnips, chopped
• 1/2 cup rutabaga, chopped
• 1/2 cup turnips, chopped

• 1 cup French green lentils
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar or red wine
• 1 teaspoon coca powder
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

• 1 bunch kale, rinsed

Add Olive oil to a large, heavy bottom stock pot. Sauté chopped leeks, celery, garlic, and jalapenos in the olive oil 3 minutes. Add six cups of water, bring to a boil.

Add the root vegetables and cook for 30-40 more minutes on a rolling simmer until creamy and vegetables are cooked, turn down heat; with an immersion blender puree the vegetables until smooth.

Add French green lentils, balsamic vinegar, fresh ground pepper, and the sea salt, set at a rolling simmer and cook for another 20 minutes.

AdCook for twenty more minutes or until lentils are tender yet still have a bite.

Chop the fresh, rinsed kale and then add to your soup, this step should be done at the very end, so the kale will still retain some of their deep beautiful green color. Your soup is finished. Add a dollop of your favorite creamy topping, vegan sour cream or yogurt.