Description
A hearty and traditional Umbrian lentil soup with pasta, featuring small green or brown lentils simmered with vegetables, rosemary, and tomato concentrate, then combined with pasta for a comforting vegetarian Italian dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Lentils and Pasta
- 200-250 g small green/brown lentils (7-9 oz), such as Umbrian lentils from Cascia or French puy lentils
- 250 g pasta (9 oz), such as ditalini, broken linguine, maltagliati, sagnette, or sagnarelli
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
- 1-2 carrots, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped leaves
Liquids and Seasonings
- 3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp tomato concentrate
- 1 liter warm water or vegetable stock (33 fl oz), or a half and half mix
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, as required
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. Wash and finely chop the celery and carrots. Wash and chop the rosemary leaves. Rinse the lentils under running water to remove any impurities such as stones. Note that Umbrian lentils do not require pre-soaking, but check your lentil type for soaking instructions. Avoid red lentils as they tend to become mushy.
- Sauté Vegetables: In a deep heavy pan or Dutch oven, heat the extra virgin olive oil. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery, and sauté until the vegetables start to soften. This usually takes a few minutes and creates a flavorful base for the soup.
- Add Aromatics and Tomato Concentrate: Stir in the chopped garlic, chopped rosemary leaves, and tomato concentrate. Mix well and allow the mixture to cook for another minute to develop the flavors.
- Add Lentils and Liquids: Add the rinsed lentils to the pot and pour in the warm water and vegetable stock mixture (or all water if preferred), ensuring the lentils are covered. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook gently for about 20 to 30 minutes, or until lentils are tender.
- Season and Add Pasta: Season the soup with salt to taste. Then add the pasta to the pot, continuing to cook until the pasta is al dente. Stir occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Serve: Once the pasta is cooked through, ladle the soup into bowls. Drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil on top and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve hot and enjoy this authentic Umbrian comfort food.
Notes
- This is an easy and nutritious one-pot vegetarian and vegan pasta and lentil soup recipe from Umbria, Central Italy.
- The use of small green or brown lentils ensures a firm texture that holds up well in the soup.
- Feel free to substitute the pasta shape with small varieties like ditalini, maltagliati, or sagnarelli according to availability and preference.
- Red lentils are not recommended as they cook too fast and become mushy.
- Using a mix of vegetable stock and water adds more depth to the flavor but is optional.
- Stirring occasionally during pasta cooking is important to prevent sticking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 527 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 66 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 83 g
- Fiber: 19 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
