This 30-minute, vegetarian-friendly soup is an easy, healthy dinner. It’s a welcome time-out meal that brims with nutrient-rich ingredients and warms on a cool fall evening.
Inspired by the Southwest with sweet potato, cumin and chile heat, it relies on sturdy protein-rich lentils for heft and body.
The soup comes together quickly, which helps to preserve the texture of the ingredients. The vegetables are simply cooked until al dente, and the lentils are cooked until tender without turning to mush.
Ripped kale leaves are swirled into the soup right before serving, allowing for just enough time to soften and brighten without dulling in color or flavor.
Sweet Potato, Kale and Lentil Soup
Yield: Serves 4 to 6
INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon olive oil1 medium yellow onion, chopped1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced1 carrot, diced
1 poblano pepper, seeded and diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
2 large plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 cup brown lentils, rinsed
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
4 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock, for nonvegetarian option)
1/3 cup full-bodied red wine
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups torn Tuscan or curly green kale leaves
DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, sweet potato, peppers and carrot and season with the salt. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes to coat the vegetables and let them brighten in color.
2. Stir in the tomatoes, lentils, garlic, cumin, paprika, thyme and bay leaf and continue to saute for about 2 minutes more to toast the lentils and spices.
3. Add the stock and wine. There should be enough liquid to generously cover the vegetables. Add more stock or water if not.
4. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook over medium-low heat, partially covered, until the vegetables and lentils are tender but not mushy, about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the soup is too thick, thin with additional stock or water. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and black pepper and taste for seasoning. Add more salt if needed.
5. Before serving, stir in the kale leaves and simmer until bright in color and wilted, about 1 minute. Ladle into bowls and serve immediately.
Lynda Balslev is an award-winning writer, cookbook author and recipe developer, and authors the blog TasteFood, More recipes can be found at chicago.suntimes.com/taste.