One Pot: Puy Lentils, Courgette and Rosemary Soup

Using all-vegetarian ingredients, mainly Puy lentils, courgette, and potato, I like this bowl of hearty soup being kind and gentle to my body and warming me up in a minute. It gives a note of elegant rosemary, yet also a little chilli kick to open up the appetite. Bon appétit!

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Soup is always a popular demand at home. It cooks in one pot with a minimal amount of oil, loads with a variety of vegetables, is nourishing and hot, and it’s a good way to clean up the fridge. Throw some short pasta or vermicelli to volume up the soup as soup noodles.

This recipe is inspired by Rachel Roddy’s book Two kitchens: Family Recipes from Sicily and Rome. She used chickpeas, but I happened to have Puy lentils on hand then so be it. If using chickpeas, I can only imagine how the chickpea broth contributes more flavour to the whole dish.

Puy Lentils, Courgette and Rosemary Soup Recipe

Absolute vegetarian, and easy to veganise if you change the cheese. Cook in one pot, easy-peasy.

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion
• 1 celery stalk
• 1 dried chilli, deseeded
• 2 medium potatoes
• 1 courgette
• 200 g cooked Puy lentils
• 1 large sprig rosemary
• 1 L boiling hot water
• 1 ½ tsp salted vegetable bouillon powder
• salt and pepper
• extra virgin olive oil
• grated cheese

How to Make

1. Thinly slice the onion and celery. Warm the olive oil in a large and heavy-based pan over medium-low heat, cook the onions, celery and chilli, season with a generous pinch of salt.
2. While the aromatics are cooking, dice the potatoes and courgette. When you see the onions are softened, throw in the potatoes and courgette, and sprinkle in some salt. Stir and cook for a few minutes or so.
3. Stir in the Puy lentils, rosemary, water, and vegetable bouillon powder, and bring it to a boil. Cover with a lid and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. When the cooking time is about to end, have a taste check and adjust. The potatoes and courgette should have collapsed and thus thicken the soup. If you want a thicker soup, consider using a immersion blender.
5. Before serving, drizzle in extra virgin olive oil and (a lot of) grated cheese. Enjoy with crusty bread or garlic bread would be great, too!