You haven’t ever had soup like this before. It’s rich, fiber-packed, and hearty, and at 200 calories per serving, you can feel good about eating it. The biggest flavor lender is the hot water that the dried porcini mushrooms rehydrate in. Wow, that has a ton of good flavor!
You’ll have enough protein from the lentils, but the mushrooms provide a fantastic meaty texture and flavor.
Something important to remember about lentils is that acid–not salt–is the enemy of legumes. Try cooking lentils in the presence of any strong acids (lemon juice, wine, vinegar) and those little beans will stay shut. But salt is safe!
Porcini Lentil Soup Recipe
Ingredients
1 oz dried porcini mushrooms
2 cups boiling water
4 oz pancetta or bacon
3 tbsp butter
3/4 tsp salt, divided
1 leek, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
4 small-medium potatoes, cut in 1/2″ cubes
1 cup dry green lentils
3 cups chicken broth
Chives for garnish
Instructions
1. Rehydrate the mushrooms with boiling water in a glass bowl. Soak in water for 15 minutes. Reserve water.
2. In a dutch oven on medium heat, fry the pancetta until crisp. You don’t need oil because there is fat in the pancetta. Once cooked, set aside in a bowl.
3. Heat butter in the dutch oven. Add leek, shallot, and garlic to the dutch oven with the pancetta scrapings still in it. Add half the salt. Stir until the leek and garlic are golden.
4. Add potatoes and remaining salt to the pot and pour chicken broth over them. Add the lentils as well and stir.
5. Add rehydrated mushrooms and the liquid they were rehydrated in to the pot. Cover and turn to low heat/simmer. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Add pancetta back into pot and stir to incorporate.
7. Top with chives and serve with a crusty buttered bread.
