Mushroom Lentil Soup

Mushroom Lentil Soup
serves 4-6

olive oil
8 oz mushrooms of choice, torn or sliced into bite-sized pieces
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 yellow onion, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground coriander
chile flakes, to taste
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine
1 cup black lentils or French lentils
1 large potato, cubed
packed 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes (in oil), cubed
6 cups water or vegetable broth
a few handfuls of torn kale, chard, or spinach
fresh herbs, for serving

Heat a soup pot over medium heat, add enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom. Add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Stir to coat the mushrooms in the oil. Let the mushrooms cook undisturbed for about 10 minutes, or until the undersides are browned, and all the water released by the mushrooms has cooked off. Stir and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add plenty of black pepper. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl and set aside for now.

Add more oil to the pot, to generously coat the bottom. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and a pinch of salt. Saute until the vegetables are soft and the onions are translucent, 10-15 minutes. Add the garlic, smoked paprika, coriander, chile flakes, and tomato paste, saute for a few minutes, until the tomato paste is incorporated and slightly reduced. Add the wine, bring it up to a simmer, and let reduce for about 5 minutes, until just a little bit of liquid is left at the bottom of the pot. Add the lentils, potato, sun dried tomatoes, broth/water, and more salt to taste, to season the soup. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered for about 20 minutes, until the lentils and potato are almost cooked through. Add the greens and mushrooms. Bring the soup back up to a simmer and simmer, covered, for 5-10 more minutes, or until the lentils and potatoes are fully cooked through. Taste for salt and adjust if needed.

Serve the soup warm, garnished with fresh herbs.

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GOLUBKA KITCHEN:
Hi, I'm Masha! I share videos about seasonal, plant-based cooking and other fun kitchen activities. I'm continually fascinated and inspired by fresh produce and love cooking my way through the seasons.

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Never seen celery that looked like that before