It is well and truly January, and while I don’t believe in restricting what I eat (too much!) it is nice to have some vegetables to help shake off the month-long cookie marathon that is the holiday season. However, at least where I live, it is also deeply winter, and a salad is just not going to do. So, welcome to soup season!

This soup is warm and comforting, and has enough beans and lentils to make it truly satisfying. It can also be pulled together from things that you might already have in the cupboard, possibly saving you from pulling on a pair of winter boots.

I will say that “soup recipe” is a bit odd though – does anyone actually measure the ingredients for soup? If you are one of those careful souls, don’t worry, I’ve provided amounts below, but please feel free to be relaxed and a little free-form when you are making this. Add, substitute or leave out vegetables based on your tastes and the contents of your fridge, and there is no need to be overly precise with your measurements.

Makes: At least 8 servings of soup, enough to potentially stock up your freezer for a while.

Ingredients:

• 2 glugs olive oil (about 2 tbsp, feel free to be generous – see notes)
• 3 large carrots, peeled and diced
• 4 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 brown onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
• 1 zucchini, sliced
• 2 red peppers, seeds removed and chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp fresh or freeze dried thyme leaves
• 1 tbsp fresh or freeze dried rosemary
• 2 tbsp fresh or freeze dried oregano
• 28 oz (large) can Italian tomatoes, tomatoes chopped if they were whole
• 19 oz can black beans (no salt added), drained
• 19 oz can red kidney beans (no salt added), drained
• 6 cups low or no salt chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup red lentils
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 parmesan rind (optional, see notes)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat up the olive oil
2. Add carrots, celery, and onion, and sauté until not just translucent, but starting to brown
3. Add garlic, zucchini, and peppers, and sauté until they are softened
4. Add tomato paste, thyme, rosemary, and oregano and sauté for about 30 seconds
5. Add rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until the lentils are cooked
6. Remove the parmesan rind and bay leaves
7. Using a blender or stick-blender, puree about 1/4 of the soup and add back to the rest
8. Serve with bread and maybe some freshly grated parmesan cheese sprinkled overtop

Notes:

• Use your largest pot. Seriously. The above picture is me pushing the limits of the biggest soup pot I own.
• If you happen to have some olive oil from a jar of sundried tomatoes at the back of your cupboard, you wouldn’t be wrong to use that instead of regular olive oil here.
• I always keep the rinds from parmesan cheese, I just toss them in a bag in the freezer. They add flavour and creaminess to broth-based soups like this. Just remember to take them out before you eat the soup!