The mighty legume…lentils. Rich in protein, vitamins and minerals. Lentils are a must in any well stocked pantry. We eat them many ways in our home but lentil soup is in our regular rotation. The smoky sweetness of the berbere, smoked paprika and chipotle pepper give this soup amazing depth. Those three smoky things are my secret ingredients (don’t tell anybody).

Lentil Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium diced onion

1/2 cup chopped carrot

1 rib chopped celery

2 teaspoons salt

1 tsp berbere

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 pound lentils picked and rinsed

1/2 cup diced tomatoes

1 chipotle pepper in adobo

2 large leaves kale deveined and chiffonade

2 quarts vegetable broth

Place the olive oil into a large pot and set over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion, carrot, celery and salt and sweat until the onions are translucent, about 7 minutes. Add the lentils, tomatoes, chipotle pepper, broth, berbere and smoked paprika. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low simmer with lid on but tilted until the lentils are tender, approximately 30 minutes. Add the kale and stir. Let sit for 5 minutes. Enjoy!