Hearty vegetable soup! Soup month is coming to an end, and I saved the best for last This soup can be made vegetarian and gluten-free without jeopardizing the flavor or bite satisfaction.
I realize that vegetable soup may need some excitement to entice some people. With a smokey layer of pancetta this soup is jam packed with flavor. With several vegetables, lentils and orzo this soup is true perfection for an easy weeknight dinner.
Hearty Vegetable Soup with Lentils and Orzo
The lentils and orzo pasta hide the fact that this is actually vegetable soup, even the little toddler was curious….but not fooled, she will love it some day.
If you’ve never had lentils and are looking for an easy way to try them – this soup is it!
Hearty Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
- 4 oz Diced Pancetta
- 1 cup Diced Onion
- 1 cup Diced Celery
- 1 cup Diced Carrots
- 2 tsp Salt
- Drizzle Olive Oil
- 2 cans Diced Tomatoes (30 oz total)
- 8 cups Vegetable Stock
- 1 lb Fresh Green Beans cleaned and trimmed
- 10 oz Frozen Corn any kind, I used a bag of roasted corn
- 1 cup Green Lentils
- 1 cup Orzo Pasta uncooked
- 2 cups Water
Instructions
- Over medium heat cook the pancetta until cooked through.
- Add in the onion, celery, carrots, salt and drizzle with olive oil.
- Cook until soft, onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add in the two cans of diced tomatoes.
- Add in the vegetable stock and bring up to a high simmer.
- Add in the green beans, corn, and lentils. Simmer over medium high heat for 25 minutes to cook the lentils.
- Stir in the orzo or any other small pasta and simmer for another 7-10 minutes until pasta is done cooking.
Notes:
This soup freezes well -if you can, freeze before adding in the pasta. Pasta has a tendency to soak up the liquid even when frozen.
If you freeze with pasta: the pasta will be slightly fluffy and soft, like it cooked to long but still edible and delicious. You made need to add more water to get it back to a soup consistency
