Hearty Bone Broth Lentil Soup

This heart bone broth lentil soup is basically a superfood. It’s full of amazing ingredients like sauerkraut, bone broth and rainbow chard. Not only is it really good for your gut, it is comforting, almost reminiscent of a rustic tomato soup, but with more dimension. And it is crazy how addicting it is. Like, my boyfriend and I polished off over a gallon in two days.

We make this hearty bone broth lentil soup a couple times a month; it’s a great source of protein, is cost effective, and makes a massive amount. Sometimes it is as simple as onion, potato, lentils, and garlic. And even then, it’s delicious. We often make a big pot and freeze several containers to have on hand in a pinch. This recipe however, has never made it to the freezing stage, and likely never will.

When dealing with lentils, it is really important to soak them at room temperature, at least twelve hours, preferably twenty-four. I will typically start soaking them in the afternoon, then they will be ready to use in a soup for dinner the next day. You will also want to add a splash of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice; this helps with those hard to digest components and releases more nutrients. A thorough rinse after the soaking, and you’re ready to go! There are three types of lentils, I prefer red lentils because they break down to basically a liquid, so are great for thick soups, as well as have a quick cooking time.

Hearty Bone Broth Lentil Soup                                                                                                      

2 cups Red Lentils- soaked and rinsed
8 cups Bone Broth- I use Pacific Organic Chicken Bone Broth
2 cups Water
1 Onion- diced
4 Large Carrots- chopped
4 Medium Red Potatoes- chopped
4 Celery Stalks- chopped
1 cup Sauerkraut- I LOVE Bubbies
1 Head of Garlic- minced
1 Head of Rainbow Chard- de-stemmed
1 32 oz. Can Crushed Tomatoes
Salt
Pepper

Garnishes (optional):

Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Crunchy Croutons

Now, here is the coolest part about this soup: it is so easy. Prepare the lentils the day before, rinse and drain. Add the lentils, water and chicken bone broth (you can also just use water instead of broth, I’ve done both,) to a large stockpot. Bring to a boil. While it is cooking, chop all your veggies. Add to the pot. It will likely be very, very full. Let it simmer, uncovered, for a few hours, stirring frequently. It will thicken as it cooks and even more the following day. I like mine with freshly grated cheddar cheese and homemade croutons. You can get fancy with your croutons, but you can easily toast whole grain sandwich bread until it is very crunchy, drizzle with olive oil, salt, garlic powder and pepper, and chop into squares.

Happy fall!