Magic Carpet Noodle Soup

 

The more dishes I eat with lentils in them, the more tolerable I find lentils. I find lentils to be more digestible than beans. They certainly don’t linger around as long in my stomach.  Nowadays, I can’t seem to find a recipe for lentil soup that don’t like. Lentils are one of the popular legumes featured in Middle Eastern soup recipes as well as in other Mediterranean dishes.  Noodles are a wonderful addition to this lentil soup recipe. You can omit them if you don’t feel they are necessary. As a sucker for noodle soup of any kind, I couldn’t resist the temptation to throw in some fettuccine.  This Yemenite inspired lentil noodle soup makes a hearty soup for cold autumn or winter day. But who is waiting that long? I used red and green lentils but brown lentils work as well. I used fresh chopped tomatoes rather than canned tomatoes for some acidity. A bit of vinegar adds a rich flavor to this soup. This lentil noodle soup is a keeper for me. Hubby and I licked out bowls clean.

Due to an upcoming extended holiday, I have been very busy with preparations. This is my final recipe publication for the week. Thank you, dear readers for your support and patience. I hope to share more recipes once my schedule seems less hectic. Until then, I would like to wish a Shana Tova Umetukah (a happy and a sweet new year filled with many blessings, health, and success) to all my readers, friends, and family regardless of your religion, faith, and cultural background. Its people like you who inspire me to cook and share my recipes and ideas with you. Your relentless support (even a bit of constructive criticism which is to be expected whether you are a novice or a master) continues to motivate me.

God bless y’all!

For this recipe, you will need:

1. 2 cups of lentils of your choice
2. 10 cups of vegetable broth or water
3. 2 tablespoons of cider vinegar
4. 1 large onion chopped
5. 3 cloves of garlic minced
6. 3 stalks of celery sliced
7. 4 carrots peeled and sliced
8. 4-5 ripe tomatoes sliced
9. 1 teaspoon if cumin
10. 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
11. 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
12. 1/4 teaspoon of ground pepper
13. Large handful fresh parsley, finely chopped
14. 2 cups of pasta of your choice (preferably whole wheat or whole grain)

Instructions

Follow cooking instructions on the pasta. Once cooked, set pasta aside. Place the lentils and water or stock into a large pot (6 to 8 quart) and bring to a boil. Cover and turn heat down to a simmer. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil. Then add the onions and saute until soft. Then add the garlic, carrots, celery, cumin, turmeric and cayenne pepper. Saute a few minutes or until the vegetables begin to soften. After the lentils have been cooking for 25 to 30 minutes, add the sauteed vegetables. Then add the tomatoes and noodles and cook for 10-15 minutes more. Turn off heat and add cider vinegar (start with less and add more as your taste suggests). Add more water or broth for a thinner soup.

Yields 8 servings