- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion small diced
- 2 medium carrots small diced
- 2 celery ribs small diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 to 4 cloves of garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup green or brown lentils
- 3 leaves kale stemmed and sliced
- 1 lemon juiced (about 3 tablespoons juice)
- Each serving is around 2 cups. If you prefer not to open multiple broth containers, substitute 4 cups of broth and 2 cups of water since vegetable broth usually comes in 32-ounce containers (4 cups). Lentils may thicken the soup as it rests—add more broth or water to loosen it as needed. You can swap 3 teaspoons of Italian seasoning for the oregano, basil, and thyme. To make this in a Crockpot, combine all ingredients except kale and lemon juice and cook on high for 5-6 hours or low for 7-8 hours. Blend a portion of the soup until smooth, return to slow cooker, then stir in kale and lemon juice before serving. Store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 5 days, or freeze in portions for up to 3 months.
