Mum's Lentil Soup

This is the kind of lentil soup that feeds a family on next to nothing and somehow tastes better the second day.

Everything goes into one pot: lentils, onion, garlic, sliced mushrooms, grated carrots, celery, and oregano. Cover with cold water (the old knuckle-deep trick works perfectly here) and let it simmer low for about an hour until the lentils are soft and the broth is thick. The cooked pasta shells get stirred in at the very end so they don’t turn to mush.

Grating the carrots instead of dicing them is a small detail that makes a real difference. They dissolve into the broth as it simmers, adding body and a subtle sweetness without any identifiable carrot chunks.

Kitchen Tips

• Don’t add the pasta to the pot during cooking. Cook it separately and stir it in at the end. Starchy pasta will cloud the broth and the shells absorb too much liquid if they sit in it.
• Wash the lentils well and pick through them for small stones. It only takes a minute and saves a cracked tooth.
• The soup thickens a lot as it cools. Add more water when reheating leftovers.
• Taste for seasoning at the end, not the beginning. The flavors concentrate as the liquid reduces.

Variations

• Swap oregano for thyme, or use both for a more layered herbal flavor.
• Add a can of diced tomatoes for a tangier, more Mediterranean-style soup.
• Use small elbow macaroni or ditalini instead of pasta shells.