Hearty Lentil Soup

Lentil Soup

Satisfying, delicious, easy and cheap! Lentil soup is the perfect fall soup...or is it a stew. I hope you trust me on this one, the picture doesn't do this soup justice. It's not the prettiest but believe me, this flavorful hearty soup makes up for it. I made this for the first time and my husband just loved it. I'm on my 3rd batch now and it's great because it last all week. It's a great starter or as a whole meal serve with crusty bread. A delicious, fast and homey soup! 

Ingredients

• 2 Tbls olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 15oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 lb dry lentils
• 8 cups water with 3 Knorr's Beef Bouillon cubes  
• 1 cup of uncooked Tubettini pasta (or very small shaped pasta)
• Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil on low to medium heat and add the garlic, onions, carrots, and celery and saute until the vegetables are soft but not browned. 
2. Add the dry lentils and bouillon cubes and saute until the lentils begin to pop open a bit. This will take about 2-3 minutes. The bouillon cube will begin to breakdown and soften. 
3. Add the water and pasta and stir all together. Let the soup simmer together until the pasta is cooked. 

Serve with crusty bread and a sprinkle of shredded Parmesan cheese on top!