Everything Soup

Serves 6-8

Gluten-free / Nut free / Vegan (if vegetable stock is used)

Everything Soup Photo: supplied

This hearty soup is full to the brim with goodness. It makes a nice big pot so you’ll have plenty of leftovers. There wasn’t originally pasta in the recipe but I get such childish pleasure from the addition of some spirals. I especially like using pulse pasta (always cook it separately). I’ll often add a bit of protein too. If we’re lucky there’ll be some leftover roast chicken or some slow-cooked lamb in the fridge. This makes a wonderful addition. Adapt this recipe as you like and sub in whatever vegetables you have on hand.

Ingredients

• 1 onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, finely diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon (could also use dried oregano, dried mint or rosemary)
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup red split lentils
• 1 large potato, washed and cut into small cubes
• 1 large kumara (purple or orange), peeled and cut into small cubes
• 2 litres of vegetable, chicken or beef stock
• 2 cups water
• 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 3 medium zucchini, cut into small pieces
• 250g greens (I used chopped frozen kale)
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of 1/2 lemon (or more as needed)
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
• 2-3 cups cooked pasta (I use red lentil pasta)
• Olive oil for sautéing
• Sea salt and cracked pepper
• To serve: extra virgin olive oil for drizzling, fresh parsley

Method

Heat a generous glug of olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add the onion, garlic, carrot and celery.

Saute, moving around often, for about 10 minutes until the onion is tender. Add the tarragon, fennel seeds and cinnamon. Cook for a further 1 minute.

Add the lentils, potatoes, kumara, stock, water and tinned tomatoes. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes.

Stir regularly.

Add the zucchini, greens, lemon zest, lemon juice and soy sauce. Simmer for a further 5 minutes.

Season to taste.

Ladle the soup into bowls and add half a cup of cooked pasta to each. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving if desired.