lentil-soup

🥘 Ingredients

• brown lentils
  1 pound
• water
  6 cups
• extra-virgin olive oil
  4 tbsp
• white onions
  1.5
• extra-virgin olive oil
  1 tbsp
• garlic
  2 cloves
• fresh cilantro or parsley
  1 cup
• Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  1 tbsp
• waxy potatoes such as new potatoes or Yukon Gold
  8 ounces
• ground cumin
  2 tsp
• chopped Swiss chard
  4 cups
• fresh lemon juice
  5 tbsp
• labneh

🍳 Cookware

• pot
• stainless-steel skillet

1. 1

   In a large pot , add brown lentils and water . Bring water to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir briefly and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, adjusting heat as needed to maintain a simmer, until lentils are tender but remain intact, about ⏱️ 15 minutes . (Proceed to steps 2 and 3 while lentils cook, and if you are not finished with the onions and herb mixture by the time the lentils are tender, turn off the stove.)

   brown lentils: 1 pound, water: 6 cups
2. 2

   Meanwhile, in a medium stainless-steel skillet , heat extra-virgin olive oil until shimmering. Add white onions and cook, stirring often, until softened and beginning to brown, ⏱️ 5 to 7 minutes . Transfer onions to small bowl and set aside. (Do not wipe out skillet.)

   extra-virgin olive oil: 4 tbsp, white onions: 1.5
3. 3

   In now-empty skillet, add remaining extra-virgin olive oil and heat until shimmering. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about ⏱️ 30 seconds . Stir in fresh cilantro or parsley and cook until wilted, about ⏱️ 15 seconds . Transfer to a second small bowl and set aside.

   extra-virgin olive oil: 1 tbsp, garlic: 2 cloves, fresh cilantro or parsley: 1 cup
4. 4

   Stir Diamond Crystal kosher salt into the lentils. Add waxy potatoes such as new potatoes or Yukon Gold , ground cumin , and reserved onion mixture to lentils. Return to a simmer and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, ⏱️ 10 to 15 minutes .

   Diamond Crystal kosher salt: 1 tbsp, waxy potatoes such as new potatoes or Yukon Gold: 8 ounces, ground cumin: 2 tsp
5. 5

   Stir in chopped Swiss chard and cook until it turns bright green, about ⏱️ 3 minutes . Off-heat, stir in fresh lemon juice , and reserved garlic-herb mixture. Season with additional salt and lemon juice to taste.

   chopped Swiss chard: 4 cups, fresh lemon juice: 5 tbsp
6. 6

   Top with a dollop of labneh , if desired. Serve.

   labneh