Laurie David’s Sunday Soup

Here’s the perfect way to use up those vegetables languishing in your fridge.

Yield 10 servings
Prep Time 45 to 70 minutes
Cook Time Included in prep time

Ingredients

Olive oil, for the pot
3 cooked Italian sausages, your favorite kind, sliced
3 leeks (white and light-green parts), chopped and rinsed thoroughly
2 small carrots, chopped (unpeeled if organic)
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 big handfuls sturdy greens (kale, cabbage, or chard), chopped or torn
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned
4 (or more) garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup green (French) or brown lentils, rinsed
8 cups vegetable or chicken broth (organic, if possible)
Salt
Vinegar, any type (optional)
Red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions

STEP 1

Get out your big Sunday soup pot and heat it over medium-high heat, then drizzle in enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pot. Throw in the sausage (if using) and cook until nice and browned. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon.

STEP 2

Add the leeks to the pot and cook, stirring, until they have softened a bit, 5 to 6 minutes.

STEP 3

Add the carrots, celery, greens, tomatoes, and garlic. Stir for a few minutes until all the vegetables have gotten acquainted and are starting to soften.

STEP 4

Add the lentils, broth, and sausages (if using).

STEP 5

Let your soup simmer for 30 minutes while you read the Sunday paper.

STEP 6

Taste and adjust the seasonings–does it need salt? A splash of vinegar? A few hot pepper flakes? Make it taste perfect for you.

For more wholesome and comforting soup recipes, “5 Cozy Fall Soup Recipes“.

Photography by: Terry Brennan; Food Styling: Betsy Nelson