I grew up in a very European home, so dinner every night of the week started with soup. Even though we rarely sat together as a family for dinner aside from Friday nights, my mum would always have a soup ready as the opening course of any supper. I’m not as consistent as my mother, but at least once or twice a week, I’ll make soup—and this one is, hands down, my favourite. Hearty because of the lentils and yet light because, unlike many lentil soups, there is no meat component or tomato base.

My family loves this soup so much that my nephew Mordechai asked if I would make it to serve at his Bar Mitzvah – now that is a proper fan following!

COOKS NOTES: Lentils du Puy, sometimes called French green lentils, are my first choice for this recipe, but brown, black, or regular green lentils are fine, too. Before use, rinse and then carefully sort through the lentils to remove small stones and pebbles.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 medium onions, chopped fine (about 3 cups)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2 sticks celery, chopped medium (about ½ cup)
• 5 medium carrots, peeled and chopped medium (about 2 ½ cups)
• 3 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 200g (1 cup) lentils, rinsed and picked over
• 7 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 60g (⅓ cup) long-grain brown rice
• 1 ½ teaspoon lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD:

1. Sauté the onions: Heat a medium-large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and heat until shimmering. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden—about 5–6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add the vegetables: Add the celery and carrots and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes until beginning to soften. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
3. Add herbs and lentils: Stir in the bay leaf and thyme, cooking for another 30 seconds. Add the lentils, then pour in the broth. Season with additional salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil.
4. Simmer the soup: Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
5. Add the rice: Uncover the pot and stir in the rice. Simmer for 25–30 minutes more, until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape, and the rice is cooked. Discard the bay leaf.
6. Blend the soup: Using a handheld blender, purée about half the soup directly in the pot—this will thicken the broth while leaving some texture.
7. Finish and serve: Stir in the lemon juice, taste, and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot.

MAKE AHEAD:

This soup can be made up to 2 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat gently over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water if needed, as the rice will continue to absorb liquid while sitting.