I grew up with my mama making lentils regularly. They aren’t the most beautiful color on planet earth but that doesn’t stop me from making them and it certainly doesn’t stop my family from happily eating them up! So yummy, healthy and filling!  Serve with some crusty bread and simple salad and you’ll have a perfect fall meal. I made this soup with my Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker. (Click that link to read more about how amazing it is). If you make it stove top, use eight cups of water instead of seven since some of the water will evaporate and none will if you use the Instant Pot. I’ve made this before with bacon added in and have even thrown in some chicken. Ham would be delicious too! Full recipe below.

Lentil Soup

1 onion, chopped

1 Tablespoon oil

3 carrots, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1-14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes

2 cups lentils

fresh chopped parsley

7 cups water

Seasoning salt or bouillon

1. Throw everything in your Instant Pot. Add seasoning salt or bouillon and stir. Taste the water to make sure it’s salty enough to your liking. Cook in the Instant Pot on “beans” setting for 30 minutes.
2. If cooking stove top, heat oil in large pot and cook carrots, onion, garlic and celery until tender. Add in the rest of the ingredients and simmer for about an hour or until the lentils are tender.