Venezuelan Lentil Soup
This is the way Venezuelans eat on a budget. A big pot of Venezuelan lentil soup can be stored in the fridge or even frozen for weeks and be ready for a busy day with a nutritious lunch.
Servings: 10 plates
Ingredients
- 300 gr brown lentils
- 50 grams bacon chunks
- 1 medium onion
- 1 medium bell pepper
- 1 medium potato
- 1 small carrot
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ cup fresh coriander
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 bouillon chicken cube
- ½ tbsp garlic powder
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- In a big pot over high heat boil 1 liter of water. When the water is boiling add the lentils, the bouillon cube, the carrot and the potato (cut into tiny dices) and let it cook for 10 minutes.
- In the meantime heat a small pan over medium heat and pour the olive oil. Toss the bacon chunks and cook until they are semi-crispy, remove and save for later.
- Toss the onion and the bell pepper cut into dices in the same pan with the bacon grease. After a couple minutes add the minced garlic and stir. When the garlic is fragrant (about 2 minutes since added) remove from the stove.
- Toss the veggies mix and the coriander into a food processor and process until you get a paste --- this is the “sofrito”.
- Pour the sofrito, the bacon chunks, and the garlic powder into the lentil soup and let it cook for 15 minutes more over medium heat.
- Serve with some fluffy rice.