Lentil Soup with Ginger, Lemongrass & Greens

I could eat soup every single day and never get sick of it, even in the summer. This lentil soup is loaded with vegetables and some of my favorite aromatics, including fresh ginger, lemongrass, garlic, juniper berries, and fresh herbs. I love how all of those flavors come together with the lentils and bring out the natural sweetness of the carrots and onions.

I added wild callaloo because I’m a gardener and it grows wild in my community garden. I don’t even have to plant it. It’s free, it’s nutritious, and the wildlife leaves it alone, so it’s a win-win! I usually make a big pot and freeze the leftovers so I always have homemade soup ready for lunch or dinner.

Why You’ll Love this Soup

My Italian mom has been making lentil soup for years. It took me about three years to convince her to start using fresh ginger, lemongrass, and juniper berries in her soups. She’s definitely set in her ways and doesn’t like change, but now she’s hooked!

I love how hearty and filling this soup is. The lentils and vegetables make it satisfying, while the ginger, lemongrass, juniper berries, and fresh herbs give the broth so much flavor. It makes a big pot and freezes really well, which is always a plus for me.

Ingredient Notes

Wild Callaloo — I used wild callaloo because it grows on its own in my community garden. If you don’t have it, spinach, kale, Swiss chard, or stinging nettle all work well.

Juniper Berries — These are wild juniper berries that a friend foraged for me, and I keep them in the freezer. Dried juniper berries work too. A little goes a long way, so I only use about four. Smashing them helps bring out more flavor. I put them in a reusable tea bag with the lemongrass and bay leaves because I got tired of biting into crunchy juniper berries and fishing everything out of the soup. (Optional)

Chicken broth — I used a combination of homemade and store-bought low-sodium chicken broth. Use whichever you have.

Beef fat: I used a little rendered fat I had saved from cooking beef for some extra richness. You can leave it out and just use olive oil.

Recipe Tips

• Rinse and check the lentils. Give them a quick look for any small stones or debris.
• Keep the juniper berries and lemongrass contained. I use a reusable tea bag so they’re easy to remove at the end.
• Adjust the soup as it cooks. If it gets thicker than you like, add a little more water or broth.
• Add the salt and greens at the end. Once the lentils are tender and the aromatics have had time to steep, season with salt. Turn off the heat, stir in the greens, and give them a few minutes to wilt.

Grace

Lentil Soup with Ginger, Lemongrass & Greens

This hearty lentil soup is packed with vegetables, fresh ginger, lemongrass, and leafy greens. I make a big pot for meal prep and freeze the leftovers for quick lunches and dinners.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Dinner, Soup

Cuisine: Italian-inspired

Ingredients

  

• 1¼ cups brown lentils, rinsed and checked for stones
• Olive oil for drizzling the bottom of the pot
• 1 red or white onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 carrots, sliced into rounds
• 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon rendered beef fat (optional)
• 2 large bay leaves
• 4 juniper berries, smashed (I used raw and keep them in the freezer)
• 2 tablespoons chopped lemongrass, fresh or dried
• 6 grape tomatoes, halved
• 2 1/4 cups chicken broth, homemade or store-bought
• 6½ cups hot water
• 1 tablespoon packed fresh grated ginger
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 fresh sage leaves, chopped
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 packed cup wild callaloo, chopped (or another leafy green such as spinach, kale, swiss chard, or stinging nettle)
• Grated Parmesan cheese, sliced scallions, and/or chopped parsley, for serving

You’ll Need

• Large soup pot
• reusable tea bag
• cutting board
• Chef's knife

Instructions

 

1. Place the smashed juniper berries and chopped lemongrass in a reusable tea bag and set aside.
2. Drizzle the bottom of a large pot with olive oil. Add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, beef fat, and bay leaves. Cook over medium heat for about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
3. Add the tea bag with the juniper berries and lemongrass. Stir in the grape tomatoes and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Stir in the lentils.
5. Pour in the chicken broth, and hot water.
6. Add the ginger, thyme, sage, and black pepper. Stir well.
7. Bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, partially cover the pot, and simmer for 35 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender. If the soup gets thicker than you like, add a little more water or broth.
8. Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaves and the tea bag. Season with salt. Stir in the chopped callaloo or other leafy greens. Cover the pot for 2 to 3 minutes to let the greens wilt.
9. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper if needed.
10. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese, sliced scallions, chopped parsley, or your favorite combination of the three.

Notes

• Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Freeze leftovers for longer storage.

Serving Ideas

• I love eating my soups with a runny poached egg and sliced avocado on top, almost like ramen. Add sliced scallions, fresh parsley, or grated Parmesan, or serve it with some crusty bread on the side.

Make it Your Own

• I love adding okra because it naturally thickens the broth. Potatoes or yucca are also good if you want a heartier soup.
• If you have meat bones, add a couple while the soup simmers.
• Leave out the juniper berries if you don’t have them.