Lamb and lentil soup is rich, hearty, and filling. It’s a great dish for a cold winter’s day. This recipe is for one serving of soup (more on that later).
I made some lamb broth from the lamb breast provencale recipe I posted a few days ago. Since I wasn’t in a particular hurry, and it was chilly, I decided to use it up and make a single serving of lamb and lentil soup. I’d just bought a bag of lentils, and lentils and lamb are a good combination. Since it was an experiment, it was also a good way to test the recipe on a single serving of soup before I made a huge pot of it.
This recipe uses that lamb broth, plus lentils, diced tomatoes and thyme for lots of flavor.
It does take a while to cook, but once you get the ingredients together it’s mostly set it and forget it, so you can start it early and then go do something else while your soup simmers on the stove (and delicious smells start wafting through your home).
Serve with a chunk of crusty bread (to sop up every last drop of soup from the bottom of the the bowl). Since this is “the single serving chef” you can be messy if you want. Nobody will know.
I made this for one because I had one serving’s worth of broth. You can scale up the recipe, make a larger batch, and then freeze it in single serving containers (or save some for a fast lunch another day).
The other nice thing, is that while it does take a while to cook, the prep time is minimal.
Lamb and Lentil Soup Recipe for One
A rich and hearty lentil and lamb soup for one person.
Notes
To make the lamb broth, just add some oil to a saucepan, then the bones, a carrot, half an onion, salt, pepper, and maybe some rosemary or garlic. Cook that for a few minutes to let the bones and vegetables caramelize. Add a quart of water, bring it to a boil, and then reduce to low heat. Cook for two hours.
Ingredients
- 1 T olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped into 1" chunks
- 1 T diced canned tomatoes (you can chop up some whole ones)
- 1 1/2 C lamb broth (make broth from lamb provencal or use beef broth)
- 1/4 C lentils
- 1 T brandy
- 1 generous pinch dried thyme
- 1 generous pinch dried oregano
- 1 squeeze fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Heat oil in medium size saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion, garlic, and carrots. Saute for five minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low and cook, uncovered, another 10 minutes, until the vegetables start to get soft. Add the diced tomatoes.
- Add the broth, lentils, thyme, oregano, and brandy. Bring to a boil, then simmer for an hour.
- Add the lemon juice and cook for thirty minutes until the lentils are soft and tender.
Lamb and Lentil Soup Substitutions and Variations
- If you don’t have the lamb broth, use beef broth (it won’t be lamb soup any longer, but it will still taste good)
- Add 1/4 ground lamb to the soup (brown this as the first step in the recipe)
- Replace the brandy with a robust red wine
More Lamb Recipes
Marinated in olive oil, garlic, and lemon, then slow-roasted for a deep, rich flavor.
Moroccan Lamb Stew with Almonds and Raisins
Flavored with cinnamon, a touch of ginger, raisins, almonds, and lamb. The lamb is cooked slowly, so it practically melts in your mouth. Perfect for a sweet new year.
One Person Slow Roasted Lamb Breast Provencal Recipe
Slow roasted with lots of garlic and rosemary, then topped with golden crunchy bread crumbs. Ideal for a winter’s day.
Leftover Roast Lamb Eggplant and Spinach Salad
Creamy eggplant, luscious lamb, and earthy spinach all tossed together with a garlicky easy cheat aioli.