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Hearty Lentil and Pasta Widow's Soup - Image 1

Hearty Lentil and Pasta Widow's Soup

Maltese cuisine
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Hearty Lentil and Pasta Widow's Soup

  1. Other Soups & Stews

Prep: 25 min • Cook: 45 min. A rich, nourishing Soppa tal-Armla featuring red lentils for an extra protein boost and tender pasta, simmered with seasonal vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and cauliflower, all infused with a robust tomato base and traditional Maltese herbs, then finished with a luscious drizzle of olive oil, making for a truly comforting and wholesome meal.

Preparation time
25 min
Cooking time
45 min
Total time
1 hr 10 min
Servings
6
Course
Soup
Complexity
Easy
Units:
Scale:

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil(extra virgin)
  • 1 pc onion(chopped)
  • 2 pcs garlic cloves(minced)
  • 2 pcs carrots(peeled and diced)
  • 2 pcs celery stalks(diced)
  • 2 pcs potatoes(peeled and cubed)
  • 2 cup cauliflower florets(small)
  • 1 cup red lentils(rinsed)
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1lb chopped tomatoes(canned)
  • 6 cup vegetable broth
  • 1 cup small pasta(e.g., ditalini or risoni)
  • 1 tsp dried marjoram
  • 1/2 tsp dried mint
  • tsp salt(to taste; null)
  • tsp black pepper(to taste; null)
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley(chopped, for garnish)

Instructions

Preparation

  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
  2. Add chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened.
  3. Stir in minced garlic, marjoram, and mint. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

Cooking the Soup

  1. Add the cubed potatoes, cauliflower florets, and rinsed red lentils to the pot.
  2. Stir in tomato paste and canned chopped tomatoes. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Pour in the vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until vegetables and lentils are tender.
  4. Add the small pasta to the soup and cook for another 8-10 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente.
  5. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Serving

  1. Ladle the hot soup into bowls.
  2. Garnish each serving with fresh chopped parsley and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
  3. Serve hot, optionally with crusty bread.

Nutrition

Servings
6
Serving size (imperial)
15.2 fl oz
NutrientPer servingPer 100 mlTotal (6 servings)
Calories350.5 kcal77.9 kcal2,103 kcal
Protein15.2 g3.4 g91.2 g
Fat8.1 g1.8 g48.6 g
Carbs55.7 g12.4 g334.2 g

Tips

  • Chop all vegetables uniformly for even cooking and a consistent texture in the soup.
  • Stir occasionally while simmering to prevent lentils from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
  • For a richer flavor, serve with a dollop of fresh ricotta (ġbejna) on top, if accessible.

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