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Sun-dried Tomato Basil Red Lentil Soup - CaliZona

10 - 12 servings

Ingredients

  • Sun-dried Tomato Basil Pesto - recipe below
  • 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1/2 White Onion - diced
  • 2 Cloves Garlic - minced
  • 6 Cups Filtered Water
  • 1 Jar Strained Tomato Sauce - I used Bionature brand
  • 2 Cups Red Lentils - rinsed really well
  • 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice - fresh squeezed
  • 3 Large Tomatoes - diced
  • 1 Cup Basil - minced
  • 1 Tablespoon + 1 Teaspoon Sea Salt - or to taste

Sun-dried Tomato Basil Pesto

  • 1 1/4 Cups Sun-Dried Tomatoes or Oven-Dried Tomatoes - or jarred drain the oil
  • 1 Cup Fresh Basil - packed
  • 1 Cup Raw Walnuts
  • 1 Cup Aged Asiago Cheese – finely shredded
  • 1 1/4 Cups  Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 Cloves Garlic
  • 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice - fresh squeezed
  • 1 Teaspoon Sea Salt or to Taste

Instructions

Pesto

  1. Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in boiling water. You can skip this step if the dried tomatoes are really soft.
  2. Set aside and let them plump up for about 30 minutes.
  3. Dry them well.
  4. Add the tomatoes and garlic into a food processor or blender and turn on until they are minced up.
  5. Add all the other ingredients and blend everything while slowly adding the olive oil.

Soup

  1. Add the onion and 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a saute pan and heat over medium-low heat.

  2. When the onions are soft, add the garlic.

  3. Just as the garlic starts to brown, add the water, tomato sauce and rinsed lentils to the onions.
  4. Bring to a boil stirring the whole time to avoid the lentils from sticking to the bottom.
  5. Reduce to a simmer and cover.
  6. Simmer for 30 minutes or until lentils are completely soft.
  7. Add the pesto, lemon juice, diced tomatoes, basil and salt.
  8. Serve with fresh diced tomato and basil. Optional.