Mushroom Lentil Soup

It’s finally soup weather. I bought a mushroom lentil soup the other day, but it wasn’t quite what I had hoped for. It used mushroom broth but didn’t seem to have any actual mushrooms in it. I liked the idea though, so I made a version my way.

Mushroom Lentil Soup

• ½ ounce dried shiitake mushrooms
• ¼ ounce dried porcini mushrooms
• 1 cup hot water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large stalk celery, thinly sliced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 16 ounces button or crimini mushrooms, cut in chunks
• 3 ounces fresh shiitake mushroom, thinly sliced
• 1½ cups brown lentils
• 8 cups mushroom broth
• 5-6 sprigs fresh thyme

1. Place the dried mushrooms in a small bowl. Pour the hot water over the mushrooms and let stand for 10 minutes. Rinse under running water. Thinly slice.
2. Set a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the celery and garlic. Cook for half a minute, until fragrant. Add all of the mushrooms, lentils, broth, and thyme. Cover and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour. Remove thyme stems. Serve.

Serves 4-6

I added a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to the bowls to finish the soup. A splash of cream would also be nice.

This recipe is being shared in Meat Free Monday and Gluten Free Fridays.