J.M. Hirsch
AP Food Editor

 

In my kitchen, dry lentils get about the same treatment as dry beans. That is, on the rare occasion that I buy them, they land at the back of the pantry where they are promptly forgotten for months or years.

Unless you are really good at planning ahead, the weeknight kitchen is no place for dry beans and lentils. Most bean varieties take hours of soaking before you can even begin cooking. Lentils can soften in about an hour, but during the week even that's too long.

Canned beans and lentils are a much better choice, offering good quality and convenience. Some companies now even sell canned heirloom varieties. The only downside is canned legumes often contain plenty of sodium, but this is easily washed away by rinsing.

This simple lentil soup was inspired by those used to break the fast during the monthlong Muslim celebration of Ramadan. Traditional versions use dry lentils and take an hour or more to make. Canned lentils cut that time in half.

If you'd like a heartier soup, root vegetables such as carrots and potatoes can be added along with the onions. Serve this with croutons, olives, flatbread and yogurt.

Lentil soup with    lemon zest

Start to finish: 30 minutes

Servings: 4

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced

3 plum tomatoes, cored and chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon cumin

1⁄4 teaspoon smoked paprika

15-ounce can lentils, drained

21⁄4 cups chicken broth

Zest and juice of 1⁄2 lemon

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

In a large saucepan over medium, heat the oil. Add the onion, tomatoes and garlic, then saute until the onions are soft, about 6 minutes. Add the cumin and paprika, then cook for another minute, stirring constantly.

Add the lentils and chicken broth, then bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes.

Transfer the soup to a blender, in batches if necessary, and puree until smooth. Return the soup to the saucepan, then stir in the lemon zest and juice. Season with salt and pepper, then return to a simmer. Ladle into serving bowls and drizzle olive oil over each serving.

Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 166 calories; 66 calories from fat; 7 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 17 g carbohydrate; 8 g protein; 5 g fiber; 743 mg sodium.