Tip : You can substitute canned lentils for dry lentils. If you do substitute, then the canned lentils should be added to the soup after the vegetables have cooked.
Ingredients
- 1 smoked ham bone or smoked ham hock
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large sweet onion finely diced
- 1 large carrot peeled and sliced
- 2 stalks celery finely sliced
- 1 clove garlic grated
- 1 tsp Hungarian paprika
- 6 cups water
- 1 cup dry green lentils
- 2 bay leaves
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 cup cooked and shredded ham from ham bones
- 1 tbsp sour cream/serving
- 2-3 sprigs fresh parsley, minced
Instructions
- Gather ingredients before starting the recipe
Soup Broth
- Place 1 smoked ham bone or smoked ham hock in a large stock pot and cover with 6 cups of water or enough to cover by an inch. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Gently cook for one hour.
- Remove ham bone and remove all meat from the bone using a fork. Reserve the meat until ready to use, discard the bones.
Soup
- Peel and chop 1 large sweet onion, 1 large carrot and 2 stalks celery and set aside until ready to use.
- Add 1 cup dry green lentils, 2 bay leaves and the sliced carrot and celery to the soup broth and cook until the lentils and vegetables are cooked, but not mushy, about 20 minutes.
- While the lentils are cooking, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat and sweat 1 large sweet onion until the onions are soft, about 6-8 minutes.
- Grate 1 clove garlic and add to the cooked onions and stir to combine. Cook until the garlic becomes fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and add 1 tsp Hungarian paprika and stir to combine.
- Add the onion garlic mixture to the soup when the vegetables and lentils have cooked and stir to combine.
- Add 1 cup cooked and shredded ham from ham bones to the soup and stir to combine.
- Serve in deep soup bowls topped with a dollop of sour cream and chopped fresh parsley.