Italian Lentil Soup with Prosciutto

A warm, hearty and comforting Italian lentil soup bursting with flavors. This traditional lentil soup is easy to make and is perfect for colder days. I grew up eating lot of lentils and definitely this soup has been a staple. Still today I make it several times during the winter months and I have to confess that I love the soul-satisfying aromas that fill my house every time, which reminds me of Italy.

Lentils is the food that accordingly to Romans will bring you good luck especially when you eat it on New Year’s Eve. But the highly nutritional value of these beans makes it worth eating all year around in form of stew, salads and soups!

Why you will love this recipe

–Easy to make, this lentil soup is coming together in less than 50 minutes and it is the perfect bowl in a cold winter day.

– You can easily adapt it by subbing a few ingredients or adding more of others, below you will find some suggestions.

–Lentils are a superfood: the protein-rich lentils are packed with minerals and they constitute the perfect plan based protein. If you want to know more about the benefits of lentils, read my previous post.

WHICH ARE THE BEST LENTILS TO USE?

For this Italian lentils recipe you will need brown lentils, as they keep their shape while cooking. Green lentils are also good. Choose an Italian variety such as Lenticchie Umbre (from Umbria region) or lenticchie from Castelcucco di Norcia.

Red and yellow lentils are cooking faster but their shape dissolves, for this reason they taste better in soup, curries or with rice.

INGREDIENTS – WHAT YOU NEED

For this simple Italian Lentil soup with prosciutto recipe I chose to follow my dad’s classic recipe.

Lentils: there are different varieties of lentils, for this recipe stick to Italian lentils such as Umbrian lentils or a variety called lentils from Castelluccio di Norcia.

Soffritto: this is the base for many delicious Italian and consist of onions, celery, carrots finely chopped. I recommend using yellow onion, as it is sweeter than other variety.

Garlic: 2 cloves will go a long way to add flavor to this Italian soup.

Prosciutto Crudo: the amount of prosciutto crudo is really a tiny bit, just to add a savory taste. 2 ounces will be enough. Choose high quality prosciutto crudo such as Parma ham or San Daniele.

Olive oil: use extra-virgin olive oil.

Bay leaves: this is the only spice my dad use, and it gives a great flavor without overpowering the taste of the entire dish.

Sage: this fresh herb goes very well with the soup. Use it at the end as topping.

Tomato Paste: just 2 tsp will add more depth to this soup

Vegetable broth : Lentils needs liquid to cook, they will double the size. Make sure you use low-sodiul or no-salt broth.

Salt: add a pinch of salt only at the end. If you add it during the cooking you might end up with harder lentils that are too salty.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

The process to make this comforting lentil soup is very easy. Start by chopping onions, celery and carrots to prepare the soffritto, which in Italian cuisine is the base for many flavorful recipes.

Add 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil to a large pot , when the oil shimmers add the chopped onion, celery and carrots and let it cook at medium heat until they soften and the onion become translucent. Make sure the onions are not browning. Add 2 whole cloves of garlic peeled and slightly pressed, so that they will release more flavor while it will be still easy to remove them. At this point add the prosciutto. Let it cook and then add 1cups of lentils to the pot. Add the bay leaves and toast the lentils 2 minutes. Add 6 cups of vegetable stock and the tomato paste.

Continue simmering on medium-high heat until the vegetable stock has been absorbed. Lentils cooking time is around 50 minutes. Taste the lentils if they are still hard, add some more vegetable stock until they are soft.

Now use an immersion blender or a food processor and blend 1/3 of the soup only. Once you have finished blending adding to the rest that you did not blend.

Add salt only at the end. Serve them hot or at room temperature. Makes 4-6 cups that will serve 4 portions.

MORE LENTILS RECIPES FOR YOU

Roasted Beetroot Pumpkin Lentil Salad

Classic Italian Lentils

MORE ITALIAN SOUP RECIPES FOR YOU

Classic Italian Minestrone Soup

Pasta & Fagioli (Italian Pasta with beans)

Quick and Easy Cabbage Soup

Spring Detox Minestrone

VARIATIONS

As I shared earlier you can vary this flavorful Italian Lentil Soup accordingly to you preferences:

To make it vegan: remove the prosciutto crudo, and voila’ it is a great vegan meal.

To add more sapidity: you can add a Parmesan rind while it cooks. And you can also add a generous sprinkle of Parmesan Cheese when you serve it.

To make it more meaty: Add some prosciutto crudo slightly pan-fried on top. Check below for substitutions.

To make it more hearty: Add a scant cup of farro, and add 2 more cups of water as the farro will absorb it. You can also add some green vegetables such as spinach, chards, kale or collard greens. All these green veggies so restoring during the cold winter days.

To add a more deeper herb flavor: you can add thyme and/ or parsley, they go well with the soup.

SUBSTITUTIONS

These are the most FAQ around using different ingredients than those listed above.

Can I use red lentils instead of Italian lentils? While I love red lentils, their consistency is not great for this soup as red lentils, once cooked, become very mushy. I would stick to green or brown lentils, which you can blend slightly and they will still give you a bit of bite when you eat it. Umbrian lentils are the right choice as they maintain their shape, if you cannot find this variety stick to green or brown lentils.

Can I use chicken broth instead of vegetable broth? You definitely can, I just recommend to chose a lower sodium variety as the lentils absorb lot of liquid, and inevitably they will also absorb the salt. Salt makes your lentils harder.

Can I add white wine? Yes, white wine can be used if you would like an extra layer of acidity on top of the one provided by the tomato.

Can I substitute the Prosciutto Crudo with Bacon? Definitely you can, but the flavor would be stronger. You can also use some spicy Italian sausage instead of the Crudo ham.

I do not have sage, what can I use instead? You can sub the sage with fresh parsley, thyme or a sprig of rosemary chopped.

I do not have yellow onions, what can I use instead? You can use white onions, shallots or also leek.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

This Italian Lentil Soup with Prosciutto is a warming dish that will pair well with some crusty bread or rosemary focaccia bread. With your bowl of lentil soup you can add as side dish a winter cabbage salad or my Italian little green salad. Roasted cauliflower with Asiago cheese will also go well and make it a very filling meal.

TIPS FOR STORAGE

This Lentil Soup will store well in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days. You can also freeze it up to 3 months.

To thaw it, just removed it ahead of time and let it defrost at room temperature. Reheat it on the stove top on medium heat until warm, if the soup is too dry, add 1/4 cup of broth.

If you try this recipe and you liked it, please leave a star review below! I would love to connect with you through my recipe and I will be very appreciative of your comments! If you make this recipe make sure to tag me on Instagram  @Italian_kitchen_confessions.  To get more ideas follow me on Pinterest.