LENTIL SOUP
Macaroni Grill Copycat Recipe
8 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups very finely chopped onion
1 cup finely diced carrots
1 cup finely diced celery
3 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried basil or more to taste (or 1 tbsp. fresh basil)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
2 cans diced tomatoes (1 may be Rotel)
4 sundried tomatoes, reconstituted, and diced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 cup lentils
Vermicelli or thin spaghetti broken short lengths
1 (15-16 oz) can Great Northern beans
Saute vegetables in 1 teaspoon olive oil. Add remaining ingredients except spaghetti and beans. Simmer 45 minutes or until lentils are soft. Add more broth to thin, if needed. Add a little thin spaghetti, broken into short lengths. Add the beans. Cook until pasta is soft, about 10 minutes.
Variations: Other additions may include canned limas, cooked turkey, spinach, cabbage, kale, etc.
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