Enjoy the Flavour of Hunt’s Tomatoes with David Rocco’s Tomato and Lentil Soup Recipe

I absolutely love cooking with Hunt’s canned tomatoes. They’re inexpensive, don’t spoil and can be used to create a huge variety of delicious recipes. From soups to sauces to side dishes, the possibilities are endless. And every time I cook with Hunt’s canned tomatoes, I’m adding Vitamin C, fibre and potassium to my meal too!

There’s a reason Hunt’s canned tomatoes taste so good and it all starts with freshness. Hunt’s is passionate about picking tomatoes at the peak of ripeness to ensure that the true tomato flavour comes out in every dish. That delicious flavour is one that lends itself to all kinds of great meals and so when I got the chance to try out a tasty soup recipe created by celebrity chef and Tommalier (tomato expert) David Rocco, I couldn’t wait.

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David Rocco's Tomato & Lentil Soup

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

It's a tradition to make tomato lentil soup with sausage on New Year’s Day as it is supposed to bring good luck for the year ahead. For a heartier version that does not betray the soup’s cucina povera roots, break up some sausage and let it slightly brown, just before you add in the tomatoes.

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Ingredients

• 4 tbsp 56 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 bunch of fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 2 fresh chili peppers, chopped
• 2 cans, 14 oz/398 ml tomatoes, such as Hunt’s Original Diced Tomatoes
• 1 can, 19 oz/540 ml lentils, drained and rinsed
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp of tomato paste, such as Hunt’s Original Tomato Paste
• Water

Instructions

1. In a saucepan, heat olive oil. Add garlic, parsley and chili peppers and sauté for a few minutes until the garlic has started to turn golden.
2. Pour in the diced tomatoes with the juice right from the tin. With the back of a wooden spoon, break up the tomatoes into little chunks. You can decide the consistency. Then add in the rinsed lentils, salt and pepper. Add tomato paste, and then add water about 1/2 an inch above the lentils. Bring to a boil, then lower to medium heat and cook for 20 minutes until the soup has thickened.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 287Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 218mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 12gSugar: 8gProtein: 12g

I made a few changes to the recipe based on the ingredients I had handy. Fresh chili peppers are rather hard to find in small-town Saskatchewan so I substituted yellow and orange bell peppers instead. They added an extra bit of sweetness to the soup that I really enjoyed. I also used dried instant lentils instead of canned. Because they absorb some of the water when cooking, this made for a very rich and filling soup perfect for an icy winter’s day.

Best of all, both my boys liked the soup too! I knew that Zackary and Benjamin would balk at the peppers but I managed to convince my sons that when vegetables were cooked all together in a soup, the individual flavours weren’t as noticeable. After a bit of pleading, Zackary finally took a bite and declared the soup, “Delish!”

If you’re looking for ways to incorporate more rich tomato flavour into your meals, David Rocco has some great tips for you too! I especially love the idea of making poached eggs in homemade tomato sauce! And don’t forget to check out www.huntstomatoes.ca for tons more tasty tomato recipes worthy of a Tommalier!

I love the fresh and delicious taste of Hunt’s canned tomatoes and I can’t wait to make this healthy and hearty soup again. But no matter what dish I’m whipping up for my boys, I can always trust that Hunt’s tomatoes will add genuine fresh flavour to my dish to create a meal the whole family will love!