This ham and lentil soup makes a small amount of ham go further in a simple pot of soup. Carrots, onion and spinach round it out, and you do not need broth or a ham bone to get started.
Tips for ham and lentil soup
Choose brown or green lentils, not split red lentils. This version uses fully cooked sliced smoked ham cut into strips, so there is no ham-bone yield to guess.
Helpful equipment: A vegetable chopper can help with the onion and carrots for this batch of soup. Compare vegetable chopper on Amazon. I use this type of tool in my kitchen; the linked model may differ.
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High Protein Ham and Lentil Soup
Equipment
- 1 5- to 6-quart pot with lid
- 1 fine-mesh strainer
- 1 knife and cutting board
- 1 spoon
- 1 scale
- 1 thermometer
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups dry brown or green lentils picked over, then rinsed
- 12 oz fully cooked sliced smoked ham cut into short strips
- 1 2/3 cups carrots scrubbed or peeled, cut into 1/4-inch pieces; edible raw weight
- 1 cup peeled onion diced
- 4 cloves peeled garlic minced, about 4 cloves
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 cups fresh spinach washed, chopped
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp table salt
- 6 1/3 cups water plus plain water only if needed for consistency
Instructions
- Heat the measured oil in a 5- to 6-quart pot over medium heat. Add onion and carrots and cook for about 6 minutes, stirring, until the onion softens. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds without browning it.
- Add the rinsed lentils, 6 1/3 cups water and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Partly cover and cook for about 25–35 minutes, stirring now and then, until the lentils are tender. Check at 25 minutes; older lentils may take longer.
- Stir in all the ham and spinach. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until the spinach wilts and the ham is heated through; this development method uses a conservative 165°F (74°C) check for the ham and soup.
- Add up to the measured 1/4 tsp salt after tasting. The ham already adds salt. If the soup is thicker than you like, add a little plain water and bring back to a simmer. Do not drain away cooking liquid.
- Stir well and divide the complete soup into four equal portions, including the ham and solids. Bread, cheese and other toppings are not included.
Notes
Storage and meal prep
Divide into shallow containers and refrigerate at 40°F or below within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F. Use within 3–4 days, subject to the ham’s earlier opened-package date. Reheat to 165°F, stirring to remove cold spots; bring soup to a rolling boil when reheating. Add plain water if the lentils absorb more liquid. Freeze a trial portion for up to 2 months as an untested quality plan, leave expansion space and thaw in the refrigerator.
Ingredient notes and swaps
Split red lentils break down faster and need a different method. The baseline uses the same fully cooked smoked deli-ham label as our breakfast sandwiches; a ham steak or leftover holiday ham needs its own nutrition reference and storage history. Broth can replace water for flavor only after its nutrition is added. Add tomato only after lentils soften if developing a tomato version; it is not part of this recipe.
About the nutrition
Nutrition is estimated from the listed amounts and documented reference foods. Brands, portions and ingredient swaps can change the numbers. This recipe has not been kitchen tested.