Lentil soup takes many forms across cultures from Italy to India, but it is always deeply nourishing, satisfying, and somehow feels rich and healthy at the same time. In this recipe, we use green lentils and fresh baby spinach and always finish it with a couple tablespoons of butter. You can top each bowl with a small disk of lightly breaded and fried goat cheese, which will melt beautifully into the hot soup. We suggest serving in large, shallow bowls with a side of warm country bread.
Harvest Lentil Soup with Fried Liwa and Butter
Ingredients
LENTIL SOUP
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 to 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 2 to 3 celery stalks, diced
- 2½ cups green lentils, rinsed
- 7 cups chicken stock
- 1 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 4 to 6 fresh thyme sprigs
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- ½ cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
FRIED GOAT CHEESE
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup finely ground panko
- 4 ounces fresh goat cheese (like our Liwa) or fresh chèvre
Instructions
TO MAKE THE LENTIL SOUP:
- In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, salt, and pepper, stirring occasionally until slightly translucent and fragrant but not brown, about 4 minutes. Add the carrots and celery and stir to coat in the oil. Cover and cook for approximately 5 minutes, until the vegetables are fragrant and slightly tender.
- Stir in the lentils, stock, rosemary, and thyme and lower the heat to medium-low so the soup comes to a very gentle simmer. Cover and simmer for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add the spinach, stir, and cover for another 15 minutes while you make the fried goat cheese.
TO MAKE THE FRIED GOAT CHEESE:
- In a medium pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the panko to a shallow dish. Divide the goat cheese into 1-ounce portions. Flatten each portion between your fingers into small disks about ¼ inch thick. Lightly dip each disk into the panko, coating all sides, and fry in the hot oil for about 2 minutes per side. Lower the heat if the oil begins to smoke. When done, the disks should resemble the color of crème brûlée— lightly golden with brown, crusted edges.
- When the soup is done, remove from the heat. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs and stir in the butter until melted.
TO SERVE:
- Portion the soup equally into four bowls, then top with the parsley, fried goat cheese, and a drizzle of olive oil. The soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The goat cheese should be freshly fried before serving. Makes 4 servings.
Notes
Recipe excerpted from Feasts on the Farm: Over 60 Seasonal Recipes and Stories of Sustainable Farming from Tomales Farmstead Creamery by Tamara Jo Hicks and Jessica Lynn MacLeod, © 2025. Published by Chronicle Books. Photographs © Katie Newburn.
