| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 2 hr |
| Prep: | 30 min |
| Cook: | 1 hr 30 min |
| Yield: | 12 servings |
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 dried ancho chiles, wiped clean, stemmed and seeded
- 1 cup water
- 4 thick slices bacon, cut into strips 1-inch long x 1/8-inch wide
- 9 ounces chorizo sausage, removed from casings and crumbled
- 2 medium onions, diced
- 10 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 cups brown lentils, washed and picked over
- 3 quarts chicken stock, vegetable stock, or water
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery ribs, washed and diced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 bunch parsley, leaves only, chopped
- 1 bunch cilantro, leaves only, chopped
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Toast the chiles in a dry, cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until brown all over; they will soften, bubble and release their aroma .Place the chiles in a saucepan with the water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook 5 minutes, or until soft. Transfer the chiles with their water to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Reserve.
- Fry the bacon in large heavy stockpot over medium-high heat, about 4 minutes. Stir in the chorizo and saute 3 minutes longer, or until browned. Spoon out excess fat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden. Then stir in the garlic and cook for a few minutes to release its aroma. Add the lentils and reserved chile puree and saute an additional minute.
- Pour in the stock or water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook 10 minutes, occasionally skimming and removing the fat from the top. Stir in the carrots, celery, salt and pepper. Cook over medium-low heat, covered, for about 40 minutes, skimming and discarding the fat from the top. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and cilantro and serve hot, with the lime wedges if desired.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 12 servings |
| Calories | 305 |
| Total Fat | 13 g |
| Saturated Fat | 4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 31 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 6 g |
| Protein | 18 g |
| Cholesterol | 28 mg |
| Sodium | 846 mg |
Reviews
I love this recipe! Except I use uncured kielbasa instead of chorizo. I use red Fresno peppers without the seeds. Gives the perfect kick. Go to Trader Joe’s and get their cooked lentils in the produce case! Makes it perfect!
This is delicious soup! I was unable to find the dried ahcho chilis so used the meat of a large roasted, peeled & seeded pasilla (aka poblano) pepper pureed with 1/2 c. water. This is the same pepper but fresh and the flavor was excellent. I highly recommend this soup and the recipe is quite generous.
Good, easy and lasts
This recipe was amazing…..I added chile sauce instead of the chiles….I omitted the celery….but added lots and lots of garlic with the bacon, onion and chorizo…..I will definitely make this again……:
I made this recipe as written (but used 1 lb. of chorizo so I didn’t have leftovers and it was fabulous!!! I tasted the broth before simmering for 40 minutes and was a bit nervous that it would be too spicy, but by the end of the simmer it was the perfect level of spiciness. Thanks for a great recipe!!
I made this with the bacon and it was great. I also added about a teaspoon of cumin and used the immersion blender to thicken it up when I was done. Next time I’ll brown the meats and set them aside, then add them back in after I blend everything up to make it a bit chunkier. A great flavor combination.
I have made this as written and with some tweaks. Today I didn’t use bacon and only used two links of chorizo. I also added a lb of ground bison for some lean protein. Blending really gives the soup a great creamy texture without the addition of cream.
I used the recipe more like a guideline. I didn’t use any bacon and I added a little bit more of everything. I blended it up and it was very flavorful. I topped it with sour cream, cheese, and cilantro.