Soup is on repeat here the past few weeks. It’s been great for using up leftover veggies and pantry staples, pairs perfectly with all of the bread we’ve been baking, and feels like the right kind of comfort food to have during all of this social distancing. Plus the weather has been terribly cold and rainy recently: the ultimate soup weather. This soup is one that I tested a few weeks before we hunkered down, and it felt so appropriate for the times since there are lots of modifications you can make with what you have on hand. I opted for frozen fire-roasted corn, but canned works too. I used up a few pieces of bacon I had in the freezer but you can omit it if you want to make it vegetarian. You can use any kind of stock you have available, and the milk that gets stirred in the end is optional if you prefer a dairy-free version. We ate ours with some garlicky buttered naan bread that Jane and I made together using this recipe — scroll down for the full recipe! 
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- ¼ Cup of Leeks, thinly sliced (just the whites)
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- ¼ Cup of Cooked Bacon, chopped (about 3 slices)
- 1 Tbsp white wine
- 1 medium potato, peeled and cubed into ½” pieces (about 1.5 cups)
- 1 cup of yellow lentils
- 2 cups of fire roasted corn (fresh, frozen or canned)
- 2 Tsp. Paprika
- 1 Tsp. of Celery Seed
- ½ Tsp. Chili Powder
- 5 cups of chicken or veggie broth
- ½ Cup of Whole Milk
- Salt and Pepper
- Fresh chives or scallions, for garnish
- In a large dutch oven heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the diced onion, thinly sliced leeks, minced garlic , and chopped bacon to the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the onions are softened and translucent.
- Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any bits from the bottom.
- Add in the cubed potatoes, yellow lentils, and fire roasted corn to the pot, and then season the ingredients with paprika, celery seed, chili powder and salt and pepper.
- Stir to combine, and then pour broth over the ingredients, bring the soup up to a boil and then reduce the temperature to a simmer for about 45 minutes.
- Once the lentils have cooked and softened, turn off the heat and add in the whole milk, stirring to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Optional: Pulse an immersion blender in the soup 4-5 times to break down some of the ingredients for a creamier textured soup.
- Garnish with fresh scallions or chives and extra bacon bits before serving.
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