Hearty, 1-pot Tuscan soup with tomatoes, lentils, and ground beef. Quick and easy to make, big flavor, incredibly comforting. Naturally grain-free and gluten-free with vegan options included.
Heat a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add oil. Let heat 30 seconds. Then add onion and a healthy pinch each salt and pepper and sauté until soft and translucent (~ 4 minutes), stirring frequently. Then add garlic and red pepper flake and sauté 1 minute more.
Add beef or bison and use spoon to break into small pieces. Then season with another healthy pinch each salt and pepper. Stir and cook until meat is browned (~4-5 minutes).
Add tomato paste and stir to combine. Then add diced tomatoes (with their juices), broth, dried basil, and dried oregano and stir. Add (drained) beans or lentils (both from canned*), season with another pinch salt and pepper, and stir.
Once simmering, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for about 10-15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Then taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more red pepper flake for heat, tomato paste for tomato flavor / depth of flavor, salt and pepper to taste, or dried herbs to taste.
Add kale and one final pinch each salt and pepper, then stir. Cover and cook for a few minutes more, or until kale is wilted and green.
Serve hot as is, or garnish with fresh minced parsley, vegan parmesan cheese, and red pepper flake (all optional).
Store cooled leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days, or in the freezer up to 1 month. Thaw from frozen before reheating. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop in a saucepan or pot over medium heat (covered) until warmed through. Add more broth or water as needed to thin.
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Notes
*If wanting to use dry lentils, you will need to increase cook time by ~15 minutes. Avoid adding kale until the lentils are done. *Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with avocado oil and grass-fed ground beef and without optional ingredients.