I had a version of this soup many years ago before deciding to become a vegetarian. It's comforting, easy to make and a complete meal. Cooking the noodles along with the soup instead of separately gives the soup a naturally thick consistency.

Lentil Vermicelli Soup

2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, quartered lengthwise then chopped
1 stalk of celery, cut into long thirds then chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp of dried rosemary
1 bay leaf (optional)
2 cups of lentils, sorted and rinsed
7 cups of vegetable broth or water with 2 bouillon cubes
1/3 cup of vermicelli noodles (spaghetti will work), snapped into 1-2 inch pieces
2-3 tsp of sea salt
fresh ground pepper
1/3 cup of fresh parsley (optional)

1. Warm olive oil in a soup pot over medium high heat
2. Add onion, carrot and celery until fragrant (about 5 minutes)
3. Add rosemary, garlic and a few cranks of fresh pepper and saute for a minute or two
4. Add broth, lentils and bay leaf
5. Bring to boil and then simmer, covered for about 30 minutes (when lentils become soft) stirring occasionally
6. Add 2 tsp of salt and more fresh pepper, bring soup to a boil again and add noodles. Reduce heat and cook until noodles become al dente (about 10-12 minutes)
7. Remove from heat, pull out bay leaf and stir in fresh parsley
8. Adjust salt and pepper to taste

Total Prep and Cooking Time: about 45 minutes to 1 hour
Servings: 4-6 bowls