Leslie's Ham Lentil Soup

I originally called this my "experimental lentil" soup, patching together various other lentil ham bone soup recipes. I've been making it every fall for a decade now. What's listed here is a single recipe, though I can't remember the last time I've made such a small batch. It's great for freezing in individual servings for lunches.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 40 mins
• Calories: 216 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• ½ onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 8 cups water
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• ¼ teaspoon crushed bay leaf
• 1 ham bone with some meat
• 2 ⅔ tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
• 2 cups lentils

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Bring water and chicken bouillon granules to a boil in a stock pot; stir to dissolve bouillon. Place ham bone in boiling broth, reduce heat to medium-low, and stir in lentils. Simmer until lentils begin to soften, about 10 minutes.

Step 2

Stir celery, carrots, green bell pepper, onion, marjoram, and bay leaf into broth and simmer until lentils and vegetables are tender, 10 to 20 minutes.

Step 3

Turn off heat and remove ham bone from soup. Cut ham from bone and cube meat. Return meat to soup and discard bone.