Sauté the vegetables

• Heat the olive oil in a pan and sauté the onion, carrot, celery and garlic until softened.
• Skip the carrot and celery if you like and use just the onion and garlic.

Add lentils and liquid

• Put the dried lentils in a pot with the sautéed vegetables.
• Pour in the chicken stock and the water.

Simmer the soup

• Bring to a boil, then simmer until the lentils are completely soft.
• Add more water during cooking if you want a soupier consistency.

Season and serve

• Add the salt only at the end, never at the start, so the lentils cook properly.
• Taste, adjust the seasoning and serve hot.