Sort the lentils and remove any foreign objects, such as tiny rocks, twigs, misshaped beans, etc. Rinse the lentils with cold water and drain.

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the onions carrots and celery. Gently cook the vegetables for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the garlic, tomato paste, oregano, thyme, cumin and black pepper to the pot. Cook for 1 minute, stirring almost constantly.

Add the lentils and chicken broth to the pot. Stir well.

Raise the heat to high and bring the broth to a boil.

Lower the heat to medium when the broth is at a full boil. Cover the pot and cook the lentils for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Taste the lentils to see if they have almost reached the desired tenderness. If they’re still super hard continue cooking another 10 minutes, then taste again.

If the lentils are almost tender, add the potatoes.

When the liquid comes to a simmer again, lower the heat to medium-low and cover. Cook the lentils and potatoes for 10-12 minutes or until they are both tender. Stir the soup more often as it thickens.

Add the greens to the pot and stir until they start to wilt. Cover the pot and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the greens are completely wilted.

Taste the lentils and add salt if needed. As a reference, didn’t add any extra salt to ours.