Lentil Soup

Homemade Lentil Soup that is light, hearty and healthy. Loaded with chunks of carrots, celery, lentils and spices, you can also add your favorite protein to this already delicious recipe.

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LENTIL VEGETABLE SOUP

We absolutely love soup recipes and adore today’s recipe for lentil soup.

Not only is it easy to make but it’s really easy to customize! This soup is light and hearty, and best of all, healthy (similar to our chicken veggie soup and light chicken tortilla soup)!

It’s loaded with big chunks of carrots and celery and has a kick to it thanks to red pepper flakes. Of course, if you don’t want the added heat, you can certainly omit that ingredient. Sometimes we like to add ground sausage or pulled rotisserie chicken to bulk it up a bit.

This lentil vegetable soup can be made in 45 minutes on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot. The time will be about the same- just with the Instant Pot you have the option of letting it “keep warm” for several hours if you plan on making it ahead of time.

WHAT ARE LENTILS?

Lentils are mini legumes that are packed full of nutrients like protein, fiber and minerals. They’re basically little superfoods. While there are several varieties of lentils, the most common types are: brown, red, green, French green, and black.

For this recipe you will want to choose, brown, green or French green. These lentils tend to hold their shape more when cooked for longer periods of time. To prevent them from splitting, we’re going to saute them and use a little bit of acid in the form of vinegar and tomato. The lentils will cook as the soup simmers.

HOW TO MAKE LENTIL SOUP

1. In a large stockpot or Dutch oven set over medium heat, saute the vegetables until tender, about 8-10 minutes, add the seasonings and lentils. Cook for 5 minutes, then pour in the broth.
2. Simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the lentils are throughly cooked. Serve warm with a garnish of fresh parsley if desired.

Recipe FAQ

WHAT TO SERVE WITH lentil SOUP:

• Crusty bread, garlic bread, breadsticks, grilled cheese
• Green salad (some of our favorites include: Kale Salad and Homemade Caesar Salad)
• Fruit or fruit salad

STORE. Place in an air-tight container and keep in fridge for up to 5 days. To freeze, place in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag and freeze. You can keep this in the freezer for 4-5 months.

REHEAT. If frozen, place in fridge to thaw overnight. To reheat, place in pot and cook on low-medium heat until heated through and ready to serve.

For more light soup recipes:

• Healthy Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Italian Chicken Vegetable Soup
• Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

5 from 33 votes

Lentil Soup Recipe

By: Lil’ Luna

Homemade Lentil Soup that is light, hearty and healthy. Loaded with chunks of carrots, celery, lentils and spices, you can also add your favorite protein to this already delicious recipe.

Servings: 8

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 30 minutes mins

Total: 45 minutes mins

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Ingredients 

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• ▢ 2 tbsp olive oil
• ▢ 1 yellow onion diced
• ▢ 4 stalks celery cut into 1/2-inch chucks
• ▢ 4 carrots peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• ▢ 4 cloves minced garlic minced
• ▢ 1 tsp salt
• ▢ 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• ▢ 3/4 tsp cumin
• ▢ 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
• ▢ 2 tbsp tomato paste
• ▢ 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• ▢ 1 1/4 cups brown, green, French green lentils
• ▢ 1 bay leaf
• ▢ 6 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
• ▢ 2 tbsp parsley freshly chopped

Instructions 

• In a large stockpot or Dutch oven set over medium heat, add the olive oil. Once hot, add the onion, celery, and carrots, saute for about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Sprinkle in salt, pepper, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Add the tomato paste, vinegar, and lentils. Stir frequently, cooking for 5 minutes.
• Add bay leaf and pour in broth. Bring mixture to a boil. Cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the lentils are fully cooked.
• Stir in chopped parsley (optional) and serve warm.

Notes

If adding sausage, cook in the pan first, remove from pan and set on a place. DO NOT ADD THE OLIVE OIL. Saute the vegetables in the oil from the sausage, then return the sausage to the pot after adding the lentils.

If adding chicken, add the pulled rotisserie chicken (about 2 cups) during the last 10 minutes of cook time.

Nutrition

Calories: 193kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 5g, Sodium: 416mg, Potassium: 660mg, Fiber: 10g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 5345IU, Vitamin C: 7.3mg, Calcium: 52mg, Iron: 3.1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.