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Hearty Lentil Vegetable Soup

Hearty Lentil Vegetable Soup prepared dish

This comforting lentil vegetable soup simmers pantry lentils with tomatoes, carrots, celery, garlic, and warming spices until thick and satisfying. A handful of spinach and a squeeze of lemon brighten the pot just before serving.

This recipe is mediterranean style, lunch, scaled for 6 servings, with 15 min prep and 45 min cook.

Prep: 15 min · Cook: 45 min · Total: 60 min · Serves: 6

Quick cooking notes

  • Core ingredients include dried thyme, fresh parsley, low-sodium vegetable broth, olive oil.
  • Follow all 12 steps in order for the intended texture and doneness.
  • Ingredient quantities listed below are for 6 servings.

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 0.25 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
  • 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cups carrots (peeled and diced)
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
  • 1 leaf bay leaf
  • 1.5 cups brown lentils (rinsed and picked over)
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper (freshly ground)
  • 4 cups baby spinach (loosely packed)
  • 14.5 oz canned diced tomatoes (with juices)
  • 1.5 cups yellow onion (diced)
  • 1.5 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 4 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 cup celery (diced)

Instructions

  1. Place the brown lentils in a fine-mesh sieve, rinse them under cool running water for about 1 minute, and pick out any small stones or shriveled lentils before setting them aside to drain.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven or heavy soup pot over medium heat until it shimmers, about 1 minute.
  3. Add the diced yellow onion, diced carrots, and diced celery to the Dutch oven, then cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring every 1-2 minutes with a wooden spoon, until the onion is translucent and the carrots begin to soften.
  4. Add the minced garlic and cook over medium heat for 30-45 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not browned.
  5. Stir the tomato paste into the vegetables and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot, until the paste darkens slightly and coats the vegetables.
  6. Add the ground cumin, dried thyme, smoked paprika, black pepper, and kosher salt to the pot, then stir for 30 seconds over medium heat until the spices smell toasted.
  7. Add the rinsed brown lentils, canned diced tomatoes with juices, low-sodium vegetable broth, and bay leaf to the Dutch oven, then stir well with the wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
  8. Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a steady boil, about 5-6 minutes, with bubbles breaking across the surface.
  9. Reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover the Dutch oven, and simmer the soup for 30-35 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the lentils are tender but not mushy and the carrots are easily pierced with a fork.
  10. Remove and discard the bay leaf, then use an immersion blender directly in the pot to blend the soup for 5-10 seconds in a few short bursts, leaving most of the lentils and vegetables whole for texture.
  11. Stir the baby spinach into the hot soup over low heat for 1-2 minutes, until the leaves are wilted and bright green.
  12. Turn off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and chopped fresh parsley, then taste the soup with a clean spoon and adjust only if needed before ladling it into warm bowls.

Nutrition (per serving)

  • Calories: 275
  • Protein: 15 g
  • Fat: 6 g
  • Carbohydrates: 43 g
  • Fiber: 9 g
  • Sugar: 7 g
  • Sodium: 620 mg

Nutrition values are estimates based on stored ingredient totals and serving size.

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