This lentil soup recipe is delicious, healthy, flexible, and inexpensive to make

What’s not to love?!

This lentil soup recipe is incredibly easy to make and really inexpensive. Even with organic ingredients, you can make a giant pot of soup that will feed 6-8 people for less than $10. Sign. Me. Up!

Lentil soup is a nutritional powerhouse (and family favorite)

Lentil soup combines the nutrients, protein, good carbs, and fiber in lentils with the antioxidant power of veggies, herbs, and spices. Adding a little good fat from the extra virgin olive oil rounds it out into a perfectly balanced meal.

Lentils are especially high in B vitamins and minerals like iron, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc.

In fact, many nutritionists consider lentils one of the healthiest things you can eat, especially if you’re on a tight budget.

Lentil soup is so flexible that there are even multiple ways to cook it. While I prefer to make this one the stovetop to bring out the flavor of each ingredient while sauteeing, if you’re in a huge rush, you can just throw it all in a slow-cooker and come home to a great meal.

Choosing Which Lentils To Use

I like to use the small dark green lentils (aka French lentils) because they’re sturdy and cook quickly. Regular green lentils are also fantastic here (I buy mine on Thrive Market at a great price.)

All lentil varieties work great in this recipe and are very nutritious, try different types (red, green, etc.) and find what you like best. Red lentils cook down extra soft, while green and black lentils will hold more bite.

Soaking Lentils vs. Not Soaking Lentils

Really, it’s up to you.

Lentils need a little bit more cooking time if you don’t soak them, but it’s generally not a problem. If you haven’t had time to think ahead, still give them a good rinse in a fine-mesh colander as lentils are stored in big drums and can accumulate dust particles, but it’s totally ok if you don’t have time to soak them.

On the flip side, lentils will cook faster if you soak them. Soaking lentils can also make them easier to digest, so if you find that lentils make your tummy grumble or give you gas, then consider soaking them for 12-24 hours. In cases like this, always discard the soaking water and rinse them before using them.

Make This Lentil Soup Recipe Your Own

• Make it vegan: use vegetable stock to make this meal completely vegan
• Add more flavor: If you aren’t looking for a vegan dish in particular, a quart of chicken stock deepens the flavor of this dish (I recommend it!) – you can find quarts of high-quality chicken stock at just about any store. I prefer organic, but choose what you can.
• Add more protein: Use protein-rich bone broth (aka long-simmered chicken stock) to add even more protein to this dish – you can make your own or find it at most grocery stores.

Think of this lentil recipe as a guide and method to making lentil soup— it’s absolutely delicious as written—and it’s super flexible, too. Feel free to add any herbs, spices, or veggies that you’d like and make it your own. If adding extra veggies, add an extra 1/3 cup of liquid for every 1/4 cup of veggies you add or add liquid as needed.

Lentil Soup Recipe Flavor Variations

Again, this recipe is delicious as written, but if you’re like me and make it almost every week in the cooler months, then here are some ideas to mix it up:

• Swap out the cumin and oregano for 2 teaspoons of your favorite curry powder for a delicious curried lentil soup dish.
• Add a chopped sweet potato (chop it into 1/2 inch cubes) plus 1 cup more water or stock to add a little sweetness and texture.
• Add a giant handful of fresh baby spinach and let it wilt in, or saute up some heartier greens like kale or rainbow chard before adding.
• If you have extra carrots that you need to use up, add in a few more chopped carrots with extra stock or water (see ratios above) to turn this into a carrot and lentil soup.

Once you get the hang of it, making this easy lentil soup recipe will be in your weekly rotation. Enjoy!

Easy Lentil Soup Recipe

• Author: Elizabeth Rider
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 mins
• Yield: 8 1x
• Category: Lunch, Dinner
• Method: Simmer
• Cuisine: American

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Description

This easy lentil soup recipe is a family favorite! It’s super flexible and always delicious. You’ll need 6 cups liquid total, use up any stock or broth you have on hand with water if needed (e.g. 3 cups stock with 3 cups water). The more stock you use, the more flavor it will have. See the recipes notes for ideas and flexible substitutions. If you like this lentil soup recipe, please leave a star rating in the comments below for other readers in our community (thank you!).

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Ingredients

• 1-quart vegetable stock (chicken stock or bone broth)
• 2 cups filtered water
• 1.5 cups lentils, rinsed (soaking is optional)
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small yellow or white onion, finely chopped
• 2 celery ribs, finely chopped
• 1 large carrot, finely chopped or grated
• 3–4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or pressed
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (aged balsamic also works)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt (I use Real Salt), more or less to taste
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (about 5 spins in a pepper grinder)
• Optional: 2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped (or one 12 oz can organic diced tomatoes)
• Optional: Any greens you’d like to add; look for something in season and at a good price at the store. Spinach is always a great option and has a mild flavor. We like 1 handful of greens per serving.

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Instructions

1. Spread the lentils out on a large sheet tray and pick out any debris (aka anything that doesn’t look like a lentil.) Legumes are harvested and stored in large quantities and sometimes little rocks or other things make their way in the bag. Rinse your lentils well in a fine-mesh strainer before using.
   (Pre-soaking really depends on personal preference; it helps soften the lentils faster but is not always necessary. I typically do not presoak my lentils. If you want to soak, pour the lentils into a large bowl and cover with purified water by 2 inches. If you’ve thought ahead enough, cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and leave it on the counter for 12-24 hours. Drain the lentils and rinse them well before using.)
2. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery with a big pinch of sea salt and cook until tender, about 5-6 minutes.
3. Lower the heat down to medium-low (to prevent the garlic from burning) and add the garlic, cumin, oregano, another pinch of salt, and a few spins of freshly ground black pepper. Stir and let cook another 2-3 minutes until the mixture is very fragrant. (Be careful not to burn the garlic–turn the heat down to low if necessary as garlic burns easily.)
4. Add the bay leaf, 1 teaspoon of salt, a few more spins of black pepper, stock, water, and rinsed lentils to the pot and bring to a full boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. The amount of salt you need will depend on what type of stock you use; start with one teaspoon and add more later to taste if desired. If your stock is not salted you may need up to two (or more) teaspoons).
5. Add the tomatoes (if using) and let the pot simmer for about 40-50 minutes or until the lentils are soft. Once the lentils are soft, turn off the heat and stir in the vinegar. Discard the bay leaf before pureeing and serving.
6. Depending on how you like the texture, use a handheld immersion blender to blend 1/3 to 1/2 of the soup. Or skip the blending if you like a firmer soup texture. If you don’t have an immersion blender puree 2 cups of the soup in a regular blender or food processor; include some of the soup’s liquid to blend smoothly. Or, blend the whole thing up in a high-speed blender (in batches) to make a silky smooth lentil soup.
7. Lentil soup keeps in the fridge for about 5 days and freezes well in an air-tight freezer-safe container up to 3 months.

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Notes

Slow-Cooker Method:

I like this recipe best on the stovetop because the recipe steps bring out the most flavor from each ingredient. However, if you’re in a rush, toss all of the ingredients into a slow-cooker and set it on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Blend part of the soup if desired before serving.

Note: Be very careful when blending hot mixtures and never fill the blender/food processor more than 1/4 the way full as hot liquids expand when blending.
If waiting longer than one hour to serve, leave the soup pot on the stove but turn the burner to the lowest setting. You can leave it on the stove for 2-4 hours. If it gets too thick, just add another 1-2 cups water. This recipe is really that flexible.

Keywords: Lentil Soup Recipe, Lentil Recipe

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