Lentil Soup

This delicious and easy lentil soup recipe brings onions, carrots, celery, garlic, tomatoes, and lentils together in a perfectly seasoned vegetable broth with fresh thyme.  The end result is a tasty heartwarming soup with plenty of nutrition and flavor that the whole family can enjoy.

This recipe is a hearty meal all by itself, but for a classic weekend feast, I like to serve it with Marinated Cucumbers and Red Onions and Garlic Hummus with freshly toasted pita slices. We are big soup lovers in this house.  We eat and enjoy soup year-round.  As I always say, it is a good thing we have air conditioning.  This soup is one of our favorites because it tastes so darn good, is quick and easy to fix, and is full of an abundance of fresh vegetables, fiber, herbs, and legumes.

How to make Lentil Soup

Start cooking the chopped onion, celery, and carrots in a little vegetable oil in a large pot until the onions and celery soften.  Then add garlic, cumin, and paprika to the pot with the veggies cooking for about 1 minute, stirring continually. Now add the vegetable broth, fire-roasted tomatoes, and lentils.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 25 minutes or until the lentils are tender.  Then stir in fresh thyme, season with salt and pepper to taste, and if desired, garnish with jalapeno rings.

Recipe notes and helpful tips

• Use brown or green lentils.  Do not use red lentils, as they break down too fast when cooked.
• Go very lightly on the salt, as this soup has plenty of salt already from canned tomatoes. To reduce the amount of sodium even more, use vegetable stock or chicken stock.
• For an aesthetically pleasing soup, peel the carrots.  They will have that gorgeous bright orange color.
• Try adding other herbs and spices like red pepper flakes, a spritz of lemon juice, or a little coriander.
• Other vegetables to add include spinach, kale, or sweet potatoes.
• For a smoother soup, blend all or part of it with an immersion blender.
• If more protein is desired, add browned sausage or cooked crisp bacon. 
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power. 
• Or freeze in a heavy-duty zipper freezer bag or freezer-safe container for up to 4 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.

What are lentils

Lentils are the dried seeds of a lentil plant.  They are legumes and closely related to beans, peas, and chickpeas. They grow in pods just like peas.  However, lentils are dried and packed like dried beans making them ideal for soups.  In fact, you will find them in the same aisle as the dried beans in plastic bags.  Don’t forget that with soup, you want brown or green lentils.

Other soup recipes you will love!

Best Lentil Soup Recipe

A quick and easy healthy vegan Lentil soup plump full of fresh garden vegetables, lentils, and fresh thyme, all in a lightly seasoned vegetable broth.  Fix a pot for your family today and enjoy some wholesome goodness.

5 from 10 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 219kcal

Author: Beth Pierce

Ingredients

• 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion chopped
• 2 ribs celery chopped
• 2 carrots peeled and chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
• 2 14 ounce cans fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 ⅓ cups green or brown lentils
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Jalapeno rings optional garnish
• Fresh parsley optional garnish

Instructions

• Heat vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook until the onions and celery soften.  Add the garlic, cumin, and paprika, cooking for about 1 minute, stirring continually.
• Add the vegetable broth, fire-roasted tomatoes, and lentils.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 25 minutes or until the lentils are tender.  Then stir in the fresh thyme, season with salt and pepper to taste, and if desired, garnish with jalapeno rings or fresh parsley.

Notes

• Use brown or green lentils.  Do not use red lentils, as they break down too fast when cooked.
• Go very lightly on the salt, as this soup has plenty of salt already from canned tomatoes. To reduce the amount of sodium even more, use vegetable stock or chicken stock.
• For an aesthetically pleasing soup, peel the carrots.  They will have that gorgeous bright orange color.
• Try adding other herbs and spices like red pepper flakes, a spritz of lemon juice, or a little coriander.
• Other vegetables to add include spinach, kale, or sweet potatoes.
• For a smoother soup, blend all or part of it with an immersion blender.
• If more protein is desired, add browned sausage or cooked crisp bacon. 
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power. 
• Or freeze in a heavy-duty zipper freezer bag or freezer-safe container for up to 4 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.

Nutrition

Calories: 219kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 658mg | Potassium: 657mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 4293IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 4mg

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