Meet the BEST lentil soup recipe! Made with dried lentils, contemporary greens, flavorful spices, and hearty greens, it is easy, nourishing, and scrumptious.
This lentil soup recipe would possibly shock you. Positive, it’s easy. However that doesn’t imply it’s bland or boring.
This lentil soup is filled with hearty greens, tender greens, and fiber- and protein-rich lentils. Contemporary herbs and spices fill it with advanced taste, and a splash of vinegar provides a scrumptious tangy kick.
It’s not simply my finest lentil soup recipe—it’s one among my finest recipes, interval. It’s been a staple in my rotation for years. I really like that it’s simple to make with principally pantry elements and that it’s nourishing, warming, and satisfying. For those who ask me, it’s the right wholesome dinner for a winter weeknight (save any leftovers for lunch the subsequent day!). I hope you like this traditional lentil soup as a lot as I do.
Lentil Soup Elements
Right here’s what you’ll have to make this lentil soup recipe:
- Lentils, after all! I like to recommend utilizing inexperienced or French inexperienced lentils as a result of they maintain their form within the soup, including satisfying texture. Brown lentils are additionally a superb possibility. Don’t use purple lentils right here—they’re too mushy for this recipe.
- Further-virgin olive oil – For richness.
- Onion, garlic, carrot, and celery – They create the soup’s fragrant base.
- Contemporary kale – You’ll use the entire leaves, stems and all!
- Fireplace-roasted diced tomatoes – I really like the smoky taste that fire-roasted tomatoes add to this soup. In a pinch, common diced tomatoes will work right here too!
- Vegetable broth – Make selfmade vegetable broth, or use store-bought.
- Contemporary thyme – For citrusy, woodsy taste. I wish to bundle entire sprigs along with kitchen twine. Then, I add the bundle to the soup like a bay leaf, eradicating it earlier than serving. Bundling the sprigs like that is SO a lot faster than selecting and measuring the leaves.
- Cumin – The key ingredient! It provides savory, earthy depth of taste.
- White wine vinegar – It offers the soup a vibrant, tangy kick.
- And salt and pepper – To make all of the flavors pop!
Discover the whole recipe with measurements under.
Variations
Don’t have these actual elements readily available? These swaps work properly:
- Substitute the kale with one other leafy inexperienced like contemporary spinach or Swiss chard.
- Use 1 teaspoon dried thyme as a substitute of the contemporary sprigs.
- Substitute the celery with 1 small fennel bulb, diced.
- No vinegar? No drawback. End the soup with a squeeze of contemporary lemon juice!
How one can Make Lentil Soup
This lentil soup recipe is straightforward to make! Right here’s the way it goes:
First, sauté the aromatics. Warmth the olive oil in a big pot or Dutch oven over medium warmth and add the onion, carrots, celery, kale stems, and cumin. Season with salt and several other grinds of pepper and cook dinner, stirring sometimes, till the veggies soften, about 8 minutes.
Subsequent, simmer the soup. Add the garlic, tomatoes, lentils, vinegar, thyme, and broth.
Cowl the soup and cook dinner till the lentils are tender, 25 to half-hour or so. Regulate the warmth as wanted to keep up a delicate simmer.
Lastly, add the greens. Cook dinner till they wilt, about 5 minutes, after which season to style.
Serve the lentil soup in bowls topped with garnishes like contemporary parsley, grated Parmesan, and/or purple pepper flakes. Get pleasure from with crusty bread!
Love cooking soup within the Immediate Pot? I’ve an Immediate Pot model of this recipe! Take a look at my Immediate Pot Lentil Soup.
How one can Retailer Lentil Soup
Bought leftover soup? You’re in luck! It’ll maintain effectively in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 4 days. Merely reheat within the microwave or on the stovetop.
I really like this soup higher leftover. The flavour solely improves because it sits within the fridge!
Are you able to freeze lentil soup?
Sure, this vegan lentil soup is freezer-friendly! Enable it to chill to room temperature, after which seal it in hermetic containers or jars, leaving an inch for the soup to develop on the high. Freeze for as much as 3 months.
Extra Favourite Soup Recipes
For those who love this lentil soup, attempt one among these nourishing soup recipes subsequent:
Greatest Lentil Soup
Serves 4 to six
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 medium carrots, chopped (2 cups)
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 6 small or 3 giant kale leaves, stems finely diced, leaves chopped (8 cups)
- Heaping ½ teaspoon floor cumin
- 1½ teaspoons sea salt
- Freshly floor black pepper
- 4 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 (14-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- ¾ cup dry inexperienced lentils, rinsed
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 12 contemporary thyme sprigs, bundled
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- ½ cup chopped contemporary parsley, for garnish
- Pink pepper flakes
- Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving, non-compulsory
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Warmth the olive oil in a big pot over medium warmth. Add the onion, carrots, celery, kale stems, cumin, salt, and several other grinds of pepper, and cook dinner, stirring sometimes, for 8 minutes, or till the greens start to melt.
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Stir within the garlic, tomatoes, lentils, vinegar, thyme, and broth. Cowl and simmer for 25 to half-hour, or till the lentils are tender. Add the kale leaves and cook dinner for five minutes, or till wilted.
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Take away the thyme bundle and season to style. Serve topped with the parsley, purple pepper flakes, and Parmesan, if desired.
Retailer leftover soup within the fridge for as much as 4 days. If it thickens an excessive amount of within the fridge, stir in a bit water whilst you reheat it to achieve your required soup consistency. This soup additionally freezes effectively.
