Easy Hearty Lentil and Vegetable Soup Recipe
Easy lentil soup is a comforting, hearty meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights. After making this many times, I’ve discovered the trick to keeping it from becoming too thick is to add more vegetable broth as needed. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Easy Chicken Grape Salad Recipe for Quick Healthy Lunch and Refreshing Watermelon Cucumber Salad with Feta and Mint.
Why This Easy Hearty Lentil and Vegetable Soup Recipe Is Pure Comfort
- It's ready in just 30 minutes
- Packed with hearty vegetables and protein-rich lentils
- Perfect for meal prepping and freezing
What You'll Need for Easy Hearty Lentil and Vegetable Soup Recipe
Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.
- 1 cup green lentils
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Optional: Chopped fresh parsley
- Optional: Crusty bread
đź“ť Ingredient Notes
- green lentils: You can also use brown or black lentils.
đź›’ Tools & Equipment I Recommend
- Instant Pot — Saves time and cooks lentils perfectly → See on Amazon
- Immersion Blender — Makes blending the soup right in the pot easy → See on Amazon
How to Make Easy Hearty Lentil and Vegetable Soup Recipe
- Sauté: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute.
- Cook lentils: Add lentils, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes. Add vegetable broth and diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil.
- Simmer: Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until lentils are tender. If soup becomes too thick, add more vegetable broth.
- Blend (optional): Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Serve: Ladle into bowls and top with chopped fresh parsley and crusty bread, if desired.
Cook's Tips for Perfect Easy Hearty Lentil and Vegetable Soup Recipe
- : Adding a parmesan rind to the pot while cooking can add extra depth of flavor.
- Common mistake and fix: If your lentil soup turns out too thick, simply add more vegetable broth to reach your desired consistency.
- : For a smoother soup, blend it until completely smooth before serving.
Storing & Reheating Easy Hearty Lentil and Vegetable Soup Recipe
Short-Term Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Make-ahead tip: This soup can be made ahead and reheated when ready to serve.
Freezing Easy Hearty Lentil and Vegetable Soup Recipe
Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
How to Reheat Without Drying It Out
Oven: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10-15 minutes. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Recipe Notes
- Chef tip: Adding a parmesan rind to the pot while cooking can add extra depth of flavor.
- Best substitution: You can substitute the lentils with chickpeas for a similar texture and flavor.
- Make-ahead: This soup can be made ahead and reheated when ready to serve.
- Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or halved depending on your needs.
- Troubleshooting: If your lentil soup turns out too thick, simply add more vegetable broth to reach your desired consistency.
Want to level up this recipe?
Good quality vegetable broth — Makes a big difference in the flavor of your soup → Check price on Amazon
Easy Hearty Lentil and Vegetable Soup Recipe
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup green lentils
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
- 4 cups vegetable broth
Seasonings
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Optional Toppings
- Chopped fresh parsley
- Crusty bread
Instructions
- Sauté: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute.
- Cook lentils: Add lentils, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes. Add vegetable broth and diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil.
- Simmer: Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until lentils are tender. If soup becomes too thick, add more vegetable broth.
- Blend (optional): Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Serve: Ladle into bowls and top with chopped fresh parsley and crusty bread, if desired.
Notes
- Chef tip: Adding a parmesan rind to the pot while cooking can add extra depth of flavor.
- Best substitution: You can substitute the lentils with chickpeas for a similar texture and flavor.
- Make-ahead: This soup can be made ahead and reheated when ready to serve.
- Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or halved depending on your needs.
- Troubleshooting: If your lentil soup turns out too thick, simply add more vegetable broth to reach your desired consistency.
Storage
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Oven reheat: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10-15 minutes.
- Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Make ahead: This soup can be made ahead and reheated when ready to serve.
Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 250
- Protein: 18g
- Fat: 4g
- Carbs: 38g
- Fiber: 16g
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 750mg
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sat. Fat: 0.5g
Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.
Easy Hearty Lentil and Vegetable Soup Recipe FAQs
Yes, this soup can be made ahead and reheated when ready to serve. It also freezes well.
If your lentil soup turns out too thick, simply add more vegetable broth to reach your desired consistency.
Yes, you can make this soup in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
Adding a parmesan rind to the pot while cooking can add extra depth of flavor.
Yes, you can use canned lentils instead of dried. Simply omit the cooking time for the lentils and add the canned lentils towards the end of cooking.
A Warm Final Note
I can’t wait for you to try Easy Hearty Lentil and Vegetable Soup Recipe and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!
