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A classic Lentil Soup to warm your soul and kick off the new year right. Naturally thick, hearty, and loaded with veggies, this is the kind of comfort food that brings you back to simpler times.
With only 2 grams of fat per serve, it’s the best lentil soup to keep you feeling full without feeling heavy. Just toss your ingredients into a pot and let the stove work its magic; no fuss, no fancy steps. If you’ve got green lentils in your pantry, you’re already halfway to a steaming bowl of the coziest green lentil soup you’ve ever had
What Makes This Lentil Soup Work
This lentil soup works because it keeps things beautifully simple while delivering maximum flavor. Green lentils hold their shape during cooking, giving the soup a satisfying texture that doesn’t turn to mush. Plus, the natural starch from the lentils thickens the broth just enough to feel rich; without needing cream or flour.
The real magic, though, is in the vegetables. Carrots, celery, garlic, and tomatoes create a savory base that deepens in flavor as it simmers. It’s the kind of lentil soup recipe that feels like it’s been cooking all day, even though it comes together with almost no effort.
What Goes Into This Lentil Soup
You don’t need anything fancy to make a delicious lentil soup; just a few pantry staples and fresh vegetables come together for something truly satisfying. This version is naturally thick, hearty, and full of flavor.
- Green Lentils: These hold their shape beautifully while simmering, giving the soup a hearty texture without turning mushy.
- Carrot and Celery: Classic aromatics that add subtle sweetness and depth to the broth.
- Diced Tomatoes: Fresh tomatoes provide just enough acidity to balance the richness of the lentils and broth.
- Paprika and Cumin: These warm spices bring an earthy, smoky flavor that sets this apart from your average lentil soup recipe.
Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements
How To Make Lentil Soup
- Sauté the Base: Heat olive oil in a large pot over low-medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent, then stir in garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Cook the Vegetables: Add the carrot and celery, and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. If you’re adding meat, brown it now before moving on.
- Add the Lentils: Stir in the green lentils, coating them well in the aromatics. Let them cook for 2 to 3 minutes, adding a splash of oil if the pot seems dry
- Add Tomatoes and Potatoes: Add tomatoes and cook until they begin to break down. Toss in the potatoes and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Pour in the Liquids and Seasoning: Mix in the broth, stock powder, paprika, cumin, thyme, and parsley. Stir well, raise the heat, and bring everything to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer Gently: Once simmering, lower the heat and cover the pot. Let the soup cook for 40 to 50 minutes, stirring now and then, until the lentils and potatoes are tender.
- Thicken the Soup: Use a masher to mash some of the soup for a thicker texture. Alternatively, blend briefly with a stick blender for a smoother consistency.
- Season and Serve: Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot, preferably with crusty bread or garlic toast.
A bowl of lentil soup is cozy on its own, but even better when paired with something fresh from the kitchen. Try it with a slice of warm, buttery Garlic Bread to soak up all that rich, savory broth. For something a bit more indulgent, a Cheesy Zucchini Bread offers the perfect soft and savory bite alongside your soup.
If you’re looking to round out the meal, a crisp Greek Salad with olives and feta adds the right amount of brightness.
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes! Brown lentils are a great substitute and cook up similarly to green lentils. Just note they may break down a bit more, resulting in a slightly softer texture.
No soaking required for this lentil soup recipe. Green lentils cook quickly and go straight into the pot, saving you time and hassle.
Absolutely. Simply swap the chicken stock for vegetable broth and skip any meat additions. You’ll still end up with the best lentil soup; flavorful, filling, and totally plant-based.
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Best Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 large carrot chopped
- 1 stalk celery chopped, just over 1/2 cup
- 2 cups dried green lentils or brown lentils
- 3 large tomatoes diced, or 4 small tomatoes
- 2 potatoes medium diced into 1-inch pieces, Yukon gold if possible
- 2 litres low sodium chicken stock or broth, divided
- 2 teaspoons vegetable stock powder such as Vegeta, or beef/chicken bullion powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika sweet or mild, or 1 teaspoon smoky
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme chopped, optional
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley plus extra to garnish
- 1 pinch salt to taste
- 1 pinch pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large saucepan or pot over low-medium heat. Cook onion until transparent. Then add the garlic and cook until fragrant (one minute). Add the carrot and celery and cook until softened (about 8 minutes).(If adding any meats, do so now and brown before continuing next step.)
- Mix the lentils through the flavours in the pot, allowing them to cook for a couple of minutes, while stirring occasionally (add in 1 tablespoon of extra oil if needed).
- Add in the tomatoes and cook until soft, then add the potatoes and allow them to cook for further 4-5 minutes.
- Mix through all remaining ingredients except the salt and pepper. Increase heat; bring to a simmer while stirring occasionally to prevent sticking to the bottom.
- When the soup has been simmering for 2-3 minutes, reduce heat down to low, cover with a lid allow simmer for 40-50 minutes, while occasionally stirring, until lentils and potatoes are soft.
- To thicken soup, use a potato masher, pressing down 3 or 4 times through the soup until reaching your desired thickness or consistency. (You can also use a stick blender: 2-3 quick pulses.)
- Season with salt and pepper, to your tastes. Garnish with a little extra parsley (if you wish) and serve with garlic bread!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Oh my god! I cant believe I found this! I fell in love with this soup during lock down and lost it. I’ve been looking 5 YEARS for THIS recipe guys. I’ve even asked chatgpt to look for lentil recipies that give pork chop and chicken instructions because I remembered the list of meat options!! I cant believe I found this. I absolutely will be making this again this weekend.
Taylor!! This made my whole week!! I can’t believe you’ve been looking for it for FIVE years—and I’m so happy you finally found it again!! It means the world to know this little soup made such a big impression during such a crazy time. I hope it tastes just like you remember (maybe even better). Let me know how it turns out this weekend! Big hugs from my kitchen to yours. Xx
Wow. This recipe sounds forgiving considering everyone’s alterations.
I personally added meat bones to it not only for extra flavour but I can’t eat soup without some kind of meat in it. 😉 The meat was so tender
Not to mention the bone marrow … yum!
Hi Will, it sounds like you made some delightful additions to the soup by incorporating meat bones for extra flavour and tender meat. The bone marrow must have added a rich and savory element to the dish. I’m glad you found the recipe forgiving and were able to customize it to your taste!
One of the best soups I’ve ever made – and I cook a lot! Made some modifications. I added 3 carrots and 2 celery stalks (I love a lot of carrots in my soups!). When the mirepoix was tender I added about 2 tbsp of tomato paste along with the garlic. Instead of fresh tomatoes, added one 14 oz can of crushed tomatoes, and little cayenne along with the other spices. After the lentils had simmered for 45 mins, I took about 3 cups, put in the blender and added back in to make this more creamy. Finished it with about 2 cups of chopped kale that I had on hand. I am going to make this again and again.
Oops, also subbed the yukon potatoes for 1 large sweet potato because its what I had!
I love your version will make mind that way
Best, best, soup ever! Used tomato paste instead of tomatoes, and added pork! I couldn’t believe how good, fast, and easy this amazing soup turned out!
Love! I did use canned diced tomatoes and I added frozen corn. The fresh parsley added at the end makes it spectacular! Made it 3 x already in 3 months.
Loved this! Just added half a tube of double strength tomato paste and seasoned the veggies while sautéing. I made it with the pork chops which I seasoned when I browned, it was delicious and hearty! My husband loved it even more the next day once it had thickened over rice.
I just made the soup it it has turned out amazing, I highly recommend this receipt. I did add a little twist in the end by adding apple cider vinegar and it gives it that cutting boast.
Amateur cook here,
When do you add the chicken broth?
It doesn’t say in the directions
Number 4 I would assume
Step #4, when it says.. Mix through all remaining ingredients except the salt and pepper.
This recipe is so delicious! I made it for dinner tonight and it’s so simple to follow. Thanks for sharing.
I adore this recipe , only change instead of fresh tomatoes I use fire roasted canned tomatoes from Aldis.
how many cans did you use????
I made this tonight, pretty much the way the recipe was written.. . It sounded so incredible and I had everything in my pantry so I thought “why not”?… I was so happy with the result that this is an instant classic in my kitchen! Thank you for the recipe. I look forward to making it again, maybe some tweaks the next time…. maybe ?