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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 below 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 Potatoes offers the perfect soft and savory bite alongside your soup.
If you’re looking to round out the meal, a crisp Avocado 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 pot over low-medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and sauté for another minute until fragrant.
- Add the chopped carrot and celery and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. If using meat, brown it at this stage. Stir in the green lentils, coating them well in the aromatics, and let them cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add a splash of oil if the mixture looks dry.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and cooked until they begin to soften and break down. Then toss in the potatoes and continue cooking for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Pour in the broth along with stock powder, paprika, cumin, thyme and parsley. Stir everything together, increase the heat to bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 40 to 50 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils and potatoes are fully tender.
- Mash a portion of the soup with a potato masher or briefly blend with an immersion blender to thicken the texture as desired. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot with crusty bread or garlic toast.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was amazing! It’s a keeper for sure! Thanks for sharing.
Yumm!
The best lentil soup ever!! Growing up in the West Indies I’m familiar with lentils. I was a little skeptical about this recipe and when I was cooking it, I wasn’t sure it would reduce. However it came out perfectly and tastes delicious. I ate it for 5 days straight and did not miss meat.
Tried it, very nice and healthy. I used less water, added thyme powder instead of thyme and I used all Vegetarian stock instead of mixing with chicken stock. Cannot recommend enough. Thank you.
Have just made this soup, it is really delicious!! I did add a few extras, half a red pepper and a chunk of celeriac along with the others as in the recipe. I used both dark lentils and butter beans, about 75 g of each, uncooked, lentils in with the soup to cook but soaked and precooked the butter beans before adding in once soup was cooked thru’. Spices, smoked paprika, ground cumin along with Italian seasoning. Once soup was cooked I drained about half of veggies, lentils and beans before blitzing the rest then put remainder back and just warmed thru gently before eating. The potatoes and beans make for a lovely creamy soup. Truly delicious. So nutritious too and wonderful ingredients.
OMG I made this soup but instead of vegetable bouillon i put sazon, I added 1/2 teaspoon of coriander, 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne, and 1/4 teaspoon cardamom and ginger. It is AMAZING. The flavor is so full and beautiful. This recipe is wonderful I cannot wait to try more of yours.
This looks wonderful! I also love your tips for add-ins, thank you. I can’t eat tomatoes, is there anything that could be substituted for tomatoes? I hope so because I’d love to give this a try!
How about red peppers Deb?
Hi, this recipe looks good. I have a question, you say 8 cups broth, divided, but I am not sure why as the recipe doesn’t say. I would typically add the broth after sautéing the veggies, but not sure why dividing the broth, is it done in two stages while cooking? Thanks so much! sheila
I tried this recipe. It was so good! I just lessened the cumin a little. I would definitely keep this recipe. Thanks so much for sharing!
We made this a few months ago and decided it would be good to make for Christmas Eve dinner with crusty bread!