Best Lentil Soup
A classic hearty and filling lentil soup recipe to warm your soul! Pure comfort in a bowl. Naturally thick and loaded with healthy veggies, a simple soup to make! Just dump ingredients into a pot and let the stove do the cooking for you!
Servings: 8 people
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
If you're adding meat to this soup, we prefer to use dark meats like chicken thighs!
Nutrition
Calories: 283kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 0.1mg | Sodium: 229mg | Potassium: 1mg | Fiber: 17g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1.996IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 5mg