This Mediterranean-style lentil soup recipe is easy to make! Simmer nutritious brown lentils with sauteed vegetables, herbs, and spices until tender. Then puree the flavorful mixture until smooth and top with fresh tomatoes and parsley.
Try my minestrone, tomato basil soup, or French onion soup for additional warm meals with delicious flavor.
Jessica’s Recipe Science
- Brown or green lentils pureed into a creamy base give the soup both a hearty texture and natural body without added dairy.
- Blooming cumin, coriander, and paprika in oil releases fat-soluble compounds, intensifying aroma and flavor in the lentil soup.
- Vegetable stock adds natural glutamates and aromatics that boost umami for a richer, more complex lentil soup.
Featured Comment 26
“This was the best lentil soup I’ve had! Super flavorful, and my husband definitely approved. I multiplied the recipe by 1.5 so that we could have lunch leftovers and then some. Will definitely be adding this to our household menu.”—Meagan
Why It Works
A comforting bowl of lentil soup is super easy to prepare on the stovetop. These flat and spherical-shaped legumes tenderize quickly when simmered in a flavorful broth, so no precooking is needed. This healthy vegetarian soup is packed with fiber, protein, and nutrients in every spoonful.
To develop the Mediterranean flavors, carrots, onions, celery, and garlic are sauteed in extra-virgin olive oil. Cumin, coriander, and paprika are traditional spices that enhance the soup’s flavor when blooming in oil. A portion of the soup is pureed, reserving some whole lentils to stir before serving for a nice texture contrast.
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Ingredients You’ll Need
- Lentils: I recommend brown or green lentils because they have a deliciously mild and earthy flavor with a creamy texture when pureed. They also hold their circular shape when cooked. This allows for a smooth base, with hearty pieces suspended in the soup.
- Vegetables: Lentils are very mild in flavor. I like to add a mirepoix, a combination of onions, carrots, and celery, to have a slightly sweet and earthy base. Minced garlic cloves add a welcome pungency. Diced tomatoes add acidity for brightness to the dish.
- Oil: Sauteing the vegetables and spices in high-quality olive oil adds strong aromatics to the soup.
- Herbs: Fresh thyme and bay leaf slowly release their essential oils as the soup simmers, adding earthy, woodsy undertones. A sprinkle of fresh parsley brightens up the hearty soup.
- Seasoning: Bold spices like ground cumin, coriander, black pepper, salt, and paprika add color and earthy flavor.
- Liquid: Using vegetable stock instead of water infuses natural glutamates and aromatic compounds, giving the lentil soup a more complex flavor.
- Lemon: I like to squeeze some fresh lemon juice into the soup before eating. It adds a bit of bright acidity to the dish. You can also add some zest.
See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).
Ingredient Substitutions
This lentil soup recipe is easy to customize! Try these delicious ideas:
- Lentil Swaps: This soup can be made with any types of lentils. If you want a super creamy and smooth texture, use red lentils, as they completely break down when cooked. Puy lentils (Lentilles du Puy) are from France and have an earthy flavor and firm-tender texture, similar to green lentils.
- Stocks or Broth: For a richer flavor, add chicken stock or broth instead of vegetable stock.
- Tomatoes: Add canned diced tomatoes or tomato paste for a thicker consistency.
- Herb Additions: Use fresh basil, oregano, tarragon, or sprigs of rosemary as the soup simmers. Add dried Italian seasoning for a stronger herb taste.
- Vegetables Swaps: Add bell peppers, butternut squash, pumpkin puree, eggplant, corn, or zucchini.
How to Make Lentil Soup
Step 1: Bloom the Spices
This one-pot lentil soup recipe is made with mostly pantry ingredients and just 1 hour of cook time! Start heating a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Sauté the vegetable mixture, garlic, thyme, and spices until fragrant.
Blooming the cumin, coriander, and paprika in olive oil coaxes out the fat-soluble flavors for a more intense taste and aroma. Be careful to briefly cook the spices in olive oil on moderate heat so they don’t burn.
Step 2: Cook the Lentils
Add lentils, half of the diced tomatoes, vegetable stock or broth, bay leaves, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer until the lentils are tender. I like to remove 1 cup of lentils to add an interesting texture to the soup.
Step 3: Puree the Soup
To make the soup more interesting, I like to create a creamy texture by pureeing it with an immersion blender. You can also use a countertop blender to create an ultra-silky consistency. Add the vegetable broth and blend until smooth.
Pro Tip: For a contrast in texture, reserve a cup of diced veggies and whole lentils to stir back into the soup.
Step 4: To Serve
Stir in the reserved lentil mixture and season with salt and pepper.
Garnish with diced tomatoes and fresh parsley. I love serving the soup with garlic bread, hearty greens on the side, or Mediterranean couscous salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
No! Compared to other dried legumes like black beans, kidney beans, or garbanzos, you do not need to soak them before cooking. The small, flat, and round shapes of the lentils have a large surface area, so they cook more quickly than larger, thicker beans. Green, brown, black, or French lentils can be soaked to reduce the cooking time by about half, but it’s unnecessary since they cook in less than 40 minutes in the soup.
Yes! Sauté the vegetables, herbs, and spices, then add them to the Crock-Pot. Cook until tender, 7 to 9 hours on the low setting or 4 to 6 hours on the high setting. Follow the instructions for pureeing. Add more liquid and salt/pepper as needed.
Let the soup cool completely before storing. You can keep it in the refrigerator in one big container or divide it into smaller portions for easy grab-and-go meals—it’ll last up to a week. For longer storage, freeze in small containers or resealable bags. I like to lay the bags flat so they freeze and thaw faster. The soup will keep well in the freezer for up to 5 months.
A serving of lentil soup makes for a low-fat and hearty meal option. Lentils should be a pantry staple because they are high in fiber, provide a vegetarian and vegan protein source, and contain vitamins and minerals like potassium, folate, and iron. Adding mixed vegetables makes for a flavorful and healthy combination.
More Soup Recipes
If you tried this Lentil Soup Recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup diced yellow onion, ¼" dice
- ½ cup diced celery, ¼" dice
- ½ cup diced carrots, ¼" dice
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon paprika, sweet or smoked
- 1 cup diced tomatoes, ¼" dice, divided
- 1 cup dried lentils, brown or green, picked and rinsed
- 6 cups vegetable broth, or stock, divided, more as needed
- 1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- kosher salt, as needed for seasoning
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- lemon wedges
Instructions
- Bloom the Spices – Heat olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions, celery, and carrots. Saute until tender and onions are translucent, 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, cumin, coriander, and paprika. Saute until fragrant, 30 seconds.
- Cook the Lentils – Add ½ cup of tomatoes and lentils, stir and cook for 30 seconds. Add 4 cups of vegetable broth, bay leaf, and black pepper, and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and reduce to medium-low heat. Simmer until lentils are tender, about 30 to 35 minutes. Most of the broth should be absorbed.Remove the bay leaf and discard it. Remove 1 cup of the lentil mixture from the pot and reserve.
- Puree the Soup – Add 2 cups of broth to the pot. Use a stick immersion blender and process until mostly smooth. Alternatively, lentils and broth can be processed in a countertop blender. Add more vegetable broth as needed. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired. Simmer over medium heat until hot.
- To Serve – Add the reserved lentils, remaining chopped tomatoes, and parsley, then stir to combine. Serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
- Recipe Yield: About 4 cups
- Serving Size: 1 cup (240ml)
- Storing: Cool and store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Portion and store in a resealable plastic bag for up to 5 months. Defrost before using.
- Reheat: Cook on the stovetop over medium heat, occasionally stirring, until hot. Add more water if needed to thin out the consistency.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Cee Cee says
I’m so happy I tried this recipe — it was my first time and it’s simply delicious. On of my cheats to the recipe was using shredded carrots which I bought. Saved some time on cutting up all of veggies. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this soup — it was everything I thought it would be and some—definitely a winner! Now, it’s classified as one of my favourites — so will be making it again! 🥰
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Cee Cee! I’m so glad you tried it and loved it! 🥰 Using pre-shredded carrots is such a smart shortcut—I’m all about little time-savers like that. It makes me so happy to hear the soup has made it onto your favorites list. Thanks for sharing your tweaks and kind words, and I can’t wait for you to enjoy the lentil soup again soon! 💛🍲
Jenny says
It was delicious & loved the spices; I added 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes for a bit of heat; topped it with fresh vine ripened diced tomatoes, parsley & a drizzle of top notch EVOO on top:) It’s a wonderful fall/winter soup; will be making it again & again, thank you & will be checking out your website👍
Jessica Gavin says
Wow, I love that you added some heat and the addition of the tomatoes.