This lentil soup is thick and hearty, loaded with lentils, vegetables and fresh herbs. A tasty vegan soup recipe that works great for meal prep!
I am a sucker for a hearty, veggie-loaded vegan meal, like this Vegan Bolognese or a bowl of this Vegan Crockpot Chili. This hearty lentil soup is just that! Cozy, filling, and loaded with good for you ingredients.
This lentil soup recipe is thick and filling, and is perfect for lunch! And while this is a tasty meal on day one, it's the kind of soup that tastes infinitely better on day two. Funny how that happens!
Pair this hearty soup with a salad, good crusty bread and extra-virgin olive oil for dipping and you have a meal that is worthy of your favorite guests!
Reasons you'll ♡ lentil soup
- it's made with pantry and fridge staples but tastes gourmet
- it keeps well and tastes even better on day 2
- it's hearty, heavy on the vegetables, vegan + gluten-free
Recipe video
Watch the video below to see exactly how I prepped this soup. It’s so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel, or on Facebook.
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Which ingredients do we need?
- lentils- go for brown lentils (not red or green lentils) for this recipe. They hold their shape and don't get as mushy as red lentils. Find out the difference between brown, green and red lentils here!
- veggies- we are finely chopping some carrots and celery
- aromatics- onion and garlic help build flavor
- herbs and spices- fresh rosemary and thyme are great in this recipe, and bay leaves also bring some flavor
- tomato paste- add that somethin somethin to this soup.
- lemon- a squeeze at the end brings the acidity that helps bring out all the flavors even more
- stock- vegetable broth or if you are not vegan, homemade bone broth, or chicken broth will work well.
Meal prep tips
- tomato paste- make sure you sautee the tomato paste as this helps remove the 'canned' flavor. You can freeze leftover tomato paste in an ice cube tray and use it in another recipe
- lentils- this recipe was specifically developed using dried brown lentils. I don't recommend using cooked canned lentils or red lentils.
- meal prep- this recipe keeps really well for meal prep! Store in the fridge for up to 4 days and the freezer for up to 3 months.
- to puree or not to puree- this soup gets a little help thickening up by pulsing quickly with an immersion blender after cooking. This is entirely optional
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Recipe FAQ
I bet you could, however I have not tried. I would guess 10 minutes high pressure with a 10 minute natural pressure release. Let me know in the comments if you try this, and how it goes for you!
I bet you could! I would try low for 6-8 hours, checking on the lentils. Again, I'd love to know if you do try this in the slow cooker
We love serving with some crusty bread for dunking. Crackers would also be great!
Variations
- Vegetables: for a more veggie forward soup you can stir in spinach and kale the last 10 minutes and allow it to soften.
- Toppings: If your diet allows you can top this with parmesan, as well as fresh parsley, and cracked black pepper.
- Texture: as directed there is an option to blend some of the soup to create a creamy, thicker texture. This is totally your preference. You can use an immersion blender for ease, or a regular blender in a pinch.
More soup recipes
- Vegan Carrot Ginger Soup
- Ultra Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
- Lightened Up Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup
- Thai Coconut Curry Soup
This recipe was originally published in 2016. The recipe has been improved, rephotographed and republished in 2019 with new recipe tips and a video.
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
Hearty Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion (diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 carrots (finely chopped)
- 2 ribs celery (finely chopped)
- 5 cups stock
- 1 cups brown lentils (dry; uncooked)
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves)
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon salt
- juice of 1 small lemon
Instructions
- Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion and stir, cooking until translucent, around 7 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
- Add the tomato paste; stir to coat onions and garlic, then cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the carrots, celery, stock, lentils, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf and salt.
- Cover, bring to a simmer, reduce heat, and cook for 35-40 minutes, or until lentils are softened to your liking.
- Remove the herbs and bay leaves, and puree to your liking (see notes). Stir in lemon juice.
Storage
- Store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freeze for up to 6 months.
Tips:
- Instant Pot
- Follow sauté directions above using the sauté function of the Instant Pot.
- Pressure cook for 15 minutes followed by a 10 minute natural pressure release.
- Remove bay leaf and herb stems, add lemon juice, and pulse 3-4 times with an immersion blender.
Blending
This is a completely optional step. By blending some of the soup it allows it to take on a creamier, thicker texture. This just depends how you prefer your soup.Video
Nutrition Information
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Stephanie Frank says
Fantastic. Great for lunches. I chopped some spinach and put it in the bottom of the bowl before ladling in the soup or right before I microwaved it. A delicious addition. The spinach stays fresher, if you add it only when you want it. Thanks Denise!
Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hi Stephanie, that's brilliant to add spinach to your bowl right before adding the soup! Thanks for leaving a rating and review, we're so glad you enjoyed! 🙂
Christine says
Hi Denise,
Thanks for a delicious recipe. I have made it a number of times. Most recently I have made this in my slow cooker (7 hours on low) as I needed a walk in the door and eat meal. It worked very well.
Denise Bustard says
Hi Christine! Thanks so much for reporting back, that's great to hear it works in the slow cooker, too! I have an Instant Pot version coming soon!
Brittany says
WOW. I thought this would be a nice little vegan add to my meal prep rotation, but I was so surprised by how good this soup actually tasted!! It tasted great by itself but the addition of lemon really brightens the soup to bring out all the flavors- I wouldn’t skip it. Definitely a new favorite, I can’t wait to have it for lunch again! (PS. I also added a zucchini I had in the fridge and a lil more seasoning- the zucchini works really well in this soup!)
Denise Bustard says
Hi Brittany, I'm so happy to hear you loved this soup as it's one of my favorites as well! Great tip about adding zucchini, perfect for summer. Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leave a review (and for your patience with my late reply!).
Barb says
LOVE this recipe! Definitely a keeper!
Denise says
Hi Barb! Hurray! I'm so happy to hear you loved the soup! Thank you so much for coming back and leaving a review 🙂
Mark Gailmor says
Made this recipe today and it was totally delish. Used my bamix stick blender to puree about 20 to 30 percent after cooking and it made the soup look thicker and inviting. My only regret is that I didn't double the recipe. But hey, there's always next time.
Thanks again for a delicious recipe!
Denise says
Hurray! So happy to hear that you enjoyed, Mark! THank you so much for taking the time to leave a review 🙂
Karen says
Delicious, easy to put together, and tasty. I like the lemon juice addition at the end of cooking - it gives a vey nice aftertaste.
Denise says
Hi Karen, I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks so much for reporting back.
Tony Payne says
Sound great. I love the flavours of Greek food. Will certainly be trying this for work.
Denise says
I hope you enjoy!
Denise says
Hi Kristen! I didn't measure it out so I can't say for sure, but 1 serving is 1/6 of the batch.
Fran says
Plans to try this soup as it looks very nutritious. I had trouble finding the recipe page but I finally did. Thanks.
Denise says
Hi Fran, glad you found the recipe. Hope you enjoy the soup!
Alicia says
I made this soup this afternoon and it is wonderful. Thank you very much for this recipe.
Denise says
I'm so glad you enjoyed the soup, Alicia! Thanks so much for your comment and Happy New Year!
Ashley@CookNourishBliss says
haha I am definitely feeling the soup! I have been alll about them as soon as the cold weather hit! This looks fantastic - I am hooked on red lentils right now!
Judith Essex says
Are you using canned lentils or uncooked red lentils that cook very quickly?
Denise says
Hi Judith, I used dried red lentils. They cook really quickly!
annie says
This looks so dreamy and comforting. I love how you took it to the next level by making it Greek!
Alice says
Look at the color - it may feel like you're eating the sun and positive attitude 😀 🙂
I need to try it
Annie says
I must make this soup SOON! It sounds amazing! And who in the world would ever think of skipping out on feta?! NEVER!