40 minutes

Hearty Lentil Soup

Name: Hearty Lentil Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
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

Dairy Free Dairy-Free Gluten Free Gluten Free Nut Free Nut Free Vegan Vegan Vegetarian Vegetarian Freezer Friendly Freezer Meal Prep Meal Prep

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By: Denise Bustard23 Comments
Posted: 12/12/19 Updated: 8/24/20

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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 1, it's the kind of soup that tastes infinitely better on day 2. Funny how that happens!

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 and healthy, 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) 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- 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 stock or if you are not vegan, homemade bone broth

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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Can I cook this soup in the Instant Pot?

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!

What about the slow cooker?

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 🙂

What should I serve with this soup?

We love serving with some crusty bread for dunking. Crackers would also be great!

More soup recipes

This recipe was originally published in 2016. The recipe has been improved, rephotographed and republished in 2019 with new recipe tips and a video.

Meet Denise Bustard

Denise Bustard is the creator of Sweet Peas and Saffron, a meal prep-focussed food blog. With a PhD in biochemistry, Denise takes a scientific approach to perfecting her recipes. You can find Denise's work featured on Huffington Post, MSN, Self and more.