Easy Hearty Lentil and Vegetable Soup Recipe

This Easy Hearty Lentil and Vegetable Soup is the perfect cozy meal for chilly nights. After making it countless times, I’ve discovered the secret to the best texture. Keep reading to find out how to make this soup extra creamy without any dairy. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Easy Spicy Honey Soy Sauce Recipe and Classic Homemade Green Bean Casserole Recipe.

What You'll Need for Easy Hearty Lentil and Vegetable Soup Recipe

Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.

• 1 cup green lentils
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp thyme
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Optional: Chopped fresh parsley
• Optional: Crusty bread
• Optional: Shredded cheese

How to Make Easy Hearty Lentil and Vegetable Soup Recipe

1. Sauté: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Cook Lentils: Add lentils, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes, until lentils are tender.
3. Blend: Use an immersion blender to blend about half of the soup until smooth. Alternatively, you can blend half of the soup in a blender until smooth, then return it to the pot.
4. Serve: Ladle soup into bowls and serve with your choice of toppings.

Storing & Reheating Easy Hearty Lentil and Vegetable Soup Recipe

Short-Term Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Make-ahead tip: This soup can be made ahead and reheated on the stove or in the microwave.

Freezing Easy Hearty Lentil and Vegetable Soup Recipe

Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

How to Reheat Without Drying It Out

Oven: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10-15 minutes. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Recipe Notes

• Chef tip: For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth. For a vegan version, skip the cheese topping.
• Best substitution: You can substitute the lentils with chickpeas or kidney beans for a similar texture and flavor.
• Make-ahead: This soup freezes well and can be made ahead for meal prepping.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or halved depending on how many servings you need.
• Troubleshooting: If your soup is too thick, add more water or broth to reach your desired consistency.

Easy Hearty Lentil and Vegetable Soup Recipe

⏱

Prep

15 mins

🍳

Cook

35 mins

⏳

Total

50 mins

🍽

Serves

4 servings

🥗

Diet

Vegetarian

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 1 cup green lentils
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp thyme
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Seasonings

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 clove garlic, minced

Optional Toppings

• Chopped fresh parsley
• Crusty bread
• Shredded cheese

Instructions

1. Sauté: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Cook Lentils: Add lentils, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes, until lentils are tender.
3. Blend: Use an immersion blender to blend about half of the soup until smooth. Alternatively, you can blend half of the soup in a blender until smooth, then return it to the pot.
4. Serve: Ladle soup into bowls and serve with your choice of toppings.

Notes

• Chef tip: For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth. For a vegan version, skip the cheese topping.
• Best substitution: You can substitute the lentils with chickpeas or kidney beans for a similar texture and flavor.
• Make-ahead: This soup freezes well and can be made ahead for meal prepping.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or halved depending on how many servings you need.
• Troubleshooting: If your soup is too thick, add more water or broth to reach your desired consistency.

Storage

• Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
• Oven reheat: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10-15 minutes.
• Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through.
• Make ahead: This soup can be made ahead and reheated on the stove or in the microwave.

Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: 250
• Protein: 18g
• Fat: 2.5g
• Carbs: 38g
• Fiber: 18g
• Sugar: 5g
• Sodium: 800mg
• Cholesterol: 0mg
• Sat. Fat: 0.5g

Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.

Easy Hearty Lentil and Vegetable Soup Recipe FAQs

A Warm Final Note

I can’t wait for you to try Easy Hearty Lentil and Vegetable Soup Recipe and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!