There’s nothing like a healthy and hearty soup when the weather starts turning cold. I love the texture that lentils lend to soup. They add a wonderful thickness, but they still kind of melt on your tongue. Leftover lentil soup is great mixed with pasta for lunch the next day.
As a mom, I have to say that my favorite part of serving soups is being able to hide veggies in there. My older ones are starting to catch on to my sneaky tactics but sometimes I get lucky and they’ll down some veggies. Not an easy feat in my house!
Hearty Lentil Soup
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 1/2 cup red lentils, rinsed and drained
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh thyme
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
salt & pepper, to taste
optional add-ins: chickpeas, baby spinach
Method:
In a soup pot, heat the olive oil and saute the onion and garlic until translucent. Add the carrots and celery and continue to saute for 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and continue to saute until the vegetables are coated and the paste begins to caramelize. Add lentils, broth, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper.
Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes until lentils are soft. Remove the bay leaf and serve.
Other Hearty Soup Recipes:
crockpot mushroom barley stoup
minestrone soup
fire roasted tomato rice stoup
bubby’s cabbage soup with flanken
Asian bigger bowl soup
Such a beautiful picture, it makes me want to dive into that bowl of soup!
so cozy! love those bowls!
It just looks like a culinary hug.
Hi there! I have one question. is this red lentils or normal ones. thanks!
I used red lentils.
I could totally go for some of this right now!
xo
Sharon
Sigh, this looks gorgeous. If only the hubby liked lentil soup! GRR.
We love lentil soup. Great recipe.
Lentil soups are one of my favorites – filling and nourishing!
We love this soup!! Do you think it freezes well?
Hi VV, I’m not a fan of freezing vegetable soups. I find that the veggies take on an interesting texture.
You should have written red lentils in the recipe , if that’s what you used!
You’re right Barbara, I will revise the recipe accordingly.
I made this soup this week for Parshas Toldos – it was absolutely delicious! My family gobbled it up!
I’m so honored that you made my soup to celebrate the Parsha! Thanks for sharing!
Can you blend the soup? Will it taste as good?
I’m not a fan of blended soups in general but I think it would be very thick because of the lentils.
Hi chanie,
Thanks for the recipe. Do you think it will have enough flavor if I use water instead of broth?
Thanks
Hi Chaya, between the bay leaf, thyme and tomato paste I think it will be just fine!
This soup was delicious! Thank you for the recipe !
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
The first time I made this I used green lentils by accident…and it’s great. Try it this way.
Someone gave this to me as part of a prize dinner for completing a fitness challenge, and it was delicious! I have since made it a few times with the addition of baby spinach and chick peas, as suggested below the recipe. I have also added potato and sweet potato, a can of fire-roasted tomatoes, and once a can of drained black beans when I didn’t have chick peas on hand. I have also done it with green lentils instead of red, and left out the tomato paste when I didnt have, or used water instead of broth. All times it came out great. Very versatile!
i am making this after seeing you swipe up on Tisha B’Av. It smells amazing while it is cooking (I have doubled the recipe). When it comes to the lentils all I did was rinse and drain, did they require any pre-soaking?
Thanks
your adoring fan in melbourne :)
Hi, no soaking required!