Easy Stovetop Lentil Soup
This classic Easy Stovetop Lentil Soup is packed with veggies, warm spices, and hearty lentils! It’s perfect for a quick and easy weeknight meal that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside.
I absolutely live for a comforting soup recipe in the wintertime. There really is nothing better than my kitchen being filled with nostalgic smells and ladling up a few bowls of filling, flavorful soup for the family. My go-to feel good soup has always been my Healing Turmeric Lentil & Farro Soup, but this new Easy Stovetop Lentil Soup also has my heart.
I visit our local farmer’s market most weekends, and it’s the perfect time to grab not only fresh veggies but a loaf of crusty bread to pair with a comforting pot of hearty soup.
(Not sure which type of pot to use? Here’s my guide to different types of pans & cookware).
Ingredients in Easy Stovetop Lentil Soup:
We’ve got a classic ingredient list for this soup…just the way I like it! All of these ingredients (even the produce) are easy to store, which makes it easy to plan for this dish later in the week or keep those favorites on hand.
- Olive oil – Just a splash to help the onion, carrots, and celery as they soften.
- Yellow onion – Dice it small! All good soups start with a bit of onion and garlic, don’t you think?
- Large carrots – I used three large carrots. You can adjust for your own preference, but I really like the color and sweetness that carrots add into this soup.
- Celery stalks – Celery isn’t everyone’s fave, but it adds some good texture with a very mild flavor.
- Garlic cloves – Mince them small, and add a few extra if you really love a garlicky flavor.
- Diced tomatoes – Canned tomatoes work great here; I use a 28 oz can.
- Seasonings and spices – salt, garlic powder, paprika, garlic powder, cumin, and a handful of chopped fresh parsley all make this soup absolutely come alive.
- Broth – This recipe uses four cups of either veggie or chicken broth. If you’re keeping it vegetarian, go with the veggie, or use whatever you have on hand!
- Lentils – You can use 2 cups of either brown or green lentils (or a mix of the two!).
- Lemon – This is my go-to secret ingredient in most recipes! Just a squeeze of fresh lemon is going to make all of those delicious flavors pop.
What Color Lentils are Best in this Soup?
I use brown or green lentils in this soup, which are some of the easiest to find! They retain their shape during the cooking process, while red and yellow lentils can get a bit softer. There are some recipes where I love that thicker, almost mushier texture, but it isn’t what I wanted in this soup. Before adding lentils into this Easy Stovetop Lentil Soup, give them a good rinse and sift through them to make sure any debris is picked out.
How to Make Easy Stovetop Lentil Soup
The word that kept coming to mind with this recipe is “straightforward.” It’s a super simple, familiar soup-making process that will leave your kitchen feeling homey and warm!
- Heat a large pot over medium heat, then add oil, onion, carrots, celery, and a pinch of salt. These are the veggies that take the longest to cook, so they get added first!
- Once the vegetables have softened a bit, add garlic to cook for a minute, then stir in the tomatoes, another pinch of salt, garlic powder, and cumin. Adding the spices in layers as you cook gives a wonderful depth of flavor to your dish!
- Finally, add in broth and lentils, giving it all a good stir to combine. Bring the whole pot to a boil, then back down to a simmer. The lentils will take 20-30 minutes to cook through. For a thicker consistency, use an immersion blender to pulse the soup a few times to thicken everything up!
- Finish the soup off with a squeeze of lemon and chopped fresh parsley. I love to serve this Easy Stovetop Lentil Soup with warm, crusty bread for the perfect weeknight dinner!
Easy Stovetop Lentil Soup
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove Top
Description
This classic Easy Stovetop Lentil Soup is packed with veggies, warm spices, and hearty lentils! It’s perfect for a quick and easy weeknight meal that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, small dice
- 3 large carrots, small dice
- 4 celery stalks, small dice
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 4 cups veggie or chicken broth
- 2 cups brown or green lentils, rinsed and picked through
- Handful of chopped parsley
- 1 lemon
Instructions
-
Preheat a large pot over medium/high heat for 1-2 minutes. Add the oil, onion, carrots, celery, 1 teaspoon salt and cook for 3-5 minutes until veggies begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds.
- Stir in the tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, garlic powder, paprika and cumin. Add the broth and lentils and stir to combine. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer until lentils are cooked through, about 20-30 minutes.
- Add the chopped parsley and fresh lemon juice and stir. If you like an even thicker soup you can blend just a small portion of the soup to thicken. I do this using an immersion blender or you can remove 1-2 cups and blend in a regular blender then add back to the soup. This part is totally optional.
- Serve with warm bread and enjoy. Refrigerate leftovers for 5-7 days or freeze up to 3-4 months.
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Hi, are French lentils the same as green lentils? I have those currently and wasn’t sure if they’d work. Thanks.
When does the paprika go in? We made it without and it was still delish!
Whoopsies! Just updated! It goes in with the rest of the spices. Glad you still enjoyed it!