Lentil Soup

Lentils are the cheapest protein most grocery stores sell, and they are the only dried legume that needs no soaking. A one pound bag costs around a dollar fifty, makes about three pots of this soup, and keeps in the cupboard for a year. Brown and green lentils are the ones to buy for soup, because they hold their shape through a long simmer instead of collapsing the way red lentils do.

The step that separates a flat lentil soup from a good one takes sixty seconds. Before any liquid goes into the pot, the tomato paste, thyme, oregano and smoked paprika are cooked with the softened vegetables until they smell fragrant. Heat and fat pull the flavor out of dried herbs and concentrate the paste. Stirred into broth later, they stay raw and the soup tastes thin no matter how long it simmers.

The lemon juice listed as optional is the other thing worth not skipping. A pot of lentils and broth is soft and savory all the way through, and a spoonful of acid at the end is what keeps it from tasting heavy by the second bowl. Vinegar does the same job if there is no lemon in the house.

Lentil Soup

Simple ingredients come together to create a hearty bowl of comfort in this easy Lentil Soup. Packed with protein-rich lentils, vegetables, and fragrant herbs, it's a budget-friendly meal that's filling, nutritious, and perfect for meal prep. Serve it with crusty bread for an easy weeknight dinner.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion diced
• 2 carrots diced
• 2 stalks celery diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 cups dried brown or green lentils rinsed
• 1 can 14.5 oz diced tomatoes
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice optional

Instructions

 

• Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.
• Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for about 6-8 minutes until softened.
• Stir in the garlic, thyme, oregano, smoked paprika, and tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
• Add the lentils, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, and bay leaves.
• Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 35-40 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.
• Remove the bay leaves and season with salt and pepper.
• Stir in the parsley and lemon juice, if using.
• Serve hot with bread or crackers.

Keyword budget-friendly, comfort food, lentil soup, Vegetarian