Vegetarian Lentil Soup
This Vegetarian Lentil Soup is hearty, healthy, and packed with flavor using simple pantry ingredients. Made with tender lentils, vegetables, and warming spices, it’s a nourishing plant-based soup that’s perfect for meal prep, cozy dinners, and leftovers that taste even better the next day.
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried lentils brown or green, rinsed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 carrots chopped
- 2 celery stalks sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf
- ¾ teaspoon salt add to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cumin or thyme optional
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook 5–7 minutes, until softened.
- Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Add lentils, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, and bay leaf.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer.
- Cover and cook 30–35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender.
- Season with salt and black pepper near the end of cooking.
- Remove bay leaf and rest 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Season toward the end to ensure lentils soften properly.
- Soup thickens as it rests—add broth when reheating if needed.
- Tastes even better the next day.