Lentil and Vegetable Soup (Printable Version)

Hearty lentils and fresh vegetables simmered in aromatic broth for a wholesome, satisfying meal.

# Ingredient List:

→ Lentils

01 - 1 cup dried brown or green lentils, rinsed

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 medium onion, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2 carrots, peeled and diced
06 - 2 celery stalks, diced
07 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
08 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
09 - 1 cup diced tomatoes, fresh or canned
10 - 4 cups vegetable broth
11 - 2 cups water
12 - 2 cups fresh spinach or kale, chopped

→ Seasonings

13 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
14 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
15 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
16 - 1 bay leaf
17 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
18 - ½ teaspoon black pepper

→ Optional Garnishes

19 - Chopped fresh parsley
20 - Lemon wedges

# How to Prepare:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté for 2–3 minutes until softened.
02 - Add carrots, celery, zucchini, and red bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
03 - Stir in cumin, thyme, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper; cook 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add rinsed lentils, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, water, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil.
05 - Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes, or until lentils and vegetables are tender.
06 - Stir in spinach or kale; cook 2–3 minutes until wilted. Remove bay leaf.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve hot, garnished with parsley and a squeeze of lemon if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It's secretly a meal that gets better the next day when all those flavors have had time to get cozy with each other.
  • Brown or green lentils hold their shape beautifully instead of turning to mush, which somehow makes the whole bowl feel more substantial.
  • You can throw almost any vegetable at it and the soup just gets friendlier, so it's perfect for cleaning out your crisper drawer.
02 -
  • If you forget to remove the bay leaf before serving, someone will find it, so set a little timer or place it somewhere visible as a reminder.
  • The soup will thicken as it sits because the lentils continue absorbing liquid, so if you're making this ahead, you might need to loosen it with a splash of broth or water when reheating.
03 -
  • Don't skip the rinsing step for lentils—that cloudy water leaves behind a bitter coating that nobody tastes but everyone notices as a slight off-note.
  • If your pot doesn't feel full enough at the end, you can stretch it further with extra broth without watering down the flavor since the lentils and vegetables are already carrying the depth.
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