Description
A comforting bowl of Grandma’s Lentil Soup made with hearty lentils, vegetables, and warm spices. This easy lentil soup recipe is perfect for meal prep, budget-friendly, plant-based, and deeply nourishing — just like Grandma used to make.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup dried brown or green lentils, rinsed
6 cups vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
0.5 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh parsley or dill, chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
Instructions
1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté until softened and onions are translucent, about 7 minutes.
2. Stir in minced garlic and tomato paste, cooking for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
3. Add lentils to the pot and stir to coat. Pour in vegetable broth and add bay leaves and thyme. Bring to a gentle boil.
4. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes until lentils are tender. Stir occasionally.
5. Remove bay leaves. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Add parsley or dill and lemon juice if using.
6. Serve warm with crusty bread or your favorite side.
Notes
This soup thickens as it cools; add water or broth when reheating.
It freezes well for up to 3 months in airtight containers.
Feel free to add spinach, potatoes, or a splash of cream for variations.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Comfort food
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 190
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 560mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 11g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 0mg