Lentil and Vegetable Soup (Printable)

Protein-rich lentil soup with seasonal vegetables, cumin, and thyme simmered to perfection.

# What You Need:

→ 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

# Directions:

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 the kind of soup that tastes even better the next day, making it perfect for meal prep without any extra effort.
  • Packed with lentils and vegetables, this actually fills you up and doesn't leave you hungry an hour later.
  • The spice balance feels sophisticated but comes together in about 50 minutes flat.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the lentils or you'll end up with a slightly grainy texture that's hard to fix once it's done.
  • If your soup seems too thick as it simmers, resist the urge to add more liquid immediately—lentils continue releasing starch and thickening the broth, so wait until it's finished cooking to judge.
03 -
  • Cut your vegetables into similar sizes so everything finishes cooking at the same time and the soup feels balanced rather than chunky in some bites and smooth in others.
  • Don't stir constantly once you've added the lentils—occasional stirring prevents sticking without breaking apart the vegetables or making the texture muddy.
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