Hearty Lentil and Vegetable Soup (Printable)

Comforting soup with tender lentils and roasted vegetables, seasoned with herbs and smoked paprika for depth.

# What You Need:

→ Lentils

01 - 1 cup dried green or brown lentils, rinsed

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
03 - 2 celery stalks, diced
04 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Broth & Seasoning

10 - 6 cups vegetable broth
11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
14 - 1 bay leaf
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Finishing

16 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional
17 - Juice of ½ lemon, optional

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F.
02 - Toss carrots, celery, zucchini, bell pepper, and cherry tomatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes until lightly caramelized.
03 - Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
04 - Stir in rinsed lentils, roasted vegetables, vegetable broth, thyme, oregano, smoked paprika, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes until lentils are tender.
05 - Remove bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and lemon juice as desired.
06 - Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It actually tastes better than it sounds, with those roasted vegetables bringing a sweetness that makes the whole pot feel less like medicine and more like genuine comfort.
  • Once it's simmering, you can step away and do something else, which means you're not hovering over the stove the entire time.
  • It freezes beautifully, so making a double batch on Sunday means you've got lunch sorted for days without thinking.
02 -
  • Roasting the vegetables first is non-negotiable—it caramelizes their natural sugars and prevents them from becoming mushy sad pulp in the broth.
  • Don't skip rinsing the lentils, and whatever you do, remove the bay leaf before serving because biting into it is one of those kitchen horrors that never gets old as a joke but absolutely happens.
03 -
  • Don't oversalt at the beginning—vegetables release moisture as they cook, so season gradually and taste as you go, saving most of your salt adjustment for the very end.
  • If the soup thickens too much after a day or two in the fridge, thin it with a splash of broth or water when you reheat it, because lentils keep absorbing liquid even after cooking.
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