Lentil Vegetable Soup
Warm and nourishing, this hearty lentil vegetable soup is packed with nutritious veggies and protein-rich lentils. Warm up from the inside out with a bowl of this comforting soup.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 188kcal
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced (or use refrigerated, pre-chopped garlic)
- 1 bunch cilantro chopped
- 1 cup carrots sliced (about 3 large carrots)
- 2 celery ribs sliced
- 14.5 ounces canned diced tomatoes
- 1 cup green or brown lentils *soaked in water for 1 hour (see notes)
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- Water enough to cover vegetables by ½ inch
- Fresh lemon wedges for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Soak 1 cup green or brown lentils in water for 1 hour. After soaking, discard the soaking water and rinse the lentils.1 cup green or brown lentils
- While the lentils are soaking, dice 1 onion, mince 3 garlic cloves, chop 1 bunch cilantro, and slice 1 cup carrots and 2 celery ribs.Note: You may want to reserve some cilantro for topping the cooked soup.1 onion, 3 garlic cloves, 1 bunch cilantro, 1 cup carrots, 2 celery ribs
- Sauté Vegetables: In a large pot, heat the 2 Tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, sauté until translucent.
- Add Vegetables: Add the carrots and celery to the pot, cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add 14.5 ounces canned diced tomatoes drained lentils and cilantro. Season with salt and ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon cumin, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika. Stir well.
- Pour in enough water to cover all the vegetables and lentils, plus a bit more to cover by about ¼ inch.
- Bring the mixture to a boil on high heat. Reduce the heat to low and let the soup simmer for about 40 minutes, or until the carrots and lentils are soft and tender.
- Taste for seasoning. Serve with additional cilantro and fresh lemon wedges.
Notes
Substitutions
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- Not a fan of cilantro? You can use fresh parsley instead.
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- Use fire-roasted tomatoes in place of regular tomatoes
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- You can use vegetable broth in place of the water for a richer flavor.
- Use green or brown lentils for this recipe. Red lentils can become mushy.
- For a thicker soup, use less water or cook longer to reduce the liquid
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 188kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 118mg | Potassium: 567mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 4086IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 4mg
