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Lentil Soup · Lemony Vegetable

Lemony Vegetable Lentil Soup

Brown lentils, carrots, celery and tomatoes simmered with cumin and smoked paprika, finished with spinach and a squeeze of lemon. Cheap, hearty and freezer-friendly.

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Prep
15 min
Cook
45 min
Total
1 hr
Serves
6
Level
Easy

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 celery ribs, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp dried thyme
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 ½ cups brown lentils, or green lentils, picked over and rinsed
  • 1 can diced tomatoes, 14.5 oz
  • 7 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 3 cups baby spinach
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Steps

  1. Spread the lentils on a plate and pick out any small stones, then rinse them in a fine-mesh strainer.
  2. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook until softened.
  3. Add the garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, thyme and tomato paste and stir until fragrant.
  4. Add the lentils, tomatoes, broth, bay leaf, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
  5. Lower the heat and simmer, partly covered, until the lentils are tender.
  6. Remove the bay leaf. For a thicker soup, pulse an immersion blender in the pot 3 or 4 times.
  7. Stir in the spinach until wilted.
  8. Stir in the lemon juice and parsley. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Tip: Red lentils fall apart and make a different, smoother soup. Use brown or green lentils here.

Tip: Most broths are gluten-free, but some contain wheat. Check the label if that matters to you.

Storage: Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Thin with water when reheating.

Estimated nutrition per serving: 260 calories · protein 14 g · carbohydrates 42 g · fiber 8 g · sugars 7 g · fat 6 g (saturated 1 g) · sodium 1,180 mg. Estimate from USDA FoodData Central; not medical or dietary advice. Based on 18 of 18 ingredients.