This One-Pot Lentil Soup Recipe is the perfect fall soup. Made with root vegetables, brown lentils, and fresh herbs, it’s an easy, 30-minute, weeknight meal.
For the past 3 years, I have wrapped up the MDV year with a soup recipe.
Last year, I shared my Cream of Cauliflower Soup and the year before that it was vegan this Broccoli Cheese Soup. Ending the year with a vegan soup recipe has become a tradition here because growing up it was a Christmas tradition of ours. Every year was the same (which is what is so incredible about tradition). We would come home from a Christmas Eve service to a lit tree and the festively decorated house smelling of spiced cider and warm soup.
Once the bowls were scraped clean, my mom would bring out the last of the Christmas cookies and we would gather around the tree to open presents. For us, Christmas eve was when the magic happened.
And so, to continue to tradition, I have a new soup for you. This One-Pot Classic Lentil Soup recipe is warm, comforting, delicious, hearty, AND super easy to make which gives YOU more time to spend with your family this holiday season.
Let’s take a closer at how to make this lentil soup recipe!
Recommended Ingredients & Equipment
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Oil – I recommend olive oil but any neutral or mild flavored oil will do.
- White Onion
- Garlic
- Carrot
- Celery
- Herbs and Spices – This recipe calls for fresh oregano. If you don’t have it, you can use 1/2 tsp dried oregano instead. Additionally, you will need ground cumin, paprika, coriander, cayenne, and bay leaves
- Tomato Paste – If you don’t have tomato paste, you can sub it with one (14.oz) can of crushed tomatoes. If you do use crushed tomatoes, reduce the vegetable broth by one cup.
- Vegetable Broth
- Lentils – There are a variety of lentils that work for this recipe. Read all about which lentils are best for below.
- Spinach – You can swap spinach for kale if you prefer. If you do add kale, give it a couple of minutes longer to wilt. Or you can also omit spinach altogether.
- Salt and Pepper
Recommended Equipment
Most importantly, you will need a good soup pot. I love my Dutch Oven from Le Creuset for soups. Made from cast iron, they are perfect for slow cooking and simmering soups and stews. Although it’s a bit pricey, you will use it over and over again (for soups, stews, sides, bread, and even desserts!) and it will last you a lifetime.
In addition, you will need a good chef’s knife, cutting board, and basic kitchen utensils. (<<affiliate links)
Check out the full list of my recommended kitchen tools and gadgets.
Best Lentils for Lentil Soup
Lentils can come in a variety of colors and textures. Some of the most common lentils are red, brown, and green.
Red lentils are common in Mediterranean and Indian cooking. They are mostly used in Red Lentil Curries or Red Lentil Soups. Unlike brown and green, red lentils have a slight sweetness and are vastly different in texture. As they cook, they become mushy, losing their shape and making them perfect for certain types of soups and curries. I love red lentils, but they are not interchangeable in this lentil soup recipe.
Within brown and green lentils, there is also quite a variety. Traditionally French lentil soup is made with French du Puy lentils which are a variety of green lentil. They differ from typical green lentils in that they are smaller, darker, and hold their shape extremely well, making them the perfect lentil for salads and light soups.
While I recommend French lentils, you could also use traditional green lentils or brown lentils for this recipe. Just note that each variety of lentils has different cooking times. French and brown lentils take about 20-25 minutes to cook while green lentils need about 45 minutes.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.
How to Make French Lentil Soup
Step One: Sauté the Vegetables
As you would imagine, the onions and garlic are sautéed first until they are nice and translucent.
Once the sweet fragrance of onion fills our kitchen, we can add the carrots and celery. Sauté the vegetable for another 5-7 minutes to get them tender and slightly caramelized on the outside. This releases all that good sweet vegetable flavor.
Step Two: Remaining Ingredients
Once vegetables are tender, add all the spices EXCEPT salt and pepper. Stir to coat the vegetables. Cover and bring to a boil. Once the soup is boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for 20-25 minutes (or more if you’re using green lentils) until the lentils are plump and tender and most of the broth has evaporated.
Stir in the spinach. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serving and Storing
Serve this soup immediately with fresh bread or crackers and a big green salad.
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Tips and Tricks
- Make sure to use French, green, or brown lentils (in other words, don’t use red lentils!) and adjust the cooking time depending on which you are using. Green lentils take about 45 minutes to cook whereas brown and French lentils take between 20-25 minutes.
- Sauté the carrots and celery for at least 5-7 minutes. This tenderizes them and releases their sweet bold flavors into the soup.
- If you don’t have tomato paste, you can sub it with one (14.oz) can of crushed tomatoes. If you do use crushed tomatoes, reduce the vegetable broth by one cup.
- You can swap spinach for kale if you prefer. If you do add kale, give it a couple of minutes longer to wilt. Or you can also omit spinach altogether.
More Vegan Soup Recipes
One-Pot Lentil Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 small white onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large carrot, chopped
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 2 sprigs of oregano
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1/2 tsp. paprika
- 1/2 tsp. coriander
- pinch of cayenne
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 8 cups vegetable broth
- 1 pound brown lentils
- 1 large handful fresh spinach
- 1/2 tsp salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Place a large soup pot over medium-low heat and add olive oil. One oil is hot, add onions and garlic and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, until onions are fragrant. Add carrots and celery and continue sautéing for another 5 minutes.
- Once vegetables are tender, add oregano, paprika, cumin, coriander, and cayenne. Stir to coat the vegetables. Add the remaining ingredients EXCEPT for the spinach, salt and pepper.
- Cover, increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Once soup is boiling, reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 20-25 minutes until lentils are cooked and most of the broth has evaporated.
- Stir in the spinach. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Notes
- If you are using green lentils, they will take about 45 minutes to cook whereas brown and French lentils take between 20-25 minutes.
- If you don’t have tomato paste, you can sub it with one (14.oz) can of crushed tomatoes. If you do use crushed tomatoes, reduce the vegetable broth by one cup.
- You can swap spinach for kale if you prefer. If you do add kale, give it a couple of minutes longer to wilt. Or you can also omit spinach altogether.
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the
Suzy says
Rich, thick, excellent flavor! Regarding the sodium, I make my own veggie stock so I actually added 1/2 tsp of salt at the end. I will up the cumin a bit next time – give it bit more kick! But seriously a good bowl of thick soup for a frigid cold Wisconsin day! This will be made again and again! Thanks Sarah! A real winner!!
Vee says
Seriously 1392 mg of sodium????? WOW! I can’t have that much what can I omit?
Sarah says
Nearly all the sodium is in the vegetable broth. You can swap it out with water or find a low-sodium vegetable broth.