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Mediterranean
Hearty Lentil Soup
40 min total10 prep30 cook4 servings300 cal
VeganVegetarianFlexitarian
Brown lentils simmer with carrot, celery, and onion in a cumin-spiced broth until thick and hearty. This one-pot soup is naturally vegan, budget-friendly, and only gets better as leftovers, making it perfect for meal-prepping lunches all week.
Ingredients
pantry
- 200 gbrown lentils
- 1 lvegetable broth
- 1 tspcumin
- 2 tbspolive oil
- 1 tspsalt
- 0.25 tspblack pepper
produce
- 2carrot
- 2 stalkcelery
- 1onion
- 2 clovegarlic
Steps
- Dice the onion, carrot, and celery into small, even pieces, and mince the garlic.
- Rinse the brown lentils in a strainer and pick through them to remove any small stones.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Add the garlic and cumin and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the lentils, vegetable broth, salt, and black pepper, and stir to combine.
- Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cover partially.
- Simmer for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender and the soup has thickened.
- Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and serve hot.
Tips
- Sauté the onion, carrot, and celery until they soften and turn fragrant before adding the broth for deeper flavor.
- Rinse the lentils and pick out any small stones or debris before cooking.
- Simmer uncovered toward the end if the soup needs to thicken further.
- This soup thickens as it cools, so add a splash of water or broth when reheating leftovers.
