What makes this the best lentil soup? Let’s just say that everyone we’ve served it to immediately asks for the recipe…and seconds.
Are you on the lentil train? Lentils are low in calories, high in nutrition, and budget friendly. And, they make 40 times less greenhouse gases than a burger. Impressive, right? So here’s our favorite new way to eat them: the best ever lentil soup. It’s so delicious, you’ll feel like you’re wrapped in a cozy hug. This vegan soup is ready to amaze you. (Looking for other styles? Try Curry Lentil Soup or Red Lentil Soup.)
Why people love it
To make sure this really was the best lentil soup, we tested this recipe with a few of our readers. Luckily, this cozy soup went over better than expected with our real-life recipe testers! Here’s what they had to say:
- “Made the soup last night. I loved the flavor. My husband said this could easily go into regular rotation at our house!” -Laura
- “I made your Best Ever Lentil Soup and totally agree with the title of the recipe! Delicious!” -Sarah
What makes this the best lentil soup?
This lentil soup is full of big flavor, despite being made only with plants. Some recipes rely on bacon or sausage to keep eaters coming back for more, but this one does it without meat or dairy. Even our kids love this healthy recipe! Here are the tricks to making a lentil soup that’s irresistible:
- Sauteed fennel brings a nuance in flavor. Using fresh fennel in addition to onion brings a smoky, nuanced undertone to this soup. Find fennel in mainstream groceries in the produce section: it looks like a big onion with a fuzzy top (how to cut it!).
- Fire-roasted tomatoes lend a bright sweetness. Fire roasted tomatoes taste sweeter out of the can than standard tomatoes, which can have a bitter finish. If you can’t find them, grab the best quality canned tomatoes that you can.
- Adding garlic at the end of cooking amps the flavor. Garlic is usually added at the beginning of making a soup, when you’re sauteing the vegetables. But here you’ll throw in minced garlic at the end when the soup is done simmering. It adds even more flavor this way! Let the soup stand for 5 minutes to infuse the garlic aroma.
Lentils nutrition
Lentils are not only tasty: they’re full of nutrition benefits and are inexpensive to buy! So this lentil soup is not only good for your pocketbook, it’s healthy too. Here are a few of the major nutritional benefits of lentils:
- They contain protein and fiber: Lentils have a large amount of plant-based protein. 1 cup of cooked lentils has about 18 grams of protein and 15 grams of fiber. (Source)
- They are low in fat and calories: Lentils have virtually no saturated fat and are low in calories.
They’re good for the planet, too!
Just what do lentils have to do with the planet? More than you may think. A recent New York Times article on food and climate change indicated that the world’s food system is responsible for about ¼ of the planet-warming greenhouse gases.
The chart in the article shows the difference between beef and lentils (grouped under Beans). Beef accounts for 40 times more greenhouse gases than lentils.
If that’s not motivation to make our Best Lentil Soup once in a while…we’re not sure what is! If you need more ideas, some favorites are this Lentil Salad or Lentil Curry. Or, check out our Best Lentil Recipes or Top Vegan Recipes.
Lentil soup variations
Here are a few variations on lentil soup that you might enjoy:
- Got an Instant Pot? Make this exact soup using Instant Pot Lentil Soup!
- In the mood for curry flavor? Try our Curry Lentil Soup.
- Want a pureed soup? Try our Creamy Red Lentil Soup.
- Want to add even more veggies? Our Butternut Squash Lentil Soup is a perfect fall dinner: it also stars leeks and leafy green kale.
What to serve with lentil soup
What to serve with this lentil soup? Just a soup does not a meal make! (Unless you eat a few servings, which we often do.) Here are a few things we’d serve with this soup:
- Bread: Artisan Dutch Oven Bread and Multigrain Bread are perfect with soup: both are vegan and the latter is full of whole grains. If you’re up for a bread challenge, try our Best Sourdough Bread.
- Cornbread: Amplify the cozy with a moist and lightly sweet cornbread: try Homemade Cornbread, Classic Cornbread Muffins or Easy Vegan Cornbread.
- Popovers: If you’re not going for a fully vegan meal, this Popover Recipe makes fluffy, eggy poofs that pair perfectly with soup.
- Salad: An obvious choice. We’d suggest our Favorite Chopped Salad, Easy Arugula Salad, or Best Tossed Salad.
This lentil soup recipe is…
Vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free.
Print
Best Lentil Soup (Really!)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Description
What makes this the best lentil soup? Let’s just say that everyone we’ve served it to immediately asks for the recipe…and seconds.
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1 fennel bulb
- 2 large carrots
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 ½ cups dry brown or green lentils
- 28-ounce can diced fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 quart vegetable broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 3 cups baby spinach (or chopped standard spinach)
Instructions
- Dice the onion. Dice the fennel. Peel and dice the carrots. Grate the garlic and set aside to stir in once the soup is cooked. (Got an Instant Pot? Go to Instant Pot Lentil Soup and continue at Step 2!)
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and fennel and saute for 6 to 7 minutes until translucent. Add the carrots, lentils, tomatoes, broth, water, salt, paprika, and oregano.
- Bring to a simmer. Simmer for 22 to 25 minutes until the lentils are tender.
- Stir in the spinach and grated garlic, and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Taste and season with additional salt and fresh ground pepper as necessary. Serve immediately. Stores refrigerated for up to 4 days and frozen for 3 to 4 months.
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Lentil soup, Best lentil soup, Lentil soup recipe, Lentil recipes
More with lentils
There are lots more lentil recipes that are a tasty way to incorporate this superfood into your diet. Here are a few you might enjoy:
- Lentil Salad or French Lentil Salad It’s easy to make this unique variety of lentils taste incredible! This lentil salad features a Dijon dressing, shallots, goat cheese and fresh mint.
- Hearty Lentil Stew Packed with hearty flavor and loaded with plant based protein: perfect for a simple lunch or dinner!
- Lentil Curry Go for this simple, tasty meal made with lentils!
- Seasoned Brown Lentils An easy lunch or dinner idea: lentils! This basic recipe makes perfectly seasoned lentils to eat as a fast meal, or use in tacos, salads, and more.
- Masoor Dal (Indian Red Lentils) A spiced Indian lentil dish that’s equal parts flavorful and cozy; serve with rice or naan bread for dipping.
I love the basic recipe but I made this with no salt chicken broth and ended up adding 3 tsp. of Himalayan pink sea salt too give it flavor. I still found that there was “something missing”. I added 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar and let the flavors meld for 24 hours. It took it right over the top. With these minor adjustments I agree, it is the best darn lentil soup ever!
Is it baby spinach leaves you stir through? Also – one clove of garlic doesn’t sound like much, do you think we could add extra or would it over power? Thanks!
Hi! Yes, baby spinach leaves are perfect for this recipe. Since the garlic is just stirred in at the end, it lends a pretty strong flavor. You can always stir in a bit more if desired :)
I made this and was delighted. It’s my favorite soup and this just took it up a notch. Excellent !! The fennel was delish in it.
This is a keeper.
So good! I love how the lentils and veggies don’t get too soft so there’s some bite to the soup. My whole fam loved it!
Fennel had just gone out of season for me so I subbed with celery! I also opted out of the 1 cup of water when I saw how much broth there was. The consistency is a bit on the runny side and 25 minutes of simmering later, the carrots and onions were still crunchy. So I might let that cook for a bit longer next time, and perhaps add more lentils.
Otherwise, good tip on the fire-roasted tomatoes! That really added an extra edge to this soup :)
I agree with cooking about 10 minutes or so longer. I made it for the 1st time tonight and while the beans were okay, I’d cook it longer next time.
Can you make this in a Crock-Pot?
We haven’t test this, sorry!
Thank you so much for introducing me to bulb fennel and fire-roasted tomatoes. I’m just starting to transition to a Mediterranean diet and this was the first recipe I chose to make to further that goal. This recipe is a keeper! My husband and I loved it and found it flavorful and filling. My husband read the comments and saw the suggestion of the addition of red wine vinegar. He stirred in one-half tablespoonful into his second (!) individual serving and also gave that serving suggestion a big thumbs up. Thank you for making the first step in my journey to a healthier diet such a delightful one! Bon Appetiti!
So glad you enjoyed! And yes, fennel has been to long overlooked in the produce aisle — it adds so much flavor :)
I don’t have any spinach do you think I could substitute cabbage instead?
Yes, that should work.
Do the lentils need to soak overnight before cooking?
No
How many cups are in a serving?
We didn’t measure, sorry.