This simple lentil soup recipe is an enormous bowl of Mediterranean taste and luxury from my childhood! It’s full of smoky chilies, tender potatoes, and greens. I like that I could make it in a single pot in beneath an hour!
These days, I’ve been cooking all of the consolation meals I do know and love, from Macedonian moussaka to cabbage rolls and this hearty lentil soup recipe with smoky Macedonian peppers. For one more conventional recipe with lentils, do this Indian Mulligatawny stew!
That is my household’s well-known Mediterranean lentil soup recipe loaded with healthful components and comforting flavors from again house. It’s a mix of tender lentils, veggies, potatoes, and leafy greens in a wealthy, smoky broth with dried purple chilies, herbs, and spices. I grew up consuming this soup at the very least as soon as every week, on both a Wednesday or Friday, at all times. My mother made it so usually that she even planted lentils in our backyard. Let’s simply say, we had lentils for DAYS that 12 months.
Quick ahead, and whereas I’m not tending to a backyard of lentils, I nonetheless make my mother’s soup recipe usually. Particularly because it wanted lower than an hour on the stovetop!
Why I Love This Straightforward Lentil Soup Recipe
- Hearty and straightforward. This one-pot soup is my go-to at any time when I discover myself craving one thing hearty and comforting, that’s nonetheless simple to drag collectively. It wants easy however satisfying components like carrots, potatoes, canned lentils, and Swiss chard.
- Fast. Effectively, by soup requirements! This simple lentil soup is prepared in 30-some-odd minutes, most of which is time spent simmering. It’s so hands-free, that even my husband isn’t scared off by the considered making it. And as a person who solely cooks pasta, that’s saying one thing.
- Daring Mediterranean flavors. I like the daring, candy, and smoky taste of purple chilies on this soup. Paired with contemporary herbs like parsley and garlic and a handful of seasonings, it’s all the pieces I like about Macedonian cooking.
Elements You’ll Want
Listed below are some notes on the components that want gathering for this lentil soup recipe. Scroll all the way down to the printable recipe card after the put up for the total components listing and recipe particulars.
- Olive Oil – Or one other cooking oil. You may as well use butter.
- Aromatics – Diced onion, carrots, and celery create the flavour base for the soup.
- Potatoes – I exploit Yukon Gold potatoes, that are nice all-rounders for soup and stew recipes. Different good choices are russets, purple, or yellow potatoes. Chop the potatoes into bite-sized chunks so that they’ll prepare dinner quicker.
- Contemporary Herbs – Chopped parsley, minced garlic cloves, and thyme sprigs.
- Seasonings – Paprika (candy or smoked), dried oregano, rosemary, salt, pepper, and a bay leaf. You may adapt the quantities and spices on this recipe relying in your tastes. For a spicier soup, add extra paprika, cayenne, or chili flakes.
- Broth – I exploit vegetable inventory to maintain this soup vegetarian. You may substitute low-sodium hen or beef broth if wanted.
- Lentils – Lentils are available in all types of colours, see under. For those who’re utilizing canned lentils, bear in mind to empty and rinse them beforehand.
- Dried Purple Chilies – I like to make use of candy, dried Macedonian peppers. They’re a sort of banana pepper and the type my mother at all times makes use of in soups. Good alternate options are Thai purple chilies, ancho, or guajillo peppers (just like the peppers I exploit in my guajillo steak marinade). Take away the stems and seeds, and slice the chilies into quarters lengthwise.
- Greens – Swiss chard, child spinach, kale, or collard greens all work nicely on this recipe. Be at liberty to combine and match!
What Colour Lentils Are Greatest for Soup?
I nearly at all times use earthy brown lentils or peppery inexperienced lentils on this lentil soup recipe. These are my prime two decisions! Right here’s how they examine:
- Inexperienced Lentils – Inexperienced lentils have a light however barely peppery taste. They soften simply sufficient when cooked, however nonetheless maintain their form, making them an awesome selection for soups and stews.
- Brown Lentils – Brown lentils have a extra earthy style, they usually’re additionally a good selection for soups for a similar causes above.
- Purple Lentils – Purple lentils break down shortly when cooked, so that they are usually a bit mushy in soup recipes. That being stated, when you have purple lentils, the flavour continues to be good, they usually’ll work in a pinch.
Easy methods to Make the Greatest Lentil Soup
This vegetarian lentil soup comes collectively pretty shortly in a single pot on the stovetop. It’s excellent for cozy weekend afternoons and the entire home smells superb whereas it cooks! Simply desirous about it takes me proper again to my childhood. Let’s get began.
- Sauté the veggies. First, sauté the diced carrots, onions, celery, and potatoes in a big pot with olive oil till tender. Stir usually so the veggies brown evenly on all sides.
- Add seasonings. Subsequent, stir in your contemporary herbs and garlic, adopted by the dry seasonings, salt, and pepper. Cook dinner for a minute, till aromatic.
- Add the remaining soup components. Now, add the broth and drop in a bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Carry the pot to a boil, and stir within the lentils and dried chilies.
- Cook dinner. Decrease the warmth to a simmer and let the soup prepare dinner, uncovered, for 20 minutes till the lentils and potatoes are cooked by means of and tender.
- Add greens. Lastly, stir in your leafy greens. Cook dinner for one more jiffy to wilt the leaves. Afterward, pluck out the thyme and bay leaf, and serve.
Suggestions and Variations
- The place to search for dried chilies: I normally discover dried chilies within the produce part, the worldwide meals aisle, or the spice aisle in most grocery shops. Don’t fear if you happen to can’t discover Macedonian peppers. Whereas they’ve the very best taste (wealthy, candy, and smoky, a bit like cayenne), nearly any dried purple chili will work.
- For those who can’t discover dried purple chilies, I like to recommend substituting 1 teaspoon of paprika + ½ teaspoon chili powder to amp up the spicy broth.
- Substitute the lentils. If lentils aren’t your factor, you may swap them out for chickpeas, beans, or one other legume. It received’t be lentil soup, but it surely’ll nonetheless style nice.
- Regulate the seasonings on the finish of cooking. I like to recommend seasoning soups to style solely after they’ve simmered for some time. This fashion, the flavors have an opportunity to return collectively first. It’s nice to style as you go however save any main changes till the tip of cooking.
- Totally different veggies. You may skip the potatoes or substitute candy potatoes, cauliflower, purple bell peppers, and different veggies.
- Add protein. For those who like your soup with meat, see my lentil and chorizo soup for one more simple variation. In any other case, when you have any pre-cooked shredded hen (a rotisserie hen or baked hen breasts work nicely), pulled pork, or beef ideas within the fridge, stir these in on the finish for a meaty model.
Serving Ideas
My mother at all times served us lentil soup with crusty skillet bread for dunking. It’s simply as nice with grissini, home made gevrek (sesame bagels), or fluffy Mediterranean rice and a salad. Or, slurp it up simply as it’s! This cozy lentil soup has loads of textures and flavors, so that you hardly want something further (besides possibly a glass of Pinot Grigio). It additionally leaves room for a slice of marble cake for dessert!
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Preserve leftovers lined hermetic within the fridge for as much as 5 days. I like making a large pot of lentil soup on the weekend to take pleasure in leftovers all week!
- Reheat. This soup reheats simply on the stovetop over medium warmth or within the microwave.
- Freeze. Retailer the soup in an hermetic container or freezer bag and freeze for as much as 3 months. For those who make this soup aspiring to freeze it instantly, prepare dinner the veggies simply till they’re tender-crisp, not all over. This fashion, they’ll prepare dinner to the right texture when the soup’s thawed and reheated.
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- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 giant carrots, thinly sliced
- 4 celery stalks, thinly sliced
- 3 to 4 cups bite-sized chopped potatoes, I used small yukon gold potatoes
- ¼ cup chopped contemporary parsley
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon candy or smoky paprika, alter spice to your individual desire
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to style
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon freshly floor black pepper, or to style
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 3 sprigs contemporary thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup inexperienced or brown lentils, rinsed and drained
- 3 dried purple chili peppers, scorching or candy, tops eliminated, lower in fourths lengthwise (if you happen to can’t discover any, use about 1 teaspoon extra paprika + 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, or to style)
- 3 cups chopped leafy greens, I used swiss chard, however you should use child spinach, or kale, or collard greens, and so forth
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Sauté. Warmth olive oil in a big pot, or Dutch oven, over medium warmth. Add diced onions, carrots, celery, and potatoes to the recent oil; sauté for six minutes, or till veggies are barely tender and browned. Stir usually.
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Add herbs and spices. Stir in parsley and garlic; proceed to prepare dinner for 1 extra minute. Season with paprika, oregano, rosemary, salt, and pepper; stir and prepare dinner for 1 extra minute.
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Add the remaining components. Add vegetable broth, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf; flip the warmth as much as medium-high and convey to a boil. Stir within the lentils and the dry chili peppers, if utilizing. Carry the pot again to a boil.
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Cook dinner. Scale back warmth to medium-low and prepare dinner for 20 minutes, uncovered, till lentils and potatoes are tender.
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Stir within the greens. Stir in leafy greens and proceed to prepare dinner for two to 4 extra minutes or till wilted.
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End and serve. Take away the lentil soup from the warmth; style for seasonings and alter accordingly. Take away bay leaf and thyme sprigs; serve.
- Storage: Retailer Lentil Soup in an hermetic container, and refrigerate for as much as 5 days.
- Freezing: Retailer utterly cooled Lentil Soup in an hermetic container OR freezer baggage. Freeze for as much as 3 months.
- For those who intend to prepare dinner the soup simply to freeze it instantly, I recommend cooking the veggies simply till tender and a bit crisp. They may have the right texture as soon as reheated.
- Reheat frozen soup in a pot over medium warmth.
Serving: 2cups | Energy: 401kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 18g | Fats: 8g | Saturated Fats: 1g | Ldl cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 535mg | Potassium: 1452mg | Fiber: 22g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 9580IU | Vitamin C: 43.2mg | Calcium: 144mg | Iron: 9.5mg
Dietary information is an estimate and supplied as courtesy. Values could differ in keeping with the components and instruments used. Please use your most popular dietary calculator for extra detailed information.
