Mediterranean Lentil Soup
439 Comments
Sep 19, 2023
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Lentil soup is a classic vegetarian soup recipe. It’s hearty, healthy, delightfully filling (with plant-based protein), and warming on those cold, wintery days. While there are many variations of lentil soup, you can’t go wrong with a simple, delicious Mediterranean version.
When it comes to this lentil soup recipe, let’s remember that simple does not equal boring. Oh no, this recipe is anything but that! It’s packed with rich flavor, it’s hearty enough to be eaten as dinner, and it’s easy enough to whip up with a few pantry staples and fresh vegetables. That’s why it’s the very best.
When I previously showed you how to cook lentils (so they’re not mushy), I also highlighted why lentils are a powerhouse ingredient in vegan and vegetarian meals. They’re high in fiber, carbohydrates, and most importantly, protein. That means this lentil soup is not just an appetizer soup, but it’s a satiating full meal. And a budget-friendly one to boot!
Lentil Soup Ingredients
A cup of green lentils goes a long way in this cozy, chunky soup. But it’s the lentils plus the vegetables that really make your taste buds dance.
- Lentils: Green or brown lentils work best in this soup as they hold their shape better than red lentils.
- Mirepoix Vegetables: Chopped celery, carrots, onions and garlic are the classics that provide cozy flavor.
- Roasted Tomatoes: While you can use regular diced tomatoes, a can of fire-roasted tomatoes really elevates the soup and adds a hint of smokiness.
- Tomato Paste: This is such a simple ingredient, but it definitely intensify the body of the soup. So don’t leave it off.
- Kale: I’m using fresh kale in this recipe to amp up the antioxidants, vitamins, nutrients. But feel free to add another leafy green like baby spinach.
- Herbs: A simple blend of oregano, basil, cumin, and thyme highlights those Mediterranean vibes.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
Which Lentils to Use
Green or brown lentils are the best choice for this soup. They have a mild, earthy flavor that slightly breaks apart when cooked, but still maintain their shape. Red lentils break down the fastest and become mushy. And French lentils (also called Lentils de Puy) are great for being tossed in a lentil salad as they have the firmest texture, but they require more time to cook in a soup.
How To Make The Best Lentil Soup Recipe
Saute the vegetables. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and stir for 4 to 5 minutes, until the onion becomes translucent.
Infuse with flavor. Add the tomato paste, minced garlic, dried spices, salt and pepper. Stir and toast the spices for 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients and simmer. Add the lentils, diced tomatoes, and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, partially cover with a lid, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes.
Blend the soup. Use an immersion blender to spot-blend for a few seconds. This will break up the chunkiness and give the soup a slightly creamier base.
Finish with flavor. Stir in the kale and lemon juice, and simmer for an additional minute or two to soften the kale. Taste the soup, and add any additional lemon juice, salt, or pepper before serving.
Garnishing Options
Whether you’re serving this soup to guests or enjoying it as a family meal, it’s always fun to perk it up a bit.
- Fresh herbs: Sprinkle on freshly chopped parsley or cilantro.
- Crispy bits: Quickly whip up crispy shallots for added crunch or crumbled bacon bits if you’re not vegan.
- A touch of creaminess: Drizzle a little coconut cream or sprinkle freshly grated parmesan on top.
Storage Tips
- To Store: This will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
- To Freeze: Store this in a freezer-safe container or pour into a silicone freezing tray for pre-made servings. It will last for up to 3 months in the freezer.
- For Reheating: If you’re reheating a single serving, pop it in the microwave for a few minutes until warmed through. If you’re reheating an entire batch, it’s easier if you add it back to a pot and warm it up on the stovetop.
More Fall Soups Recipes
Soups are a winter essential and I think you’ll love these other healthy vegetarian soups! I also have a delicious lemony lentil soup in my cookbook. If you want to add more Mediterranean flair to your weekly meal plan, check out this list of Mediterranean recipes.
- Carrot Ginger Soup
- Cabbage Soup
- Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- Vegetable Soup
- Sweet Potato Soup
- Or enjoy these other comforting soup recipes!
If you make this lentil soup recipe, let me know how it turned out! I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below. Your review will help other readers!
Mediterranean Lentil Soup
Description
Video
Equipment
- Immersion Blender This is my favorite immersion blender and it's super powerful!
- Dutch Oven A solid cast iron pot is an essential for soups and stews.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, small diced
- 2 medium carrots, small diced
- 2 celery ribs, small diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 to 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup green or brown lentils
- 3 leaves kale, stemmed and sliced
- 1 lemon, juiced (about 3 tablespoons juice)
Instructions
- Saute the vegetables. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and stir for 4 to 5 minutes, until the onion becomes translucent.
- Infuse with flavor. Add the tomato paste, minced garlic, dried spices, salt and pepper. Stir and toast the spices for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Simmer. Add the diced tomatoes, broth, and lentils and stir together. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, partially cover with a lid, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Blend. You can keep the soup chunky, or use an immersion blender to create a more creamy texture, by spot blending for just a few seconds.
- Finish with flavor. Stir in the kale and lemon juice, and simmer for an additional minute or two to soften the kale. Taste the soup, and add any additional lemon juice, salt, or pepper before serving.
Lisa’s Tips
- Because vegetable broth usually comes in 32 ounce containers (4 cups), I add 4 cups of broth and 2 cups of water to this recipe. Just so I don’t have a half used container of broth.
- You can substitute 3 teaspoons of Italian seasoning for the oregano, basil, and thyme.
- As the soup sits, the lentils may soak up some of the liquid, thickening up the soup. You can always add more broth or water to thin it out.
Nutrition
©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
Recipe originally posted November 2020, but updated to include new information.
It was the best indeed with the perfect balance of spices
Glad you loved this lentil soup Dahlia!
Please separate the comments from the recipe for printing purposes. I printed the recipe and got 38 pwhes of comments. A waste of paper and ink.
There is a print button on the recipe card that prints only the recipe. It sounds like you accidentally printed the entire website page.
This is one of the best soups I’ve ever made! I’m intolerant to tomatoes, but used them the first time and put up with the consequences, really yummy.
I knew this would be a staple, so second batch I used butternut squash instead of tomatoes to add the bit of sweetness, still good though of course a different good. Just adding in case it helps anyone with nightshade intolerance. I normally like my veg chunkier, but small dice is spot on for this soup. I’m prepping loads for the freezer!
This really is a great soup to have meal prepped in your fridge!
I love the recipe because it’s so nutritious and easy to prepare, however the juice of one whole lemon was way too overpowering. I had to add more broth and tomatoes to try to fix it, which diluted the spices and onion and garlic. I will make this again, but add the lemon a tablespoon at a time.
This is a great recipe because it’s delicious, uses staples (or can be altered for what you have on hand), and it’s super easy. Made as directed the 1st time and loved it. I made it again last night using fresh spinach instead of kale and added 1 tsp crushed red pepper. Can’t wait for leftovers tonight!
Happy to hear you enjoyed this lentil soup Lisa!
Very healthy and delicious lentils soup, thank you!
So I’ve been making Laura Vitale’s lentil soup for years and think this one has become my new fave! Thank you so much for this amazing recipe.
Happy to hear that Katie!
We love this lentil soup. Now added some pork as well, it always tastes really good and fulfilling!Thank you!
I’m sure this tasted amazing with pork!
easy nutritious
Thanks so much Joan! Glad you enjoyed the soup. :)
Went to recipe after watching Youtube, neither says. Are the lentils meant to be dried or already cooked?
The lentils are dried, as they cook in the soup. Enjoy!
Delicious recipe! I needed to make a quick dinner for the family tonight, and this was perfect! I doubled the recipe and now we have a good bit of leftovers for the weekend. This is definitely one of the better lentil soup recipes I’ve made!
This lentil soup really makes for a quick, easy, and super delicious meal! Glad the whole family enjoyed it :)
Made this now a couple of times and it’s so yummy! Definitely a staple in my future Winter Recipes. Thank you.🤗✅👍
This truly is a winter staple recipe! Glad you enjoyed this Colleen :)
This certainly is the best lentil soup. I also added a cubed potatoe and sweet potato.
Will it was very thick the next day I used it as a base for wraps, next I’ll try as a pizza base sauce,
on toasted sandwiches with cheese or as a topping on roasted potatoes with a little sour cream, or simply with rice.
5 star plus from my household
You can never go wrong with adding some potato in this to make it a bit more heartier and filling :)
So very easy, delicious and healthy lentil soup! This soup recipe is definitely a keeper.
Wonderful! I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe, Jo!
This recipe was very easy to make and super tasty. I felt healthy just making it and eating it. I am trying to convert to more vegetarian/vegan foods and this is definitely one I will come back to. Thanks!
Awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed the lentil soup, Jeffrey!
This soup had so much amazing flavor!! I only ended up adding a pinch of salt to the whole thing since I used the better than bullion veg base. I am blown away by how much flavor is packed into this easy soup. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a delicious meal that can satiate without being too heavy. I served it with some couscous but even just some crusty bread would be good!
Wonderful! Glad you enjoyed this lentil soup Emma :)
This really is the very best lentil soup ever – and I’ve tasted quite a few in my 68 years. Thank you, Lisa. Your recipes are wonderful and your presentations are lovely. I’m a fan!
Wow! Happy to hear you’ve enjoyed this lentil soup so much Sandra :)
I recently received my lab results and had to make drastic changes. I made this recipe and it was so good. I’m not a fan of veggies or lentils but I was motivated to try it. So happy I did. Can’t wait to try more recipes. I love your you videos.
I’m thrilled to hear you enjoyed this lentil soup and are on your way to a healthier lifestyle Mical :)
Turned out nice. I didn’t have fire roasted tomatoes, none sold in any of the supermarkets near me, but I ordered some cans online for the next time. The cook times are way off though, the soup needs at least an hour for the lentils to soften. I skipped the lemon juice, as I used canned chopped tomatoes, which had a bit of tartness anyway, and adding the lemon juice would have made the soup too tart. I also substituted two handfuls of baby spinach leaves (for the kale), which I threw in at the end of the cook, for some color and extra vitamins. I think fresh herbs would have worked probably better, but overall, it turned out quite tasty.
I’m not sure what type of lentils you bought, buy green and brown lentils should be fully cooked and soft after 25-30 minutes. Black lentils and french lentils, which take the longest to cook, are still very soft after about 35 minutes. But I’m glad it all turned out in the end!
Best lentil soup ever! Thank you Lisa for sharing the recipe x
Glad you enjoyed this lentil soup Deepali :)
I made this and both hubby and I LOVED it!
Glad you and the hubby loved this lentil soup Rita!
Do the lentils need to be soaked before adding into the recipe? If so, for how long?
No, they do not need to be soaked :)
Absolutely delicious!!
Glad you love this lentil soup Lydia!
Absolutely delicious! I made it exactly according to recipe.
Glad you enjoyed this lentil soup Sarah!
Best lentil soup. Lots of flavor!!
Glad you enjoyed this lentil soup!
This was so good!
I loved this recipe! I did add better than bouillon with water instead of vegetable stock. I have already shared this recipe with my girls. Thank you
Happy to hear this recipe was a success Virginia!
Delicious and easy to make. Had all the ingredients in the cupboard. Have made it several times. Have now got cabbage soup on the go. Will let you know. Thank you for taking the time to do these videos. I love them.
The weather here in England is starting to improve, but will still make the soup even in the warmer sunshine.
Happy to hear these videos are coming in handy Pat and that you’re enjoying the recipes!
Talk about a flavourful soup! Thank you for coming up with healthy and wholesome recipes. You are a joy to follow.
Happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe Jani!
This is very good. Thank you
Glad you enjoyed this lentil soup Jules!
I made it once with lentills and once with black beans. It is so yummy.
Glad you loved this one Jules!
Oh lord! This is insanely delicious!!!!! Lisa, you’ve done it again! How did this gem result from such simple ingredients? I didnt have celery stalks, so used a small parsnip instead. It is a ravishing dish ❤️ thank you!
Happy to hear you loved this lentil soup Ina!
When I saw the video and read the comments I was intrigued to find out what the hype was about. But this soup is delicious! I cooked it longer, maybe an hour, because my daughter ran to the store for tomato paste, and when she returned she said “the house smells so good!” Thanks for sharing!
Amazing! Glad this recipe was a success Molly and worth the try :)
This is simmering on the stove right now and the smell is heavenly. A high of 19 degrees today and down to zero tonite, so it’s a perfect soup day; and Gluten free bread is baking in the oven. Looking forward to dinner tonite!! Thanks for another great recipe I can add to my favorites. BTW – I love the super cubes; saves a ton of space in my freezer.
Sounds like an amazing dinner for tonight! And I agree, the Souper cubes have been such a lifesaver for all my soups.
This soup was delicious, but I made some changes. I used organic chicken broth, 1 can tomato spout instead of 2 cans of tomatoes, used 1.5 cups of lentils. I felt 1 cup is not enough. Plus I cooked it double the time. I don’t like the vegetables in the soup crunchy. It was amazing. It’s a keeper.
Happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe Delfina!
Indeed the very best lentil soup! Very easy to make and so delicious. Thanks a lot for the recipe, Lisa!
Glad you loved this lentil soup recipe Arne!
This was delicious. I have lots of leftovers so I am definitely going to buy those soup cubes. I couldn’t find fire roasted tomatoes so I substituted oven baked tomatoes. I had lots of kale that needed to be eaten so I threw it all in. Lol. Super delicious and perfect for these cold winter days here. Thanks!
Those souper cubes will definitely come in handy! Glad you enjoyed this lentil soup Libby :)
I just made this soup this morning. Super delicious and simple. I didn’t have kale so I subbed spinach at the last minute.
So glad you enjoyed this recipe!
I just made this for the first time. I absolutely loved it thank you so much for sharing.
So glad you enjoyed this lentil soup recipe Wendy!
Have you ever added sweet potatoes?
You can definitely add some in here if you’d like!
What a yummy soup – and I usually hate soups!
I used leek instead of celery, and savoy cabbage instead of kale, to fit it to my personal liking.
Also, I don’t eat very large portions so to me this recipe yields 6 portions at less than 300 kcal each.
This means I now have 5 portions of soup meal prepped 😄
Oh, and I forgot to add… I used 2 cans of chopped tomato (pelati) instead of the fire roasted, which I couldn’t find in Switzerland.
Still a wonderful tasty soup…
Happy to hear that you enjoyed this lentil soup Malika! :)
Absolutely loved the soup. Had three big bowls. I will deffinetly be adding this to my ” go to soups” for winter.
Thanks for sharing.
Wonderful! This one definitely need to be in your rotation :)
So yum with the lemon juice. My lentils were not soft, but I just cooked longer. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
For softer lentils, just cook a bit longer :)
Loved this soup- so delicious (and my neighbours I shared it with thought so too.)
Glad everyone enjoyed this recipe Kate!
The next time I make this, I think I will eliminate the lemon, or at least cut it back to a smaller amount. Perhaps my lemon produced too much juice. I think it was about a half cup at least. I tasted the soup before adding lemon and it was delicious. I wish I had left it at that.
I had the same! and used half of a lemon, will also go no lemon next time
MY Son since he was little loved simple lentil soup. We have another recipe without the paste and tomatoes, but this put a really different spin on flavor especially with the lemon juice. Well, we made it tonight and there’s so much for tomorrow’s lunch too. Thank you for this easy tasty lebtil soup recipe!
Happy to hear you and your son enjoyed this soup :)
This is the best lentil soup recipe I have tried, looking forward to making it again! Thanks for sharing Lisa!
Thrilled to hear you loved this lentil soup Belinda!
I Loved this recipe. Unfortunately, my husband and adult son didn’t until…I added some leftover ham chunks to it, LOL. Their loss
Glad you enjoyed this recipe Michelle :)
Love this soup Lisa! I’m making it again today because lentils are supposed to be Good Luck for the new year!
This will be perfect to kick off the new year :)
This is soooo good! The lemon juice brings to to another level. Thank you!!
Happy to hear you loved this lentil soup Marla!
When I saw lentils + fire roasted tomatoes, I knew I had to make this. Perfectly simple, but great depth of flavor with all the seasonings. Great recipe. Our family loved it!