Hearty Lentil Soup Vegetables (Printable)

Protein-packed lentil soup with seasonal vegetables and warming spices, ready in under an hour.

# What You'll Need:

→ Legumes

01 - 1 cup dried brown or green lentils, rinsed

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
07 - 1 cup chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned
08 - 2 cups spinach or kale, chopped

→ Liquids

09 - 6 cups vegetable broth
10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Spices and Seasonings

11 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
12 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - 1 bay leaf
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Optional Garnish

16 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
17 - Lemon wedges, for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in cumin, smoked paprika, and thyme. Cook for 30 seconds to develop flavor.
04 - Add lentils, chopped tomatoes, and vegetable broth. Toss in bay leaf and stir to combine.
05 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes until lentils begin to soften.
06 - Add zucchini and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes until lentils and vegetables are tender.
07 - Stir in spinach or kale and cook for 2-3 minutes until completely wilted.
08 - Remove bay leaf. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley and lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The combination of earthy lentils with smoky paprika creates this incredible depth that makes people think youve been cooking all day when its actually quite simple.
  • You can toss in whatever vegetables are looking sad in your crisper drawer and theyll transform into something magnificent.
02 -
  • Rinsing the lentils isnt just a suggestion—I once skipped this step and ended up with gritty soup that ruined the whole experience.
  • Adding salt only at the end prevents the lentils from becoming tough during cooking, a lesson I learned after several disappointingly firm batches.
03 -
  • Store leftover soup without the leafy greens, then add fresh ones when reheating for a soup that tastes freshly made even days later.
  • The flavor actually improves overnight in the refrigerator as the spices have time to fully integrate into the broth and lentils.
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