Tomato Lentil Soup (Print)

Tangy tomato broth meets hearty lentils in this wholesome, protein-packed Mediterranean bowl perfect for any season.

# Components:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
02 - 2 medium carrots, diced
03 - 2 celery stalks, diced
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
06 - 1 tbsp tomato paste

→ Lentils

07 - 1 cup dried brown or green lentils, rinsed

→ Liquids

08 - 5 cups vegetable broth
09 - 1 tbsp olive oil

→ Spices & Seasonings

10 - 1 tsp ground cumin
11 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme
13 - 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
14 - 1 tsp salt, or to taste
15 - 1 bay leaf

→ Finishing Touches

16 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, optional
17 - Juice of 1/2 lemon

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables are softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add tomato paste, cumin, smoked paprika, thyme, and black pepper. Stir constantly for 1 minute to release spice flavors.
04 - Add diced tomatoes with juice, rinsed lentils, vegetable broth, bay leaf, and salt. Stir well to combine and bring mixture to a boil.
05 - Reduce heat to low, cover with lid, and simmer for 30 minutes, or until lentils are completely tender.
06 - Remove bay leaf from soup. Stir in lemon juice and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

# Chef Secrets:

01 -
  • It's ready in under an hour, which means weeknight dinners suddenly feel less like a chore and more like a gift to yourself.
  • The lentils pack enough protein that you won't miss meat, and you'll actually feel satisfied and energized afterward.
  • Once you've chopped the vegetables, the soup mostly takes care of itself—no standing over the stove, no constant stirring.
02 -
  • Don't skip toasting the spices in the oil—it's the difference between a one-dimensional soup and one with layers; if you add them dry to the broth, they'll taste dusty and muted.
  • If your lentils are taking longer than thirty minutes to soften, your heat might be too low or your lentils might be old; older dried lentils absorb water more slowly and take significantly longer to cook.
  • The lemon juice isn't optional—it's the ingredient that makes the flavors pop and reminds you why you went to the effort in the first place.
03 -
  • If you forget to rinse your lentils and they cook up cloudy-looking, don't worry—the soup still tastes delicious, but rinsing them first keeps the broth clearer and more beautiful.
  • Save your vegetable scraps (carrot ends, celery leaves, onion skins) in the freezer and make your own broth; homemade broth will make this soup taste like you spent all day on it instead of less than an hour.
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