Lentil Soup (Italian Vegetable)
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Lentil Soup can come in many varieties. My favorite kind is this one, which is boasting with zesty Italian flavors and lots of fresh vegetables! It tastes a lot like minestrone, but with the addition of protein-rich lentils. In other words, it’s 100% satisfying!Â
The Best Lentil Soup
This vegetarian lentil soup is a must in your dinner rotation. I’ve tried many different kinds of lentil soup and this is easily the one I’d label the best!
It brimming with nutritious ingredients, it’s perfectly filling and it’s super easy to make. Plus, it’s perfectly comforting for all these cold fall days.
Even my kids love this Italian vegetable soup! We still have those dinners where it can be a struggle to get them to finish off their dinner, but no problem here! We love it with a side of buttered fresh bread or crackers.
Want to see how easy this lentil soup recipe is? Watch the video!
Lentil Soup Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Fresh veggies (carrots, onions, garlic, zucchini and kale)
- Vegetable broth
- Canned diced tomatoes
- Dried brown lentils , rinsed and picked over
- Dried herbs including basil, oregano and thyme
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Fresh lemon juice
- Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
Scroll below for printable recipe.
How to Make Lentil Soup
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Add carrots and onions and saute 2 minutes then add garlic and saute 2 minutes longer.
- Pour in vegetable broth and tomatoes.
- Add in lentils, basil, oregano, thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 35 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add in zucchini and kale and simmer 10 minutes longer.
- Stir in lemon juice and add up to 1 cup of water to thin as needed (as the soup rests the lentils soak up more of the broth).
- Serve warm with parmesan cheese if desired.
Can I Make Lentil Soup in the Crock Pot?
Yes this will also work well being cooked in a Crock Pot.
- To do so add the first 11 ingredients to a slow cooker.
- Cook on low heat until lentils and vegetables are tender, about 7 hours.
- Add kale and zucchini and cook 30 minutes longer.
- Stir in lemon and serve with parmesan.
Can I Freeze Vegetarian Lentil Soup?
This soup does freeze well and reheats well. I like to freeze in individual servings and let thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat for lunch the next day.
Can I Use Different Vegetables?
The other great thing about this vegetarian soup recipe is that you can add in other veggies you may have on hand. Green beans, peas, asparagus, potatoes, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, squash, bell pepper, fresh (seeded and peeled) tomatoes are all good options.
Use up what’s in your fridge or pantry so it doesn’t go to waste!
Tips for the Best Lentil Soup
- Stick with brown or green lentils or adjust the cooking time. Red lentils cook in under half the cooking time of brown and green.
- If you don’t have have the dried herbs listed here, you could also substitute 1 Tbsp dried Italian seasoning instead of basil, oregano and thyme.
- If you are out of vegetable broth, chicken broth will work too.
- Don’t skip the lemon. Even though it’s a small amount it adds a nice hint of brightness.
More Healthy Soup Recipes You’ll Love:
More Lentil Recipes to Try:
- Mexican Lentil Soup
- Asian Lentil Lettuce Wraps
- Vegetarian Lentil Tacos
- Moroccan Sweet Potato and Lentil Soup
Follow Cooking Classy
Lentil Soup (Italian Vegetable)
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups diced carrots (3 medium)
- 1 1/2 cups diced yellow onions (1 medium)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic (4 cloves)
- 4 (14.5 oz) cans vegetable broth
- 2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
- 1 1/4 cups dried brown lentils , rinsed and picked over
- 1 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups diced zucchini (1 medium)
- 2 cups packed chopped kale or spinach
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Parmesan cheese , for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Add carrots and onions and saute 2 minutes then add garlic and saute 2 minutes longer.
- Pour in vegetable broth and tomatoes. Add in lentils, basil, oregano, thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 35 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add in zucchini and kale and simmer 10 minutes longer, if using spinach wait to add it until the last 2 minutes.
- Stir in lemon juice and add up to 1 cup of water to thin as needed (as the soup rests the lentils soak up more of the broth).
- Serve warm with parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
- Stick with brown or green lentils or adjust the cooking time. Red lentils cook in over half the cooking time of brown and green.
- If you don't have have the dried herbs listed here, you could also substitute 1 Tbsp dried Italian seasoning instead of basil, oregano and thyme.
- If you are out of vegetable broth, chicken broth will work too.
- Don't skip the lemon. Even though it's a small amount it adds a nice hint of brightness.