Hearty Lentil Soup Vegetables (Printable)

Protein-rich lentil soup with seasonal vegetables and warming spices. A nourishing, satisfying meal ready in under an hour.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables are softened.
02 - Add minced garlic to the pot and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in ground cumin, smoked paprika, and dried thyme. Cook for 30 seconds to release aromatic oils.
04 - Add rinsed lentils, chopped tomatoes, and vegetable broth to the pot. Add bay leaf and stir to combine.
05 - Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes until lentils begin to soften.
06 - Stir in diced zucchini and continue simmering for 10 minutes until lentils and vegetables are tender.
07 - Add chopped spinach or kale and cook for 2-3 minutes until completely wilted.
08 - Remove bay leaf from pot. Season soup to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
09 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's ready in under an hour and tastes like you've been tending it all day.
  • One pot means minimal cleanup, which is honestly the best part of weeknight cooking.
  • The protein from lentils keeps you satisfied, and it freezes beautifully for future you.
  • Every vegetable adds something different, so it never feels boring even when you make it weekly.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the lentils first; they release a cloudy starch that makes the broth look murky if you don't.
  • Add the greens at the very end so they stay bright and don't turn an unappealing shade of brown.
  • If the soup is too thick, thin it with more broth rather than adding water, which dilutes the flavor you've built up.
  • Lemon juice squeezed on top at serving time is not optional—it lifts everything and makes the spices sing.
03 -
  • Toast your spices lightly in the hot oil before adding anything else—this step takes thirty seconds and multiplies their impact tenfold.
  • If you're making this on a weeknight and time is tight, pre-chop your vegetables the night before and keep them in sealed containers; the flavor won't suffer but your stress level will improve dramatically.
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