Hearty Lentil and Vegetable Soup (Printable Version)

Comforting soup with tender lentils and roasted vegetables, seasoned with herbs and finished with fresh lemon.

# What You'll Need:

→ Lentils

01 - 1 cup dried green or brown lentils, rinsed

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
03 - 2 celery stalks, diced
04 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Broth & Seasoning

10 - 6 cups vegetable broth
11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
14 - 1 bay leaf
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Finishing

16 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional
17 - Juice of ½ lemon, optional

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss carrots, celery, zucchini, bell pepper, and cherry tomatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes until lightly caramelized.
02 - Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
03 - Stir in the rinsed lentils, roasted vegetables, vegetable broth, thyme, oregano, smoked paprika, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes until lentils are tender.
04 - Remove bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and lemon juice as desired. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The roasted vegetables add this unexpected sweetness and depth that makes the soup taste restaurant-quality without any fuss.
  • It's naturally filling enough to be a complete meal, yet light enough that you don't feel weighed down afterward.
  • One pot, one baking sheet, and you've got something that reheats beautifully for lunch all week.
02 -
  • Don't skip the roasting step thinking you'll save time—those caramelized vegetables are what give this soup its depth and make it taste like you spent all day on it.
  • If your lentils are still firm after 25 minutes, give them another 5 to 10 minutes of simmering; older lentils sometimes need extra time, and that's perfectly normal.
03 -
  • Don't oversalt the broth at the start—add salt gradually as you cook, since the lentils and vegetables release their own flavors that can intensify.
  • Keep the lentils moving gently with your spoon every few minutes while they simmer so they cook evenly and don't stick to the bottom of the pot.
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