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Lentil salad with feta, black olives, lemon and thyme in a blue bowl, one of these easy lentil recipes
Chef Emma

Easy Lentil Soup

A hearty vegetarian lentil soup with carrots, celery, tomatoes, cumin and smoked paprika, finished with spinach and lemon.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
Calories: 210
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion diced
  • 2 carrots diced
  • 2 ribs celery diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 cup brown or green lentils 190 g, rinsed and sorted
  • 1 can diced tomatoes 14.5 oz / 411 g
  • 6 cups vegetable broth 1.4 L
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 cups baby spinach 90 g
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice plus salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • Large pot or Dutch oven

Method
 

  1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion, carrots and celery until softened, 6 to 8 minutes.
  2. Add the garlic, cumin, smoked paprika and thyme and cook 1 minute, until fragrant.
  3. Add the lentils, tomatoes, broth and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
  4. Simmer partly covered for 25 to 30 minutes, until the lentils are tender.
  5. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the spinach until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes, then add the lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Notes

Red lentils make a thicker, creamier soup and cook in about 20 minutes. Refrigerate within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days, or freeze up to 3 months. Calories are an estimate per serving (about 1 1/3 cups) from USDA FoodData Central values.