Lentil and Vegetable Soup (Printable)

Hearty soup combining tender lentils with roasted vegetables in a fragrant herb broth, perfect for nourishing meals.

# 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
17 - Juice of 1/2 lemon

# How-To Steps:

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 remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
03 - Stir in 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 Hints:

01 -
  • The roasting step transforms ordinary vegetables into flavor bombs that infuse the entire pot, something I learned after years of making bland soups.
  • Its endlessly flexible, meaning you can swap ingredients based on what looks good at the market that day without ruining the recipe.
02 -
  • Never salt your lentils until theyre fully cooked, or they might remain tough no matter how long you simmer them.
  • The vegetables dont all need to be cut exactly the same size, but keeping them relatively uniform ensures theyll roast evenly without some burning while others remain undercooked.
03 -
  • Save the rinds from parmesan cheese in your freezer, then drop one into the soup while it simmers for an incredible flavor boost that costs nothing.
  • When Im short on time but still want that roasted flavor, I only roast the carrots and tomatoes since they benefit most from caramelization, then add the other vegetables directly to the pot.
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