Description
This Mediterranean Lentil Soup is a hearty, plant-based comfort food that’s packed with protein, fiber, and vibrant flavors. Featuring a medley of aromatic vegetables, warming spices, fire-roasted tomatoes, and a bright finish of lemon, this one-pot vegetarian recipe is both filling and healthy—a perfect meal to cozy up with during fall and winter.
Ingredients
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 1 medium yellow onion, small diced
- 2 medium carrots, small diced
- 2 celery ribs, small diced
- 3 to 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 3 leaves kale, stemmed and sliced
Pantry & Seasonings
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Main Ingredients
- 1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup green or brown lentils
Finishing Touch
- 1 lemon, juiced (about 3 tablespoons juice)
Instructions
- Saute the vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery, then cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes translucent and the vegetables begin to soften.
- Infuse with flavor. Add the tomato paste, minced garlic, cumin, oregano, basil, thyme, salt, and pepper to the pot. Stir well, allowing the spices and tomato paste to toast and become fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- Simmer. Pour in the fire-roasted diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, and lentils. Stir everything together, increase the heat to bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Partially cover the pot with a lid and let it simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, until the lentils are tender.
- Blend (optional). For a creamier soup, use an immersion blender to blend part of the mixture for a few seconds. Leave it chunky if you prefer a more rustic texture.
- Finish with kale and lemon. Stir in the sliced kale and lemon juice. Let it simmer for 1-2 more minutes, just until the kale softens. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and lemon juice as desired before serving.
Notes
- Each serving is approximately 2 cups of soup.
- If you don’t want to open a second broth container, use 4 cups broth and 2 cups water.
- Soup thickens as it sits; add broth or water to thin as needed.
- Substitute 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning for the oregano, basil, and thyme if preferred.
- For a slow cooker version, combine all ingredients (except kale and lemon juice) in the Crockpot and cook on high for 5-6 hours or low for 7-8 hours. Blend partially, then stir in kale and lemon juice at the end.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezes well for up to 3 months. Portion into individual containers for meal prep.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main-course
- Method: One Pot & One Pan
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 cups
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 421mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 56g
- Fiber: 22g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
