Meet the BEST lentil soup recipe! Made with dried lentils, fresh vegetables, flavorful spices, and hearty greens, it's simple, healthy, and delicious.
This easy lentil soup recipe is warming, nourishing, and delicious. It’s packed with hearty greens, tender vegetables, and fiber- and protein-rich lentils. Fresh herbs and spices fill it with complex flavor, and a splash of vinegar adds a bright, tangy kick.
It’s not just my best lentil soup recipe—it’s one of my best recipes, period. It’s been a staple in my rotation for years. Easy to make with pantry ingredients, it’s the perfect healthy dinner for a winter weeknight (save any leftovers for lunch the next day!). I hope you love this simple lentil soup as much as I do.
Lentil Soup Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this soup:
- Lentils, of course! The best types of lentils for this recipe are green lentils or French lentils, also known as Le Puy lentils. They hold their shape nicely in the soup, adding satisfying texture. Brown lentils are also a fine option. Red lentils are too mushy for this recipe. If you have them on hand, go check out my red lentil soup instead!
- Extra-virgin olive oil – For richness.
- Onion, garlic, carrot, and celery – They create the soup’s aromatic base.
- Fresh kale – You’ll use the whole leaves, stems and all!
- Fire-roasted diced tomatoes – I love the smoky flavor that fire-roasted tomatoes add to this soup. In a pinch, regular diced tomatoes work here too!
- Vegetable broth – Make homemade vegetable stock, or use store-bought.
- Fresh thyme – For fresh, woodsy flavor. I like to bundle whole sprigs together with kitchen twine. Then, I add the bundle to the soup like a bay leaf, removing it before serving.
- Cumin – The secret ingredient! It adds savory, earthy depth.
- White wine vinegar – It gives the soup a tangy kick.
- And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Recipe Variations
Don’t have these exact ingredients on hand? These swaps work nicely:
- Replace the kale with another leafy green like fresh spinach or Swiss chard.
- Use 1 teaspoon dried thyme instead of the fresh sprigs.
- Replace the celery with 1 small fennel bulb, diced.
- No vinegar? Finish the soup with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice instead!
How to Make Lentil Soup
This lentil soup recipe is easy to make! Here’s how it goes:
First, sauté the aromatics. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and add the onion, carrots, celery, kale stems, and cumin. Cook until they soften, about 8 minutes.
Next, simmer the soup. Add the garlic, tomatoes, lentils, vinegar, thyme, and broth.
Tip: Rinse the lentils before cooking to remove any stones or debris.
Cover and cook until the lentils are tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer.
Finally, add the greens. Cook until they wilt, about 5 minutes, and then season to taste.
Serve the lentil soup topped with garnishes like fresh parsley, grated Parmesan, and/or red pepper flakes. Enjoy with crusty bread!
Love cooking soup in the Instant Pot? Check out this Instant Pot Lentil Soup for pressure cooker instructions!
How to Store Lentil Soup
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Simply reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
I actually like this soup better leftover. The flavor only improves as it sits in the fridge!
Can you freeze lentil soup?
Yes, this vegan lentil soup is freezer-friendly! Allow it to cool to room temperature, and then seal it in airtight containers or jars, leaving an inch for the soup to expand at the top. Freeze for up to 3 months.
More Favorite Soup Recipes
If you love this lentil soup, try one of these nourishing soup recipes next:
- Minestrone Soup
- Vegetable Soup
- Butternut Squash Soup
- Vegetarian Chili
- Black Bean Soup
- Tomato Soup
- Or any of these 35 Best Soup Recipes!
Best Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 4 medium carrots, chopped (2 cups)
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 6 small or 3 large kale leaves, stems finely diced, leaves chopped (8 cups)
- Heaping ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1½ teaspoons sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 (14-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- ¾ cup dry green lentils, rinsed
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 12 fresh thyme sprigs, bundled
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
- Red pepper flakes
- Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, kale stems, cumin, salt, and several grinds of pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Stir in the garlic, tomatoes, lentils, vinegar, thyme, and broth. Cover and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. Add the kale leaves and cook for 5 minutes, or until wilted.
- Remove the thyme bundle and season to taste. Serve topped with the parsley, red pepper flakes, and Parmesan, if desired.
Notes
Made this for January cooking club! I was surprised by how much I loved this soup the flavor is really good. We topped it with some fresh avocado slices. It was so perfect for a cold night. Will def make again and we have plenty of leftovers for the rest of the week.
Hi Nikki, I’m so glad you loved the recipe!
I used homemade bean broth as my base for the soup. This was fabulous!! So tasty for a snow day 🙂 will definitely be making again!
Hi, I love the idea of using the homemade bean broth here! So glad you enjoyed the soup.
I made this today for the Cooking Club. It’s a great recipe for a cold, stormy day! We all loved it. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Jane, I’m so glad you loved the soup!
Made it tonight for dinner! We all enjoyed it and it was a simple recipe. A good way to start the new year!
Hi Beth, I’m so glad you enjoyed the soup!
Easy and delicious on a cold rainy night! I used a 28 oz can of whole tomatoes because that’s what I had on hand and added red pepper flakes to the soup when I added the kale because my husband and I like spice. Garnished with parsley and Parmesan as recommended. Will definitely make again!
Hi Megan, I’m so glad you loved it!
Can I make this without the tomatoes? Looks delicious! Thanks.
Hi Emily, you could probably add more broth and maybe more vinegar or a little lemon to replace the tangy flavor that the tomatoes bring.
Baby it’s cold outside! This soup was perfect to make for the cold we are experiencing in San Diego. It was easy to make and so delicious. The flavors were dynamic and my husband said that he didn’t think he liked Lentils and this recipe changed his mind!
I’m so glad you both enjoyed it!
Happy New Year! I’ve been following your blog for many years, I love your delicious, nutritious and healthy recipes. My daughter is also a fan? This lentil soup recipe is a winter staple. Thanks again for years of inspiration.
I’m so glad you’ve loved the soup!
The soup was very tasty and easy to prepare. My husband gave it 5/5 stars. I call that a success!
I’m so glad you both loved it!
Loved the Lentil soup, filling and the flavour is great. Used red lentils as this was in my pantry and got gorgeous purple kale for it. Just started new plan for eating healthier and this was a great way to kick start it!
Hi Tracy, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I love this recipe. The vinegar brings out so much flavor. I’ll definitely make this again!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Just finished making it and it’s so flavorful and warming. I can only imagine it’s even better topped with Parmesan! I plan on air frying a few pieces of sliced baguette so I can have it with some crusty bread! First time cooking with the cooking club!
Hi Madison, I’m so glad you enjoyed the soup!
I’ve made lentil soup for the 1st time. And I enjoyed it very much! Look forward to making it again!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Wow! Made this soup as a part of the January cooking club. My mom and I cooked it together – though we live in different states, we love to cook together via FaceTime. I made a double batch to enjoy all week long for lunch. Delicious, cozy, and wholesome – yum!
aww, I love that! I’m so glad you both enjoyed the soup.
Made this soup last night for our first month of the cooking club! We loved it. Can’t wait to have it for leftovers this week too.
I’m so glad you loved it!
I make lentil soup several times over the winter months. The recipe I follow lists swiss chard as well as smoked, diced ham – it truly is more of a stew than a soup with these ingredients! Fantastic recipe!!
Excited to try to follow through with cooking club this year! I enjoy everything about you website and it’s become a go-to spot to feed my family. Our tween daughter is exploring the world of being a vegetarian and I find your recipes so great for a whole family meatless meal or a a great base which parts of the fam can add meat to.
Loved the lentil soup and have plenty for lunch today! Yum!
This was so nice after days of being sick. We had some leftover veggies and a homemade parmesan broth from the week before that made this recipe a no brainer for us! I did swap fennel for celery but I’m forever a celery hater.
Adding this one to the rotation.
Absolutely LOVE this soup. I made it on a cold, snowy day and it made me so warm and happy. Will definitely make it again! THANK YOU for this recipe!!!!!
Hi Cheryl, I’m so glad you loved it!
Hi Jeanine and Jack,
I tried your lentil soup recipe I enjoyed mine with sour dough bread. I will be making this again for sure. Thank you!
Hi Angela, I’m glad you enjoyed it!