OMG… This Chunky Lentil and Vegetable Soup is my new all-time favorite soup! I’ve already eaten two bowls since I made it today at lunch and I don’t think I’ll even need to freeze any because it will be gone fast. This super flavorful and hearty soup is a vegetarian take on the old classic, Lentil & Sausage Stew, from way back in 2010. I replaced the sausage with black beans, added some tomatoes for brightness, and nixed the spinach. The black beans help make everything thick and creamy and the blend of herbs and spices just can’t be beat. It’s soooo good. So many colors, flavors, and textures in one bowl, and super cheap, too!
The best part? I already had most of the ingredients on hand, so when I went to pick up the remaining items my total bill was about $3. It pays to shop in your pantry before you shop in the store!
What Kind of Lentils to Use
I used a quick cooking brown lentil for this recipe. These lentils are also sometimes called green lentils, depending on the brand, but they are not the same as French green lentils, which take much longer to cook. The lentils used in this recipe only need to be simmered for about 20 minutes to become tender and do not require pre-soaking.
I do not suggest using red or yellow lentils for this recipe because they do not hold their shape and will become mushy once boiled, resulting in a soup more similar in texture to split pea soup.
What Else Can I Add?
I love the flexibility of soup. If you want to add a little extra green to your soup, feel free to add some chopped fresh spinach or frozen spinach, and just stir it in until wilted and heated through. I love to top my lentil and vegetable soup with a dollop of sour cream or a pinch of cheese! If you like things spicy, feel free to add a diced jalapeño or a couple dashes of hot sauce.
How to Store the Leftovers
This recipe makes a HUGE batch, but thankfully the leftovers taste great! I like to divide my soup into single serving portions right after cooking to facilitate faster cooling, and to make the leftovers really easy to grab-n-go (and reheat). This soup also freezes great, so once it’s completely chilled in the refrigerator you can transfer it to the freezer for long-term storage (about three months).
Chunky Lentil and Vegetable Soup
Servings 8 1.25 cups eachIngredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.32)
- 2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.50)
- ½ lb. carrots (3-4 carrots) ($0.55)
- 3 ribs celery ($0.80)
- 1 15oz. can black beans ($0.89)
- 1 cup brown lentils ($0.31)
- 1 tsp ground cumin ($0.10)
- 1 tsp dried oregano ($0.10)
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper ($0.02)
- Freshly ground black pepper ($0.05)
- 1 15oz. can petite diced tomatoes ($0.85)
- 4 cups vegetable broth* ($0.52)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
Instructions
- Mince the garlic and dice the onion. Sauté both in a large pot with olive oil over medium heat until the onions are tender. Meanwhile, slice the celery and peel and slice the carrots. Add the celery and carrots to the pot and continue to sauté for about 5 minutes more.
- Drain the can of black beans and add it to the pot along with the diced tomatoes (with juices), dry lentils, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and some freshly cracked pepper (10-15 cranks of a pepper mill). Finally, add the vegetable broth, and stir to combine.
- Increase the heat to medium high and allow the pot to come up to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to low, place a lid on top, and let it simmer for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, test the lentils to make sure they are tender. If not, continue to simmer until they are tender.**
- Taste the soup and add salt as needed (I added 1/2 tsp). Serve hot.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
Nutrition
A little dollop of sour cream is SO GOOD on this Chunky Lentil and Vegetable Soup.
How to Make Vegetable and Lentil Soup – Step by Step Photos
Mince two cloves of garlic and dice one onion. Sauté both in a large pot with 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat until the onions have softened.
While the garlic and onion are cooking, clean and slice 1/2 lb. (3-4 medium) carrots and 3 ribs celery. Add them to the pot and continue to cook for about 5 more minutes.
Most of my soups start with 1/2 lb. of carrots and 3-4 ribs of celery, so instead of just letting the other half of each go limp in the fridge, I go ahead and slice them up then freeze them for the next soup.
Once the carrots and celery have cooked a few minutes, add 1 cup dry brown lentils, one 15 oz. can black beans (drained), one 15oz. can diced tomatoes (with juices), 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, and some freshly ground black pepper (about 10-15 cranks of a pepper mill). Stir to combine.
And 4 cups of vegetable broth. Stir well. Increase the heat to medium-high and let it come up to a boil. When it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to low, place a lid on top, and let it simmer for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, test the lentils to make sure they are tender. If you have green or French lentils, they may need to simmer for 45 minutes or so to fully soften. Also taste the soup and add salt if desired (I added 1/2 tsp of salt). Now it’s ready to serve!
Just made this and I am in love. It is flavorful and filling. This was my first time cooking lentils and I can’t believe what I have been missing all these years. Another hit! Thank you Beth!
This is one of the best soups that I have ever made and eaten. We made the soup according to directions and the family ate the entire pot!
Whatever you are doing with these recipes, keep on doing it. All recipes on this site have been delicious. Happy cook/mom.
Looks delish! I’m not a huge fan if beans though, is there anything I could easily substitute the beans for? Maybe more lentils or Italian sausage?
Yep, you can do more lentils or use Italian sausage instead. If you go the Italian sausage route, it’s almost exactly like the Lentil & Sausage stew, which is amazing!
I’m on a cleanse right now and was SO HAPPY to see this recipe to liven up my meals. I added 1/2 cup frozen corn, used 3 fresh tomatoes instead of canned, and water instead of broth. Served on top of steaming brown rice. Incredibly yummy!!
oh dear. soup as a sauce for rice is something I wish I’d heard about earlier. not just tasty, but the rice complements the beans, giving you a filling high protein meal.
I have to make soup for 20 on Monday night for Tuesday at lunch. Do you think this would triple ok?
Yes, absolutely. I’d quadruple it just to be safe (leftovers can be frozen).
Thanks! I have one pot on the stove as a test drive. It smells fantastic!
I made this soup last night and ate leftovers for lunch today. I cannot BELIEVE how good it is. The only thing I changed was I dumped in a little shredded Parmesan cheese (and omitted extra salt because of that). Super hearty and great for eating while it’s so cold out.
Great soup recipe for a cold day! We doubled the veggies, added split peas in addition to the lentils, and added the garbanzo beans in addition to the black beans. So yummy…thank you!
This soup was delicious! I made it on a whim this afternoon since it was cold, I saw your email note pop through with the recipe and it fit my desire for comfort food and I had everything I needed in my kitchen. Amazing! :)
Amazing soup ! Just in time for the blizzard we are having right now , hubby enjoyed it after shoveling lots of snow!!!!
Hooray for soup! It’s definitely one of the highlights of winter. :) I love how simple & yet clearly warming & delicious this is, and the frozen pre-chopped veg are a great idea!
any idea why pinterest is having trouble with your site?
this looks wonderful, by the way.
Hmm, not sure. I have problems every now and then but it always seems to clear up on its own. :/
I had never thought about freezing the rest of the carrots and celery when making a soup… I will do that from now on! How long do they last in the freezer?
I try to use them up within about 3 months. This batch was just over 3 months and they were starting to get a bit dried out, but still tasted fine!
Do you blanche them first or freeze them raw? I’m sick of throwing out rotten veg. This is a brilliant idea!
I just freeze them raw. :)
So my bag of lentils (green) tells me to first boil them– I guess that’s part of this recipe, right?
Right, the boiling happens in the broth when it simmers for 30 minutes. You just need to make sure that you don’t turn the heat down so low that it stops bubbling/simmering. Also, green lentils are the type that generally take a bit longer (45 minutes or so), so you’ll just need to let it simmer a little longer. :)
This sounds and looks awesome and I will be making ASAP!! What a great way to eat a yummy soup with lots of beautiful vegetables and beans! I was wondering about doing it in a slow cooker too, if so this would be the perfect soup. Any thoughts?
Yes, this should be very easy to convert to a slow cooker. Just combine everything in the slow cooker and let it cook on high for about 4 hours. You definitely want the liquid simmering so that the lentils soften, so I think high is your best bet.
This sounds delicious! Do you think it could be done in a slow cooker?
I was thinking the same thing!
this could absolutely be done in a slow cooker. you can google “slow cooker vegetable and lentil soup” if you’re unsure of how long to cook it for, but I’d say follow the general rule of cooking on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 6-8.
looks like a great soup, Beth! hubs and I enjoyed your dragon noodles last week.
Yes, this should be very easy to convert to a slow cooker. Just combine everything in the slow cooker and let it cook on high for about 4 hours. You definitely want the liquid simmering so that the lentils soften, so I think high is your best bet.
First off, I discovered your site about a month ago, and I have fallen IN LOVE with it!! Your style of cooking is exactly like mine, and all of the recipes have been FANTASTIC!! Your ideas are great, and I can’t wait till the book comes out.
Second, I literally just took an inventory of my pantry, then went to your site….and THIS popped up. And I have EVERYTHING I need for this soup already!! I know what I will be making this weekend! Your recipes are a lifesaver. :)