There’s nothing quite as comforting as a pot of soup simmering away on the stove top when it’s cold and wintry outside. The smell alone warms me from the inside out. This week I was craving a simple vegetable forward soup, so I whipped up this really easy Tomato Lentil Soup. I’ve been enjoying the leftovers for days, sometimes with a grilled cheese on the side. :)
What Does Tomato Lentil Soup Taste Like?
This soup kind of tastes like a traditional vegetable soup, but with a slightly more tomato-y broth, plus a little earthiness from the lentils. It’s super hearty and comforting, which is exactly what I love about a good bowl of soup in the winter!
What Kind of Lentils Should I Use?
Lentils can be confusing, especially since there isn’t a lot of consistency in labeling in the United States. I used a basic brown lentil, which has a drab brown-olive color and cooks with about 20 minutes of simmering. Sometimes these lentils are labeled “green lentils” sometimes just “lentils” so to be sure you have the right kind, check the cooking instructions on the package. It should say to simmer for about 20 minutes, not 45 minutes.
I do not suggest using a red, orange, or yellow lentil for this soup because they break down too easily and you’ll end up with something more along the lines of a lentil porridge than a lentil soup. :) (It would probably still taste good, though!)
How are the Leftovers?
One of the reasons I love soup is because they almost always make great leftovers, and this soup is no exception. The leftovers will stay good in the fridge for about 4-5 days, or you can freeze it for longer storage. I always suggest dividing the soup into single portions just after cooking so it cools down more quickly in the refrigerator, which will give you more longevity with the leftovers. Once cooled you can transfer some to the freezer for later!
Tomato Lentil Soup
Servings 6 1.5 cups eachIngredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.32)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.32)
- 3 carrots ($0.42)
- 2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
- 1 russet potato (about 1 lb.) ($0.60)
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste ($0.10)
- 2 15oz. cans stewed tomatoes ($1.18)
- 1 cup brown lentils ($0.67)
- ½ tsp paprika ($0.10)
- ½ tsp dried basil ($0.10)
- ½ tsp dried oregano ($0.10)
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper ($0.03)
- 4 cups vegetable broth ($0.52)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce ($0.12)
Instructions
- Dice the onion, mince the garlic, and slice the carrots (I like smaller pieces for this recipe, so I do a quarter round slice). Add the onion, garlic, carrots, and olive oil to a large soup pot and sauté over medium heat until the oniosn are soft. While the vegetables are cooking, peel and dice the potato into ½-inch cubes.
- Add the tomato paste and continue to sauté for 2-3 minutes, or until the tomato paste begins to coat the bottom of the pot.
- Add the cubed potato, stewed tomatoes (with juices), lentils, paprika, basil, oregano, pepper, and vegetable broth to the pot. Stir to combine.
- Place a lid on top and allow the soup to come up to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and let the soup simmer for about 40 minutes or until the lentils are super tender and have begun to break down slightly (this helps thicken the soup).
- Add the soy sauce to the soup, then give it a taste and adjust the salt if needed (the total amount will depend on the salt content of your vegetable broth). Serve hot with crusty bread for dipping.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Nutrition
How to Make Tomato Lentil Soup – Step by Step Photos
Dice one onion, mince two cloves of garlic, and slice three carrots. I like to do smaller pieces of carrot for this soup, so I cut the slices into quarter rounds. Add the onion, carrot, and garlic to a large soup pot with 2 Tbsp olive oil. Sauté over medium until the onions are soft. While the carrot and onion are sautéing, peel and dice one russet potato into ½-inch cubes.
Add 2 Tbsp tomato paste and continue to sauté for a few more minutes, or until the tomato paste begins to coat the bottom of the pot.
Add the cubed potato, two 15oz. cans of stewed tomatoes (with juices), 1 cup lentils (not cooked), ½ tsp paprika, ½ tsp dried basil, ½ tsp dried oregano, ¼ tsp pepper, and 4 cups vegetable broth.
Stir everything to combine. Place a lid on top and bring the soup up to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 40 minutes, or until the lentils are very soft and have begun to break down a bit.
After simmering the soup, stir in 2 Tbsp soy sauce. Taste the soup and adjust the salt if needed (this will depend on the salt content of your broth. I did not add any in addition to the soy sauce).
Serve hot with some crusty bread for dipping! (I garnished with a little parsley for color, but it’s not needed to flavor this soup.)
This soup is delicious as written and yet so versatile! I added celery (to use it up), red wine, potato flakes (didn’t have enough lentils), and leftover sausage. My family loved it!
Thank you for a great soup!
I make this soup like once a week now! It’s so delicious, cheap, and easy. The ingredients are usually things I have on hand, but I’ve also made it a few times without tomato paste, and with normal diced tomatoes and it’s still pretty similar tasting. Lentils and potatoes make this super filling too.
Sounds great but need to get stewed tomatoes! Having trouble printing!
Made this soup tonight and it was a hit with the whole family. It has such a great flavor profile. I served it with garlic naan from the frozen section. 100% will make again.
MADE THIS SOUP 3 TIMES ALREADY. IT IS SO EASY AND TASTE GREAT.
sembra buona
This was really good. How would you modify the recipe for the one pot?
This was made with only one pot. :)
I think Mary may be asking about an instant pot, not a “one pot”.
Oh, if you’re asking about the Instant Pot, I would probably just try to use the soup function. :) I haven’t tested it, but that’s what I’d try first.
Looks great! Just wondering, would canned lentils work for this? I think I have all the ingredients in the ol’ pantry excepttttt I have canned brown lentils instead of dry!!
Thanks in advance :^)
Canned lentils are already cooked, so they won’t absorb any liquid. For that reason, you’ll want to reduce the broth some and you won’t need to simmer as long. )
I made it exactly as is (with the stewed tomatoes). Really tasty for something so simple, and a great pantry meal.
Diced unpeeled Yukon Gold potatoes and used low-sodium soy sauce. The soy sauce finish nicely distinguishes this from ordinary tomato-based soups.
Loved this soup. Thanks for the recipe! Doubled up on the veggies, added chopped celery, and cooked the lentils separately, which worked well. No need for the soy sauce. Tasty and delicious! Will be making this again.
Amazing!! I love this recipe and have made it twice! I add chicken and use the same spices to season it to add more protein but the flavours are sooo good and this is definitely a new staple!
Beautiful! Added a little extra broth because my lentils soaked up too much liquid.
I will definitely make this again. Easy, tasty, and made my house smell amazing.
Such a big fan of this recipe!!