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Comforting Quick Vegetable Soup with Lentils

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Easy & Fast Vegetable Lentil Soup Recipe

Healthy, Hearty, and Versatile

I found some green beans ready to harvest while I was in my garden this morning. Unfortunately, I do not have a lot of green bean plants, so I only harvested a handful. However, my harvest inspired me to make this amazing quick vegetable soup with lentils. With or without the beans, this quick vegetable soup with lentils is fantastic and it’s a great healthy soup to make while multitasking. There’s no need to buy canned soup full of additives when you can quickly make a soup like this!

I like to make a batch of this soup while doing chores or working and then eat it throughout the week for lunches. Topped with olive oil and parmesan cheese I serve the soup with a slice of sourdough toast. And throughout my work week, I’ll have a cup with a sandwich on the side.

Each time I make this soup it looks a little different. That’s the beauty of cooking for yourself. Sometimes I put large chunks of vegetables in the broth and other times I chop them small. Often I go heavy on the lentils. Most of the time I use what I have on hand. The quick vegetable soup with lentils recipe below provides the backbone and you can go from there.

Ingredients for Vegetable and Lentil Soup

Why Red Lentils for This Soup?

l chose red lentils for this soup because they cook quickly (15 minutes), break down and somewhat disappear into the background while providing a soft texture. Lentils are loaded with protein and fiber. You could use another type of lentil but it will take slightly longer to cook and add more chew to your bite. Red lentils are a superstar ingredient and are packed with fiber and protein.

Mirepoix = Base & Broth Flavor

Carrots, celery, and onions create a flavorful broth for the soup and are also loaded with nutrition and fiber. By not sauteeing the vegetables first you save some effort and the flavors leach into the sauce as they cook and soften.

vegetable ingredients laid out next to bowl of lentil soup

Greens = Interesting & Healthy

I added green beans to the soup today because I had them. Green beans give a sweet and savory flavor to the broth and add a nice extra texture to each bite of soup. Tomorrow I plan to add a handful of mixed mild Asian greens to this vegetable soup to give it some new life. Any mild green such as kale, spinach, or chard will work nicely. Beet or turnip greens would be a nice addition as well.

Vegetable Lentil Soup Spices

Beyond salt and pepper, I added a few other spices to bring this soup to life. Cumin adds depth and marries the vegetables together, smoked paprika also provides a meaty deepness to the soup and bay is always a welcome addition to any brothy soup. I also decided to add thyme to give the lentil soup a herby edge as lentils and thyme go well together. You could substitute rosemary for the thyme but use less because it is more potent. Topping the soup with basil would also be a nice addition.

Quick Finishing Touches for Vegetable Soup with Lentils

This quick vegetable soup with lentils begs to be topped with grated parmesan and a nice extra virgin olive oil. Without the oil and cheese, the soup lacks fat. I feel it needs the umami-style fatty ingredients to add unctuousness. You could also add a parmesan rind to the vegetable soup while it cooks to impart more flavor.

bowl of steaming lentil vegetable soup topped with parmesan shavings next to Parmesan and olive oil bottle on a wooden table

Quick Lentil Soup Recipe

This quick vegetable soup with lentils recipe came together effortlessly. Chop the ingredients and put everything in the pot to cook together. This is one of those soups where you don’t need to measure ingredients. I put in a few handfuls of vegetables, red lentils, and pinches of spices. You’re making the broth as you go so make sure to season well with salt otherwise the soup will be bland.

While the soup cooks I tend to multi-task by completing an item on my to-do list. My intention for this soup is usually to make a large batch and eat it for lunches in days to come. It pairs well with a slice of sourdough toast or a sandwich. Or a crunchy sourdough breadstick.

As the days get cooler I plan to make this often as it’s so simple, easy, and delicious.

close up of vegetable lentil soup in a bowl on a wooden table

Quick Vegetable Soup with Lentils

This soup is simple and easy and can be made while multitasking. Chop up vegetables, put them in a pot with some water and a few handfuls of red lentils and tomatoes, and let it simmer for 20-30 minutes. This makes a batch of soup that's perfect for lunches. Versatile, nutrient-dense, and comforting–this soup is a winner. Double the recipe if you want soup for the whole week.
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Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian
Keyword: adaptable, batch cooking, comfort, healthy, high fiber, vegetables, versatile
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 2
Calories: 235kcal
Author: juiceofsevenlemons

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup onion diced
  • 1/4 cup carrot diced
  • 1/4 cup celery diced
  • 1/2 tablespoon garlic sliced or minced
  • 1/4 cup green beans diced
  • 2 tomatoes diced
  • 1/2 cup red lentils
  • 4 cups water
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 sprigs thyme
  • 1/2 lemon
  • 3 tablespoons parsley chopped
  • parmesan cheese for topping
  • extra virgin olive oil for topping

Instructions

  • Chop your vegetables and add to a medium saucepan.
  • Top the vegetables with a few cups of water.
  • Add a few handfuls of red lentils.
  • Add salt, pepper, and seasonings including thyme (wait to top with parsley at the end)
  • Bring to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
  • Remove from the heat, taste for seasoning, squeeze half a lemon into the broth, and stir in the chopped parsley.
  • Ladle into a bowl and serve warm topped with more parsley, parmesan, and olive oil.

Notes

  • Portions: This makes two large bowls of soup or four small cups. I love to make this soup at the beginning of the week and eat it for lunch daily—either on its own with a slice of sourdough bread or a sandwich. Double the recipe if you want to eat more than one cup of soup a day for the week or are serving more people.
  • Toppings: The extra virgin olive oil and parmesan add depth of flavor to the soup and round out the flavors. Without the oil and cheese, the soup lacks fat. I feel it needs them to add some unctuousness.
  • Additions: I like to add greens to the soup later in the week as a nutrient and flavor boost. You could also add greens to the original soup.
  • Lentil Type: I like to use red lentils because they cook quickly, break down and somewhat disappear into the background of the soup while providing a nice soft texture. You could use another type of lentil but it will take slightly longer to cook and add more chew to your bite.

Nutrition

Serving: 763g | Calories: 235kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4.3g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 500mg | Potassium: 500mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 6700IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 3.5mg

More Soup?

Along with my quick vegetable soup with lentils, I have a few more healthy soups and stew recipes on the site. Nothing beats a warm bowl of soup on a cold day!

Minestrone Soup with Tortellini
This Minestrone Soup with Tortellini is comforting and adaptable. Optional Parmesan rind brings depth of flavor to the broth. Use seasonal veggies and your favorite tortellini filling. A nourishing one-pot wonder you can customize to your heart's content.
Check out this recipe
photo of bowl of minestrone soup with tortellini topped with parmesan and olive oil
Quick Vegetable Soup with Lentils
This soup is simple and easy and can be made while multitasking. Chop up vegetables, put them in a pot with some water and a few handfuls of red lentils and tomatoes, and let it simmer for 20-30 minutes. This makes a batch of soup that's perfect for lunches. Versatile, nutrient-dense, and comforting–this soup is a winner. Double the recipe if you want soup for the whole week.
Check out this recipe
close up of vegetable lentil soup in a bowl on a wooden table
Texas-Inspired Chili WITH Beans
A hearty and flavorful chili inspired by Texas traditions, with a variety of chili powder, spices, and yes, even beans. If you are a purist, you can choose not to include beans. Texas chili embraces local ingredients and traditions and is resourceful and adaptable. Use what you have on hand. Like many soups and stews, this recipe is even better the next day after the flavors further have time to develop and infuse. Make a double batch and freeze some for a future meal.
Check out this recipe
photo of bowl of Texas inspired chili with beans topped with corn chips and avocados

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