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A cozy rustic lunch featuring vegetable soup with crusty bread and creamy spread

Recipes · Recipe

One-Pot Lentil Soup for Chilly Nights

A cozy, filling soup made with pantry staples. No soaking, one pot, lots of leftovers.

HealthStylz Kitchen
· 2 min read

Photo: Paul Seling

The short version

  • Lentils need no soaking. Just rinse and simmer.
  • Add a squeeze of lemon or tomatoes with the lentils.
  • Soup keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge.

Nutrition facts

What goes into the pot. One normal serving of each.

Fiber per serving

  1. Lentils1/2 cup cooked (99 g)7.8 g
  2. Carrots1 cup chopped (128 g)3.6 g
  3. Tomato1 medium (123 g)1.5 g
  4. Garlic3 cloves (9 g)0.2 g
  5. Olive oil1 tablespoon (13.5 g)0 g

Protein per serving

  1. Lentils1/2 cup cooked (99 g)8.9 g
  2. Carrots1 cup chopped (128 g)1.2 g
  3. Tomato1 medium (123 g)1.1 g
  4. Garlic3 cloves (9 g)0.6 g
  5. Olive oil1 tablespoon (13.5 g)0 g

Calories per serving

  1. Lentils1/2 cup cooked (99 g)114.8 cal
  2. Carrots1 cup chopped (128 g)52.5 cal
  3. Tomato1 medium (123 g)22.1 cal
  4. Garlic3 cloves (9 g)13.4 cal
  5. Olive oil1 tablespoon (13.5 g)119.3 cal

Source: USDA FoodData Central.

Prep 15 min Cook 40 min Serves 6

You'll need

How to make it

  1. Warm the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery. Cook 5 to 6 minutes, stirring, until they begin to soften.
  2. Stir in the garlic, cumin and paprika. Cook 1 minute.
  3. Add the lentils, tomatoes, broth and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to low.
  4. Cover partly and simmer 25 to 30 minutes, until the lentils are soft. Stir now and then. Add a splash of water if it gets too thick.
  5. Stir in the spinach or kale and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until wilted.
  6. Remove the bay leaf. Add the lemon juice, then taste and season with salt and pepper.
  7. Ladle into bowls. For a creamier soup, blend 2 cups of it and stir it back in.

When the weather turns cold, a pot of soup does more than fill you up. It makes the whole house feel warm. This lentil soup starts with a chopped onion, carrots and celery, then simmers with brown or green lentils and tomatoes until thick and hearty. Everything cooks in one pot, so cleanup is easy.

It also costs very little, and it makes enough for a few lunches. Serve it with a slice of whole-grain bread, or spoon it over rice.

Why lentils

Cleveland Clinic says lentils have a lot of protein, and protein helps you feel full. Lentils also have a low glycemic index, which means they affect blood sugar slowly. You do not need to soak dry lentils like many beans. Just rinse them and pick out any damaged ones. Red lentils cook in about 5 minutes. Other kinds need 20 minutes or more.

Cleveland Clinic also notes that vitamin C foods, such as tomatoes or bell peppers, may help your body take in the iron in lentils. The tomatoes in this soup help with that.

Go slow if beans upset your stomach

Lentil fiber can cause gas and cramping if you eat a lot, or if lentils are undercooked. Add them to your meals gradually, and cook them until soft. Lentil allergies are possible, especially if you react to chickpeas or other legumes.

Storing the soup

Cleveland Clinic says leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge, or 3 to 4 months in the freezer. The CDC says to divide hot food into shallow containers before chilling so it cools faster. Reheat leftovers to 165°F.

Where this comes from