Tomato Lentil Soup (Print Version)

A vibrant, nourishing soup with tangy tomato broth and protein-rich lentils for a wholesome meal.

# Ingredient List:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
02 - 2 medium carrots, diced
03 - 2 celery stalks, diced
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
06 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste

→ Lentils

07 - 1 cup dried brown or green lentils, rinsed

→ Liquids

08 - 5 cups vegetable broth
09 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Spices & Seasonings

10 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
11 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
13 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
14 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
15 - 1 bay leaf

→ Finishing Touches

16 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional
17 - Juice of 1/2 lemon

# Recipe Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion, carrots, and celery, sautéing for 5 minutes until vegetables soften.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add tomato paste, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried thyme, and black pepper. Stir constantly for 1 minute to activate spice flavors.
04 - Add diced tomatoes with their juice, rinsed lentils, vegetable broth, bay leaf, and salt. Stir thoroughly and bring mixture to a boil.
05 - Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer for 30 minutes until lentils reach desired tenderness.
06 - Remove bay leaf and stir in lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour and tastes like you spent all day on it.
  • One pot means less cleanup, which is genuinely half the battle on weeknight cooking.
  • High in protein and naturally vegan, so it disappears fast whether you're feeding yourself or a crowd.
02 -
  • Don't use red lentils unless you want soup, because they dissolve into a creamy situation; brown or green stay intact and give the soup actual texture.
  • The lemon juice at the end is not optional—it's what transforms it from good to the kind of soup people remember and ask about later.
03 -
  • Toast your spices in the pot before adding liquid—this step takes 60 seconds and transforms them from flat to dimensional.
  • Use good vegetable broth or your whole soup tastes only as interesting as your broth; it's that important.
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