Easy One Pot Lentil Soup
The sweet and savory spices, the vegetables and lentils, they all come together to create this delicious, classic soup. Pair with a crusty bread, like my Homemade Cuban Bread, and a side salad and you have yourself a meal.
I have always loved lentil soup. The spices, the vegetables, everything. It’s such a versatile dish. You can use a variety of different lentils, you can add meat or not, you can even add different vegetables to fit what you have on hand. The spices are what really make the dish though. I have created a unique and delicious spice profile for this soup that gives it just enough warmth and spiciness that I think you’ll really enjoy.
Ingredients
- Lentils brown, green, yellow- any color will do, though the French green lentils may be too firm for this soup.
- Broth or bouillon cubes vegetable or chicken will work.
- Onion any color onion will work in this recipe.
- Poblano Pepper Optional but so delicious! I love poblano pepper and if I can find a reason to use it in a dish, I will.
- Carrots/parsnips I used parsnips for a little different flavor. I put them in the food processor and just give it a few pulses. It doesn’t have to be too finely shredded.
- Celery I love the smell of celery when it’s being chopped, and I love the subtle flavor it adds.
- Tomatoes crushed works best in this recipe. Adds a bit of tomatoey-ness without going overboard.
- Garlic pressed or rough chopped per your preference. I love chunks of garlic so I did a rough chop.
- Spices Cumin, paprika, sumac, cloves, red pepper flakes smoky, sweet spices with a little bit of heat.
- Lemon zest just a bit to brighten it up.
- Ground Sausage meat is optional, but I think ground sausage goes really well in this dish.
Notes and Substitutions
How to Make Lentil Soup
If you’re using meat, cook that first. Once the sausage is mostly cooked through, add the poblano (if using) and the onion. Add the celery after the onion and poblano have cooked for about a minute. We aren’t necessarily sauteing them, just getting them a little bit soft.
Next, add the six cups of broth (or water and bouillon cube), carrots, spices, and tomatoes. Then add the lentils and lemon zest.
Bring to a boil and boil for five minutes. After boiling, let simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes or until lentils are soft. Pair with a my Easy Focaccia Bread and enjoy!
The Mighty Lentil
Part of the legume family, lentils are the edible seed of the lentil plant and come in a variety of colors and are served in dishes all over the world. They are low in calories (just 140 calories in 1/2 a cup) and fat (0.5 grams in 1/2 a cup) and high in protein (9 grams in 1/2 a cup). Lentils make a great meat substitute, with most varieties being relatively inexpensive.
Related Recipes
- Spicy Potato Soup with Kale and Sausage
- One Pot Leftover Carnitas Soup with Black Beans
- Homemade White Chicken Chili with Poblano
- One Pot Roasted Poblano Soup
Frequently Asked Questions
Lentil soup can be store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days, for freshest results.
Yes, it can. Let soup cool completely, then put into an airtight freezer safe container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Alternatively, you can also freeze it in freezer safe bags to save space. Just add to bags and lay flat in your freezer to freeze. Once completely frozen, you can stack them or stand them up for long term storage.
One Pot Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground sausage
- 1 cup lentils (brown, red, orange)
- 6 cups water
- 1 cube bouillon
- 3/4 cup onion, diced
- 1 cup carrots or parsnips, diced or shredded.
- 1 cup celery
- 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic, pressed or diced
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground sumac
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, if desired
Instructions
- In a large stock pot over medium heat, cook the ground sausage.
- Once the sausage has started to brown, add the 3/4 cup onion and 1/2 cup poblano pepper (if using). Let cook for 1 minute. Add the 1 cup of celery.
- Add 6 cups of broth, 1 cup of carrots/parsnips, 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes and spices. (2 teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon sumac, 1/4 teaspoon cloves, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes).
- Add 1 cup of lentils and 1 tablespoon of lemon zest.
- Bring soup to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes or until lentils are soft. If you like a bit firmer of a lentil, simmer for less time. You will want to check at the 10 minute mark to see how firm the lentils are.
- Enjoy with a nice crusty bread or toasted English muffin!
Notes
- Store soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
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