Vegan Vegetable Lentil Soup
Don’t settle for canned soup; homemade is so much better – and saves cans, too! Plus, this one-pot Vegan Vegetable Lentil Soup recipe is so easy to make and tastes so good, it’s undoubtedly going to become a family favorite! If you’re willing to share, that is…
I’ve been on a crazy Lentil Soup kick lately… I must have had it for lunch at least 3-4 times a week for the past 2 months…
Only, I’d made it a habit of eating it from a can — yes, yes, really: straight out of a can! — which I would buy by the case at Costco. Surprisingly, despite the overall mushiness and “overcookedness” (I totally just made up that word) of the lentils, the soup is still decent enough to keep me coming back for more. But then I started thinking about all the waste that I was generating, between the cans themselves and the cardboard box that held all the cans together.
So I thought hey, why not make a big batch of homemade lentil soup on the week-end instead and have it last me all week, if I’m going to eat this much Lentil Soup? Not only is my soup going to taste that much better, but I’m also going to save all this waste, too! Not to mention be done with the mushy lentils!
And so I went through with this plan and figured I would log the recipe, while I was at it… because I get the feeling I’ll be making this soup time and time again! Indeed, this homemade version is so good, I may very well find myself eating it every day, now!
Or well, at least for a couple more weeks, or months!
To make the soup, start by placing a large pot over medium-high heat and to it, add a few tablespoons of olive oil (or other cooking oil of your choice) followed by the onion, celery, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook until slightly softened and fragrant, about 3-5 minutes.
Then, add the carrots, potatoes and brown lentils to the pot and stir to coat…
Next, add the vegetable broth, water, oregano, onion powder, smoked paprika, cumin and coriander and stir well. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot.
Simmer gently until the lentils are tender and cooked to your liking, about 25-30 minutes.
As you can see, I like my soups on the thick and consistent side, but if you prefer yours with more broth, feel free to add more water or vegetable broth as needed.
Once the soup is cooked to your liking, kill the heat and stir in the chopped cilantro.
If cilantro wasn’t your thing, feel free to use parsley instead, or even chopped spinach, kale or arugula… Likewise, feel free to add more, or less, to suit your needs.
Adjust seasoning as needed and serve your lentil soup while it’s still piping hot!
Of course, leftovers reheat super well and will keep for several days in the fridge – without those lentils going mushy on you. Trust me, you won’t regret having made this big batch!
Vegan Vegetable Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 1-2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-1/2 tsp salt, I use Himalayan salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 medium carrots, cut into small dice
- 2 medium potatoes, cut into small dice
- 2 cups dried brown lentils
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 4 cups water
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, plus extra to garnish
Instructions
- Place a large pot over medium-high heat and to it, add a few tablespoons of olive oil (or other cooking oil of your choice) followed by the onion, celery, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook until slightly softened and fragrant and then add the carrots, potatoes and brown lentils. Stir to coat well and then add the vegetable broth, water, oregano, onion powder, smoked paprika, cumin and coriander and stir well.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot; simmer gently until the lentils are cooked through, about 25-30 minutes.
- Kill the heat and stir in the chopped cilantro; adjust seasoning as needed and serve without delay.
Nutrition
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3 Comments on “Vegan Vegetable Lentil Soup”
Hi Sonia, this recipe is so good and easy to make. I’ll be enjoying my lunches this week. Thank you! I’ve made several of your recipes and have enjoyed all of them.
Thank you Cathie! That’s very kind of you to say. 🙂
I love it , we often make this recipe,, thanks.