Lentil and Vegetable Soup (Printable version)

Hearty lentils with roasted vegetables in a savory broth. Ready in 60 minutes, serves four.

# What You'll Need:

→ Lentils

01 - 1 cup dried green or brown lentils, rinsed

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
03 - 2 celery stalks, diced
04 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Broth & Seasoning

10 - 6 cups vegetable broth
11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
14 - 1 bay leaf
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Finishing

16 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional
17 - Juice of ½ lemon, optional

# How To Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F
02 - Toss carrots, celery, zucchini, bell pepper, and cherry tomatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes until lightly caramelized
03 - Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute
04 - Stir in rinsed lentils, roasted vegetables, vegetable broth, thyme, oregano, smoked paprika, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes until lentils are tender
05 - Remove bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and lemon juice as desired
06 - Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Roasting the veggies adds a deep caramelized sweetness that makes the broth taste like it simmered for hours.
  • It is incredibly forgiving allowing you to toss in whatever wilted greens or squash are lingering in your fridge.
02 -
  • Adding salt too early can sometimes make the lentil skins tough so wait until they are soft before the final seasoning.
  • The soup thickens significantly as it sits so keep a little extra broth handy for leftovers.
03 -
  • A tiny splash of balsamic vinegar can substitute for lemon if you want a deeper tang.
  • Double the roasted vegetables and save half for salads later in the week.
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