The best lentil soup
This soup is literally the best lentil soup you have ever had. It is tasty, nutritious and filling. Plus it's super easy to make and quick for a scratch recipe made with dried legumes. Lentils are the perfect texture and have a mild, earthy flavor. They are complimented by the flavorful sweet potatoes, carrots and butternut squash. The crushed tomatoes give a nice tang to the broth and the simple seasonings really bring out the comfort. This is the perfect Saturday recipe, when you have a little extra time to cook and you can enjoy this all weekend. Eat a bowl with some crusty bread or a grilled cheese sandwich for the ultimate vegan comfort food.
What are lentils?
Lentils are a type of legume that is sometimes called a pulse. They are high in protein and fiber and also a good source of non-heme (non animal) iron. Lentils do not need to be soaked overnight and cook much quicker than beans. Lentils have a mild earthy flavor and a soft texture that makes them a very versatile ingredient. They are cheap and easy to cook. That is why they make great soup and they are the star of this "the best lentil soup" recipe.
Ingredients for The Best Lentil Soup
The ingredients for this epic vegan soup are so basic. You can find them year round. They are affordable and nutritious.
- lentils
- water
- olive oil
- onion
- garlic
- carrots
- sweet potatoes
- butternut squash
- crushed tomatoes
- italian seasoning
- salt
- black pepper
How to Make The Best Lentil Soup
This recipe is an easy cook. I like to sauté my veggies as I think it imparts a superior flavor profile but if you prefer to just throw all the ingredients in a pot and boil them, it will still taste good.
- Rinse the lentils in cold water to then add to a large pot with water and bring to a boil set a timer for 25 minutes.
- In a large sauté pan over medium heat add olive oil, onion and garlic and cook until fragrant about 5 minutes.
- Add carrots, butternut and sweet potatoes, season with salt and cook for 5 minutes stirring often.
- Add contents of sauté pan to boiling lentils then cover to cook until timer set in step one goes off.
- Check lentils, if soft, add canned tomatoes if not, wait another 5-10 minutes then add them.
- Add italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Taste for salt and adjust. Simmer for 10 minutes. The soup is ready when all veggies are fork tender and the lentils are soft.
Other vegan soup recipes
The Best Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound lentils dry
- 10 cups water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 carrots chopped
- 2 sweet potatoes peeled and diced
- 1 cup butternut squash cubed
- 1 large can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tbsp italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt plus more to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the lentils in cold water to then add to a large pot with water and bring to a boil set a timer for 25 minutes.
- In a large sauté pan over medium heat add olive oil, onion and garlic and cook until fragrant about 5 minutes.
- Add carrots, butternut and sweet potatoes, season with salt and cook for 5 minutes stirring often.
- Add contents of sauté pan to boiling lentils then cover to cook until timer set in step one goes off.
- Check lentils, if soft, add canned tomatoes if not, wait another 5-10 minutes then add them.
- Add italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Taste for salt and adjust. Simmer for 10 minutes. The soup is ready when all veggies are fork tender and the lentils are soft.
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