Hearty Green Lentil Soup with Vegetables

Name: Hearty Green Lentil Soup with Vegetables
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1½ cups (210 g) yellow onion, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice (about 1 large onion); 1½ cups (190 g) carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice (about 3 medium); 1 cup (100 g) celery stalks, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice (about 3 stalks); 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced; 2 tablespoons (32 g) tomato paste; 1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cumin; 1 teaspoon (1 g) dried thyme; 1½ cups (300 g) dried green lentils (French-style or brown), rinsed and drained; 14½ ounces (1 can) (411 g) canned diced tomatoes, with their juices; 6 cups (1420 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth; 2 whole (1 g) bay leaves; 1½ teaspoons (6 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 3 cups (90 g) baby spinach, roughly chopped, packed; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) red wine vinegar, plus more to taste; ¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, for serving (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A thick, savory stovetop soup of tender green lentils, carrot, celery, onion, tomato and garlic, simmered in one pot with thyme and bay and brightened with a splash of vinegar. No soaking required.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 50 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr 15 min
Makes: About 9 cups (2.1 liters), 6 generous bowls

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Ingredients

6 servings

3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1½ cups (210 g) yellow onion, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice (about 1 large onion)
1½ cups (190 g) carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice (about 3 medium)
1 cup (100 g) celery stalks, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice (about 3 stalks)
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons (32 g) tomato paste
1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cumin
1 teaspoon (1 g) dried thyme
1½ cups (300 g) dried green lentils (French-style or brown), rinsed and drained
14½ ounces (1 can) (411 g) canned diced tomatoes, with their juices
6 cups (1420 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth
2 whole (1 g) bay leaves
1½ teaspoons (6 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
3 cups (90 g) baby spinach, roughly chopped, packed
1 tablespoon (15 ml) red wine vinegar, plus more to taste
¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, for serving (optional)

Equipment (6)

5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 liter) heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven with lid
Fine-mesh sieve
Chef's knife and cutting board
Wooden spoon
Ladle
Measuring cups and spoons

Steps

Before you start

Rinse the lentils in a fine-mesh sieve and pick out any small stones or shriveled lentils.
Chop all vegetables before turning on the heat so the sauté goes smoothly.
Use a 5- to 6-quart pot; the lentils nearly double in volume and the soup thickens as it stands.
Salt is added in stages: some early for flavor, the rest at the end, so you can adjust to your broth's saltiness.

1
Heat the oil
- Set a 5- to 6-quart pot over medium heat and add the olive oil.
- Let it heat for about 1 minute until it flows easily and shimmers.
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Ready when: Oil shimmers and moves like water across the pot
2
Sauté the vegetables
- Add the onion, carrot and celery with ½ teaspoon of the salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onion is translucent and soft and the carrots are slightly tender at the edges.
- Do not let them brown.
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Ready when: Onion is translucent and soft; vegetables smell sweet
Tip: If the vegetables begin to brown, lower the heat to medium-low.
3
Toast aromatics and paste
- Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, cumin and thyme.
- Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes until the tomato paste darkens to a brick red and the spices smell fragrant.
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Ready when: Paste turns brick red and the garlic smells fragrant, not burnt
Tip: Garlic scorches fast and turns bitter; keep stirring.
4
Add lentils and liquid
- Add the rinsed lentils, canned tomatoes with their juices, broth, bay leaves and black pepper.
- Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
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Ready when: Mixture comes to a full boil with bubbles across the surface
5
Simmer until tender
- Reduce the heat to medium-low so the soup simmers gently, with small bubbles breaking the surface.
- Partially cover with the lid and cook for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender all the way through but still hold their shape.
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Ready when: A lentil mashes easily between two fingers with no chalky center
Tip: Add salt only after the lentils are tender if your broth is very salty; adding a lot early can slow softening.
6
Add the spinach
- Remove and discard the bay leaves.
- Stir in the spinach a handful at a time and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until fully wilted and bright green.
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Ready when: Spinach is dark green and completely wilted
7
Season and brighten
- Stir in the vinegar and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt.
- Taste and add more salt, pepper or vinegar until the flavors taste bright and balanced.
- If the soup is thicker than you like, stir in ½ cup (120 ml) water or broth.
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Ready when: Soup tastes savory and lively, not flat
Tip: Vinegar at the end lifts the flavor; add it off the heat for the brightest taste.
8
Rest and serve
- Take the pot off the heat, cover, and let it rest for 5 minutes so the flavors meld and the soup thickens slightly.
- Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with parsley, if using.
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Ready when: Soup is thick and spoonable, steaming hot

Good to know

Tips

Rinse lentils well, but don't soak them; green lentils cook evenly without soaking.
Keep the simmer gentle. A hard boil bursts the lentils and makes the soup mushy.
For a creamier texture, blend 2 cups of soup with an immersion blender or in a regular blender (vent the lid), then stir it back in.
The soup thickens as it sits; thin with water or broth when reheating.

Make ahead

"Make the soup through step 7 up to 4 days ahead and refrigerate. The flavor improves overnight. Reheat gently and thin with a splash of water or broth."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Refrigerator: up to 5 days in an airtight container. Freezer: up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers, leaving 1 inch of headspace. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring often, adding water or broth to loosen."

Substitutions

low-sodium vegetable broth → Chicken broth. Use low-sodium chicken broth for a non-vegetarian version; the cooking time is unchanged.
baby spinach → Chopped kale. Use 3 cups stemmed kale and add it with 10 minutes of simmering left so it softens.
red wine vinegar → Fresh lemon juice. Use 1 tablespoon (15 ml) and add it at the end.
dried green lentils (French-style or brown) → Brown lentils. Brown lentils are softer; check them at 25 minutes. Do not use red lentils, which break down completely.