Hearty Lentil Soup with Potatoes and Carrots

Name: Hearty Lentil Soup with Potatoes and Carrots
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 large (about 12 oz) (340 g) yellow onion, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice; 3 medium (about 10 oz) (285 g) carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice; 2 stalks (120 g) celery stalks, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice; 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 (about 10 oz) (290 g) brown lentils, rinsed and drained; 7 cups (1650 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth; 2 leaves (1 g) bay leaves; 1¼ lb (570 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed (peeling optional) and cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes; 1 teaspoon, plus more to taste (6 g) kosher salt; ½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 1½ tablespoons (22 ml) red wine vinegar or lemon juice; ¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A thick, comforting one-pot soup of brown lentils, tender potatoes and sweet carrots simmered in garlicky vegetable broth with thyme and bay. Finished with a splash of vinegar for brightness, it's budget-friendly and keeps beautifully for the week.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 55 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr 20 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
1 large (about 12 oz) (340 g) yellow onion, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice
3 medium (about 10 oz) (285 g) carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice
2 stalks (120 g) celery stalks, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice
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 (about 10 oz) (290 g) brown lentils, rinsed and drained
7 cups (1650 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth
2 leaves (1 g) bay leaves
1¼ lb (570 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed (peeling optional) and cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes
1 teaspoon, plus more to taste (6 g) kosher salt
½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
1½ tablespoons (22 ml) red wine vinegar or lemon juice
¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (optional)

Equipment (6)

5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) heavy-bottomed soup pot or stockpot with lid
Wooden spoon
Fine-mesh sieve
Chef's knife and cutting board
Ladle
Optional: immersion blender or standard blender

Steps

Before you start

This is a stovetop recipe; no oven is needed.
Rinse the lentils in a fine-mesh sieve under cold water and pick out any small stones or debris.
Chop all vegetables before you turn on the heat so the onion mixture doesn't scorch while you prep.
Use low-sodium broth if you can, so you can control the salt; lentils absorb a lot of seasoning.
Don't add the vinegar until the end; acid early can keep lentils and potatoes from softening.

1
Sauté the vegetables
- Set a 5- to 6-quart heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat and add the olive oil.
- When it shimmers, add the onion, carrots and celery with the 1 teaspoon salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 8 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is translucent and soft, with the edges just beginning to turn pale gold.
Tip: If the vegetables brown quickly, lower the heat; you want them soft and sweet, not dark.
2
Bloom aromatics
- Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, cumin and thyme.
- Cook, stirring constantly, for 1½ minutes.
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Ready when: The tomato paste darkens to brick red and the mixture smells fragrant and toasty.
Tip: Burnt garlic turns bitter; if the pot looks dry or sticky, add a splash of broth.
3
Add lentils and broth
- Add the rinsed lentils, broth, bay leaves and pepper.
- Scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits.
- Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil, about 6 minutes.
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Ready when: Large bubbles break across the whole surface.
4
Simmer the lentils
- Reduce the heat to medium-low so the soup simmers gently.
- Partially cover the pot with the lid and cook for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice.
- Skim off any foam that collects on top.
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Ready when: Lentils are starting to soften but still have a firm bite in the center.
Tip: A gentle simmer keeps the lentils intact; hard boiling makes them burst and turn muddy.
5
Add the potatoes
- Stir in the potatoes.
- Return to a gentle simmer, partially cover, and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally so nothing sticks to the bottom.
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Ready when: A potato cube yields easily to a fork and the lentils are completely tender and creamy inside, with no chalky center.
Tip: If the soup becomes too thick before the potatoes are tender, stir in ½ cup (120 ml) water or broth.
6
Thicken if desired
- Remove and discard the bay leaves.
- For a creamier body, blend about 1½ cups of the soup with an immersion blender by pulsing in a few spots in the pot (or blend that amount in a standard blender and return it to the pot), leaving most pieces whole.
- Skip this if you prefer a brothy soup.
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Ready when: The broth looks slightly thickened and creamy, with plenty of whole potato, carrot and lentil pieces remaining.
Tip: If using a standard blender, fill it no more than half full and vent the lid to let steam escape.
7
Season and brighten
- Stir in the vinegar.
- Taste and add more salt, about ¼ teaspoon at a time, until the flavors taste bright and full.
- Add a little more pepper if you like.
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Ready when: The soup tastes savory and lively rather than flat.
Tip: Low-sodium broth often needs a further ½ teaspoon of salt or more at this stage.
8
Rest and serve
- Take the pot off the heat and let it rest, covered, for 5 minutes so the soup thickens slightly.
- Ladle into bowls and top with chopped parsley and an extra drizzle of olive oil if you like.
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Ready when: Soup is thick but spoonable and no longer boiling hot.

Good to know

Tips

Cut the potatoes and carrots to a similar size so everything becomes tender at the same time.
Keep the simmer gentle; vigorous boiling breaks up the lentils and potatoes.
Season in stages: salt with the vegetables, then adjust at the end after the lentils have absorbed flavor.
Stir in a handful of baby spinach or chopped kale during the last 5 minutes for extra greens.

Make ahead

Make the soup up to 4 days ahead; the flavor improves overnight. Cool for no more than 1 hour at room temperature, then refrigerate. Add the vinegar and parsley after reheating if you want the brightest flavor.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: up to 5 days in an airtight container. Freezer: up to 3 months, though potatoes may soften slightly. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a pot over medium-low heat, stirring often, until steaming hot (165°F/74°C). Thin with water or broth as the soup thickens when chilled.

Substitutions

brown lentils → green lentils (French-style or du Puy). Same amount; they hold their shape even better and may need 5 extra minutes. Do not use red lentils, which dissolve.
Yukon Gold potatoes → red potatoes or sweet potatoes. Red potatoes hold shape well; sweet potatoes cook a few minutes faster and make the soup sweeter.
red wine vinegar or lemon juice → fresh lemon juice. Use the same amount for a brighter, citrusy finish.
low-sodium vegetable broth → water plus 1 vegetable bouillon cube per 2 cups. Add extra salt only if needed after tasting, as bouillon is salty.