Vegan Lentil Soup with Spinach

Name: Vegan Lentil Soup with Spinach
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 48 min
Total time: 1 h 3 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 large (about 2 cups) (250 g) yellow onion, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice; 2 medium (about 1 cup) (200 g) medium carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice; 2 stalks (about ¾ cup) (100 g) celery stalks, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced; 2 tablespoons (32 g) tomato paste; 1½ teaspoons (3 g) ground cumin; 1 teaspoon (2½ g) smoked paprika; 1 teaspoon (1 g) dried thyme; 1½ cups (300 g) dried brown lentils, rinsed and drained; 6 cups (1420 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth; 2 cups (475 ml) water; 2 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves; 1 teaspoon (6 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 5 ounces (about 5 packed cups) (140 g) baby spinach, roughly chopped; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about 1 lemon; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) red pepper flakes (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A hearty, one-pot brown lentil soup built on browned vegetables, tomato paste, cumin and smoked paprika, then finished with tender spinach and a splash of lemon. It's filling, naturally vegan and ready in about an hour.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 48 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr 8 min
Makes: About 9 cups (2.1 L), serves 6 as a main

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Ingredients

6 servings

2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 large (about 2 cups) (250 g) yellow onion, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice
2 medium (about 1 cup) (200 g) medium carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice
2 stalks (about ¾ cup) (100 g) celery stalks, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons (32 g) tomato paste
1½ teaspoons (3 g) ground cumin
1 teaspoon (2.5 g) smoked paprika
1 teaspoon (1 g) dried thyme
1½ cups (300 g) dried brown lentils, rinsed and drained
6 cups (1420 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth
2 cups (475 ml) water
2 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves
1 teaspoon (6 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
5 ounces (about 5 packed cups) (140 g) baby spinach, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about 1 lemon
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) red pepper flakes (optional)

Equipment (6)

5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) Dutch oven or heavy soup pot with lid
Chef's knife and cutting board
Fine-mesh sieve
Wooden spoon
Potato masher (optional, for a creamier body)
Ladle

Steps

Before you start

Rinse the lentils in a fine-mesh sieve under cold water and pick out any small stones or shriveled lentils.
Use a 5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) pot so the soup has room to simmer without boiling over.
Check your broth label: if it's very salty, hold back some of the added salt until the end.
Dice the vegetables to a similar size (about ½ inch / 1 cm) so they cook evenly.

1
Prep the vegetables
- Rinse the lentils in a fine-mesh sieve and drain well.
- Peel and dice the onion and carrots, dice the celery, mince the garlic, and roughly chop the spinach.
- Keep the garlic separate from the other vegetables since it goes in later.
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Ready when: Vegetables are in even ½-inch (1 cm) pieces and lentils are drained.
Tip: Uniform dice means the carrots and celery soften at the same rate as the onion.
2
Sauté the vegetables
- Heat the olive oil in a 5- to 6-quart pot over medium heat until it shimmers, about 1 minute.
- Add the onion, carrots and celery with ½ teaspoon of the salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 8 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is soft and translucent, with a few lightly golden edges, and the carrots have begun to soften.
Tip: If the vegetables start to brown too quickly, lower the heat to medium-low.
3
Bloom garlic and spices
- Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, cumin, smoked paprika, thyme and the red pepper flakes, if using.
- Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes so the tomato paste darkens slightly and the spices become fragrant.
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Ready when: The tomato paste turns brick red and the pot smells toasty and fragrant.
Tip: Keep stirring; garlic and ground spices scorch quickly and turn bitter.
4
Add lentils and liquid
- Add the rinsed lentils, vegetable broth, water and bay leaves.
- 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 5 minutes.
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Ready when: Large bubbles break steadily across the surface.
Tip: Don't add the spinach or lemon juice yet; acid and long cooking dull both the lentils' texture and the spinach's color.
5
Simmer until tender
- Reduce the heat to medium-low so the soup simmers gently, partially cover with the lid, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice.
- Skim off any foam that rises to the top.
- Taste a few lentils at 25 minutes.
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Ready when: Lentils are completely tender and creamy inside but still hold their shape; the carrots are soft when pierced with a fork.
Tip: If the soup looks thick before the lentils are tender, add ½ cup (120 ml) hot water.
6
Thicken the soup
- Remove and discard the bay leaves.
- Press a potato masher into the pot 8 to 10 times to break up about a quarter of the lentils and vegetables.
- Stir well.
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Ready when: The broth looks slightly creamy and thicker, with plenty of whole lentils still visible.
Tip: Skip the mashing if you prefer a brothier soup.
7
Wilt the spinach
- Stir in the chopped spinach in two or three handfuls.
- Raise the heat to medium and cook for 3 minutes, stirring, just until the leaves collapse.
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Ready when: Spinach is bright green, fully wilted and tender.
Tip: Don't cook the spinach longer or it turns dull olive and slimy.
8
Season and finish
- Turn off the heat.
- Stir in the lemon juice, the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and the black pepper.
- Taste and add more salt, a pinch at a time, until the flavors taste bright and balanced.
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Ready when: The soup tastes savory with a clear, fresh lemony lift.
Tip: Season at the end because broths vary widely in saltiness.
9
Rest and serve
- Let the soup rest off the heat, covered, for 5 minutes so the flavors settle and it thickens slightly.
- Ladle into bowls and serve hot.
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Ready when: Soup is steaming and no longer bubbling, with a spoon-coating body.

Good to know

Tips

Salt the vegetables early to help them release moisture and soften, but keep half the salt for the end so you can adjust.
Fresh lentils cook more evenly; if yours are old (over a year), they may need an extra 10 to 15 minutes of simmering.
Finish each bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, black pepper or crusty bread for a heartier meal.
The soup thickens as it cools; thin it with a splash of water or broth when reheating.

Make ahead

Make the soup through step 6 up to 4 days ahead and refrigerate. Reheat until simmering, then add the spinach, lemon juice and final seasoning just before serving for the best color and flavor.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Fridge: cool completely, then store in airtight containers for up to 5 days. Freezer: up to 3 months (leave ½ inch / 1 cm headspace). Reheat in a pot over medium-low heat, stirring often, until steaming hot throughout; thaw frozen soup overnight in the fridge first. Add a splash of water or broth as needed, since the soup thickens as it sits.

Substitutions

baby spinach → chopped kale or Swiss chard. Remove tough stems and stir in during the last 8 to 10 minutes of simmering, since they need longer to soften than spinach.
dried brown lentils → green lentils (French/Puy). They hold their shape even better; cook the same time or up to 5 minutes longer. Red lentils will break down and turn the soup mushy, so avoid them.
low-sodium vegetable broth → water plus 1 vegan bouillon cube per 2 cups. Reduce the added salt, since bouillon is salty.
fresh lemon juice → apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar. Use 1 tablespoon and add more to taste.