Hearty Lentil and Vegetable Soup (Printable Version)

Tender lentils and roasted vegetables come together in this hearty, nourishing soup perfect for any occasion.

# 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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. 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.
02 - 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.
03 - 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.
04 - Remove bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and lemon juice as desired.
05 - Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like you fussed over it for hours, but you'll be eating within 60 minutes flat.
  • The roasted vegetables give you this caramelized richness that makes the whole pot feel luxurious without any fancy ingredients.
  • One pot, endless flexibility—swap vegetables based on what's in your kitchen without changing a thing about the soul of the soup.
02 -
  • Do not skip the roasting step—boiling vegetables straight into broth creates a flat, tired soup, but roasting them first gives you caramelization and depth that makes all the difference.
  • The lentils will continue to soften slightly even after you turn off the heat, so if they're already tender at 25 minutes, stop there or you'll end up with mushiness.
03 -
  • Use a good quality vegetable broth because it becomes the foundation of everything—cheap broth makes cheap-tasting soup, and there's no way around it.
  • Don't be afraid of the smoked paprika; it sounds like a fancy ingredient but it's just regular paprika with a campfire smell, and it's what makes people ask for your recipe.
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