While our plant based January has officially ended, the obsession with whole foods and lots of veggies continues over here with this Healthy Lentil Vegetable Soup.
Often, when I talk to people who aren’t used to a primarily plant based diet, they wonder how food can really, truly feel hearty without meat. I can totally understand that sentiment but I love to prove them wrong with recipes like this lentil vegetable soup. The soup is vegan, gluten free and super filling thanks to the addition of french green lentils and a bit of potato. Served with a bit of crusty bread (and if you’re open to dairy), a slice of a rich, creamy cheese and you’ve got a hearty and healthy meal.
One of my favorite things about vegetable soup recipes is just how versatile they are. This particular lentil vegetable soup uses a classic onion, celery, and carrot base and then rounds things out with green beans, fire roasted tomato, and tender sweet corn. Not a fan of green beans? Try a bell pepper or some peas. Have a sweet potato you need to use up? Toss it in there! The soup is really forgiving and easily adjustable for dietary or taste preferences.
A note about lentils. Lentils are a complete nutritional powerhouse with protein, fiber, iron, and magnesium! They are also an affordable way to get plant based protein and tons of fiber into your diet. This recipe uses french green lentils, which have a slightly peppery taste and a great texture. I like to get mine at Trader Joe’s but Bob’s Red Mill also has great green lentils. You can substitute red lentils in this recipe, but note that the cooking time is much shorter so I would add them at the end (see here for more details on cooking with red lentils).
Our Healthy Lentil Vegetable Soup is perfect for weekend meal prep. It makes a huge batch and stores in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freezes well for 2 months.
Healthy Lentil Vegetable Soup (Vegan, GF, Dairy Free)
A hearty, healthy soup that perfect for meal prep or weekend cooking. This soup is packed with veggies and protein!
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small white onion, chopped
- 1 cup diced celery
- 2 cups diced carrots (about 6 sm/med carrots)
- 1 cup french green lentils
- 2 quarts vegetable stock
- 1 can (28 ounce) crushed fire roasted tomatoes (I like Muir Glen)
- 2 cups peeled, diced russet potatoes (approximately 2 medium)
- 1 cup frozen sweet corn
- 2 cups fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- fresh ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
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Heat a dutch oven or large stock pot ver medium-high heat. Add olive oil and warm gently.
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Sauté the onion, celery, and carrots until just softened, approximately 5 minutes.
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Add in the tomatoes and broth or stock stir gently to combine.
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Pour in the dry green lentils and bring to brief boil. Lower the heat and allow to gently simmer for about 20 minutes.
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Add in the green beans, corn, and potatoes. Continue to allow the mixture to simmer for an additional 20-25 minutes, until the lentils and potatoes are just tender.
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Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately. Drizzle with olive oil if desired.
Looking for more veggie forward meal options? Check out these recipes from our archives:
Curried Cauliflower Quinoa Salad
Asparagus with Pistachio Citrus Gremolata
Summer Vegetable Breakfast Burritos
Ok, this hands down one of the best lentil soup I have tried, it was so delicious and the added vegetables do wonders for the taste and texture of the recipe. Thank you very much.
We are so happy you liked it! Thank you!