Vegan Red Lentil Tomato Soup
An Italian lentil soup recipe featuring tender lentils in a tomato-y broth that's easy to make in 30 minutes and a great way to include nutritious lentils in your diet.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil use water or broth for oil-free
- 1 medium white or yellow onion diced
- 5 cloves garlic minced or grated (about 3 tbsp)
- 3 medium carrots peeled and diced (approx. 1.5 cups)
- 4 stalks of celery diced (approx. 1.5 cups)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp ground thyme
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes optional
- 5-6 cups of vegetable stock
- 1 cup uncooked red lentils
- 1 28- oz can of diced tomatoes with the juices
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- sea salt and additional pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat Oil: Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. If you're not using oil, just add the onion with 1-2 tbsp water or broth.
- Saute Onion: Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring often.
- Add Fresh Veggies: Add the garlic, celery and carrot and cook for another 3-4 minutes until softened, stirring often.
- Add Seasonings: Add the pepper, dried herbs, red pepper flakes, if using, and the bay leaf. Cook for 1 minute while stirring.
- Add Liquids and Simmer: Add 5 cups of the stock, red lentils and diced tomatoes and bring to a light simmer. Start with 5 cups of broth and if needed, slowly add a bit more broth or up to a cup of water as it cooks to adjust the thickness. Simmer lightly, uncovered, until the lentils are tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- Season and Serve: Season with salt and additional pepper, to taste, and add a squeeze of lemon juice. Remove the bay leaves and serve right away.
Notes
Make the recipe oil-free by omitting the oil and sautéing the veggies in broth or water.
This recipe works with brown or green lentils but will require a slightly longer cooking time and have a firmer texture in the final soup.
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/6th of recipe | Calories: 193kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 3g | Sodium: 138mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 6g