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A bowl of hearty lentil soup with herbs

Quick way to grow the best Lentil Soup in under 40 minutes. Lentil Soup

This recipe delivers a hearty and flavorful lentil soup in under 40 minutes, perfect for a quick and satisfying meal. It's packed with vegetables and healthy red lentils, making it both nutritious and delicious.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 300
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 1.5 cups red lentils
  • 6 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 2 medium carrots diced
  • 2 medium celery stalks diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 0.5 teaspoon coriander
  • 0.5 teaspoon turmeric
  • 0.25 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 0.5 teaspoon salt
  • 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 cups fresh spinach

Equipment

  • large pot
  • Dutch oven
  • measuring cups and spoons

Method
 

Cooking Steps
  1. Rinse red lentils thoroughly under cold water and set aside.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, then add diced onion, carrots, and celery and sauté until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
  3. Stir in minced garlic, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and red pepper flakes; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Add rinsed lentils, vegetable broth, and diced tomatoes to the pot, then bring the mixture to a boil.
  5. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until lentils are tender.
  6. Stir in fresh spinach and cook until it wilts, about 2-3 minutes.
  7. Season with salt and black pepper to taste, then serve hot.

Notes

For extra flavor, you can add a bay leaf during simmering and remove it before serving. A squeeze of lemon juice at the end can brighten the flavors. This soup can be made ahead of time and reheats well, making it perfect for meal prep.