Alright… I maybe a little soup obsessed. From my Tortellini soup, Italian wedding soup, Chicken Noodle Soup… the soup list could go on & on from my blog. I just truly think soups are the BEST! What I love about prepping soups you can prep one over the weekend to have for later dinners. I love freezing portions for individual lunches & I love how healthy they can be, while being very filling. This Nutritious and Easy Vegetable Lentil Soup is NO exception! It is one for the books. Truly, I would eat this vegetable soup over a lot of things this winter, it just hits the spot. Now how it came to be was from a little pantry purge.
From Pantry Purge to Nutritious and Easy Vegetable Lentil Soup
This soup was inspired by my pantry purge. If you were following along last week, I was saying how I was going to be doing all my meals based on things that I already have in pantry. I always check what we have before we go to the store, but I just feel like things get pushed aside & never used! SO that is where this comes in! We had a big bag of lentils & so this soup came to life. I am not kidding when I tell you… WE.. CAN.. NOT.. GET.. ENOUGH. The spices are just perfection & lentils are packed with great health benefit– they are low in calorie, high in fiber, rich in iron & folate( folate is especially important for pregnant women because it can reduce the risk of gestational diabetes), as well as being an excellent source of protein.
I also hyperlapsed how to make this soup to show you just HOW EASY it is & will save it to my highlights so you can see it anytime!
What Makes Lentils SO Nutritious?
- Amazing source of plant based protein and fiber
- Strong antioxidant and anti- inflammatory properties
- Improving cholesterol and blood pressure levels, while aiding weight loss
- Easy to cook– making this recipe come together faster!
Now lentils not only make for a great soup, but they also make for great tacos! I know that sounds crazy right? Don’t mess with taco night! However, I am not kidding a meat lover myself is saying this…. I would pick lentil tacos over meat tacos sometimes— if it was this recipe! Check this babies out, they are so delicious.
The Best Vegetarian Tacos
What other great Honest Grub, Honest Foodie Soups are there?
Easy and Cozy Italian Wedding Soup
Easy Sausage Spinach Tortellini Soup
Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
One Pot Cabbage Roll Soup
How to Store & Freeze Vegetable Lentil Soup
Can I freeze Vegetable Lentil Soup?
Absolutely! One of things I mention in the recipe as well though is to make sure you have an extra 8-16oz of chicken broth on hand for left overs or when you reheat. Lentils really thicken the soup, especially after it has set or is frozen. I also like it a little thicker, so it depends your preference! Easily adaptable to what you prefer 🙂
How long does Vegetable Lentil Soup Keep?
I would store it in an air tight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator after making. If you freeze it, make sure it is in an air tight container and can freeze for up to 1 month. I really love freezing this soup especially because nothing is better than making a meal one week, that you will then have for a following week too!
Can I use other veggies in the soup?
Yes! Use whatever veggies you’d love to add in, and go through the same sautéing method as below. Please comment with what veggies you try, I would love to hear!
Does it matter what kind of lentils I use?
I have only used green lentils for this soup because they hold their texture better even after being cooked. However, I know that red lentils are used to thicken curries & that brown lentils are used in soups as well. Again, if you try other lentils please let me know. I’d love to make note of it!
Vegetable Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 1 large russet potato
- 2 cups chopped celery
- 2 cups chopped carrots
- 1/2 yellow onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 2 dash of cayenne pepper
- 28 oz can of diced tomatoes
- 48 oz chicken broth 12 oz of chicken broth for left overs to thin out
- 2 cups of green lentils
Instructions
- In bite sized pieces cut the russet potato, celery & carrots, then transfer to a large mixing bowl. Next chop up the yellow onion & mince the 4 cloves of garlic.
- In a large stock pot (my favorite linked here), pour 3 tbsp of olive oil & turn on medium heat. Let heat for a 2 minutes, then add in the diced yellow onion & minced garlic. Let that simmer for another 2-3 minutes. After, pour in the celery, carrot & potato mixture, then drizzle remaining olive oil over it.
- Sprinkle the turmeric, onion powder, cumin, salt, pepper & cayenne pepper. Then mix with your cooking spoon. Let that cook down with the veggies & potatoes, garlic & onion, for 8 minutes. Then pour in the diced tomatoes & chicken broth. Next bring to a boil.
- Once the soup is brought to a boil pour in the lentils & cover with lid. Let it simmer for 50 minutes. Take lid off to stir every 15 minutes or so. You will be able to tell the lentils are cooked when the soup starts to thicken. Then take lid off and let simmer for at least an hour. Then serve immediately!
I tried this last winter and absolutely loved it! I’ll be making it again this winter for sure 👍
Thank you Selema! I cannot wait to see you making this again!! I am going make next week 🙂