Easy Vegan Lentil Soup is a satisfying, hearty soup that’s perfect for warming up on a cold evening. This one pot lentil stew will be enjoyed by vegetarians and meat-eaters alike!
Vegan Lentil Soup: It’s Not Just for Vegans
If you mention the word vegan in my house you’ll likely either get an eye-roll, a groan, or a grimace from my better half.
It’s not that Will is picky about food. He’s a faithful, willing, and honest taste-tester of pretty much anything that comes out of our kitchen.
He just really enjoys meat. This is a man who would eat bacon wrapped smokies for breakfast every day if he could.
To him, vegan food is a gimmick–a gimmick which foolishly excludes meat.
But here’s the thing. There’s nothing particularly special about vegan food. It’s the same foods we enjoy every day–fresh, whole vegetables, beans, and grains–just without any animal products.
And yes, of course you can mess up vegan food–ummm, we’ve all had gray, limp broccoli, haven’t we?
But you can just as easily screw up a meat filled dish. I’ve had my fair share of burnt bacon and chicken drier than the sands of the Sahara.
For me and my kitchen, the test of a truly good dish is not whether it’s vegan, gluten free, keto, insert other diet here. It’s whether or not it tastes good.
And friends? This Vegan Lentil Soup tastes good.
To the surprise of my carnivorous husband, veggies and lentils really can stand on their own in a delicious and unexpectedly hearty way.
In fact, had I not mentioned this was vegan and gluten free, I doubt he would have known the difference. (And we could have avoided that whole groaning business).
Mirepoix: What it is and why it should be a regular part of your cooking
This Vegetarian Lentil Soup Recipe begins with a mirepoix, which is just fancy a term for a blend of onion, carrots, and celery cooked in oil or butter. Traditional French mirepoix is made with two parts onion to one part carrots and celery. The vegetables are cooked over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent but not browned, forming an amazing flavor base for a variety of dishes.
Mirepoix (or a variation of it) is used as a base for hundreds of recipes across cultures and cuisines. It’s simple, and made with ingredients that are available year round.
Mirepoix is the key to adding a big punch of flavor, which is particularly important for a vegetarian lentil soup recipe, which doesn’t include any meat.
It also forms the base for meaty tomato sauces like this Slow Cooker Italian Sausage Ragu and soups like 30 Minute Chicken Noodle Soup and Italian Sausage Stew with White Beans.
Basically, if you’re stumped with what to make for dinner, toss some chopped onions, carrots, and celery in a skillet. It’ll make your house smell amazing and something good is bound to happen next.
How to Make Vegan Lentil Soup
- Alright, grab your dutch oven and let’s make some soup! Heat some olive oil in the pot, and add your mirepoix. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until they start to soften, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in some minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about one minute.
- Stir in a can of diced tomatoes, salt, lentils, and veggie broth (I really like Better than Bouillon’s broth base).
- Add a slew of dried spices for flavor–cumin, paprika, coriander, and black pepper. Increase heat to high, cover, and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes, or until lentils have softened.
- Once the lentils are done, your soup is almost ready! I like the texture of pureeing half the soup, but you can puree all of it if you prefer. An immersion blender is reaaaally handy here, but you can also place 2 cups of the soup in a blender and pulse until smooth. Just be sure to remove the inner cap of the blender and replace it with a folded kitchen towel. This allows steam to escape and prevents a soup-splosion.
What to Serve with Vegetarian Lentil Soup
Because we have kiddos in the house, we serve this healthy lentil soup with goldfish crackers. Let’s be honest, you can sprinkle goldfish crackers on pretty much anything and my kids will eat it. And I have to say, they make a pretty nice soup topping for adults as well.
However, the grown ups usually prefer adding a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and a loaf of Rosemary and Olive Oil Focaccia Bread for dunking.
If you’re looking for vegan toppings and breads, I suggest these Vegan CheezIts, 1 Bowl Vegan Gluten Free Crackers, or this No Knead Artisan Bread.
I love making this soup for company, because it can fit a variety of diets and allergies. And, if you need an awesome vegan dessert to pair it with, you’ve got this wonderful Gluten Free Berry Crisp!
Alright guys, it’s time to dig that half bag of lentils out of the back of your cupboard (c’mon, I know I’m not the only one who leaves half bags of lentils hanging out in dark corners of the pantry), and give your tummy a satisfying dish that’s a as good for your body as it is for your taste buds.
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Vegan Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion (chopped)
- 2 stalks celery (chopped)
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 14.5 oz diced tomatoes
- 3 hefty pinches Kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- 5 cups vegetable broth
- 8 oz. lentils
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Chopped fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese (for serving)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven. Add celery, onion, and carrots and cook over medium heat until they start to sizzle, about 6 minutes. Add minced garlic and saute until fragrant, about one minute.
- Add diced tomatoes, salt, lentils, veggie broth, cumin, paprika, coriander, and black pepper. Increase heat to high, cover, and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes, or until lentils have softened.
- Place 2 cups of the soup in a blender and pulse until smooth. (Be sure to remove the inner cap and hold a towel over the hole in order to allow steam to escape). Return mixture to the remaining soup and stir. Alternately, use an immersion blender to blend the soup until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Serve immediately with chopped fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese (optional), crackers, or bread.
Notes
- While this is a great option for vegans and contains a lot of protein, you can always add cooked sausage or chicken to your bowl.
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