Mediterranean Lentil Soup
480 Comments
Oct 10, 2024
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Lentil soup is the perfect vegetarian meal to cozy up with for fall and winter. It’s hearty, healthy, and wonderfully filling thanks to its plant-based protein. And while there are many variations of lentil soup, this simple and vibrant Mediterranean version is extra special.
Why This Is My Favorite Lentil Soup Recipe
When it comes to this lentil soup, remember—simple doesn’t mean boring. Oh no, this recipe is far from that! It’s packed with flavor and depth, just like my vegetable soup and classic chicken soup. Sweet, slow-cooked vegetables, smoky fire-roasted tomatoes, plenty of herbs, and warming spices all come together in a savory broth to create the best tasting Mediterranean lentil soup. But here’s what else I love about it:
- Lentils are a powerhouse ingredient. I’ve talked about this before when I showed you how to cook lentils (that don’t end up mushy). Lentils are a staple in vegan and vegetarian meals because they’re high in fiber, carbohydrates, and most importantly, protein. That makes this soup not just an appetizer, but a hearty, satiating, complete meal.
- It’s also a simple, budget-friendly option. With pantry staples like lentils, canned tomatoes, and dried herbs as the stars, this recipe uses affordable, everyday ingredients that won’t break the bank.
- It’s perfect for meal prep. I make this recipe often, just to ensure I have leftovers frozen in the freezer. It’s one of my favorite quick-reheat recipes for when I’m in a pinch.
Lentil Soup Ingredients
- Lentils: Green or brown lentils work best in this soup as they hold their shape better than red lentils.
- Mirepoix Vegetables: Chopped celery, carrots, onions, and garlic provide a delicious foundation for this lentil soup.
- Roasted Tomatoes: I’m a big fan of using fire-roasted tomatoes to elevate this recipe while adding a hint of smokiness. If you have trouble finding fire-roasted tomatoes, you can always use regular diced tomatoes.
- Tomato Paste: This simple ingredient definitely intensifies the body of the soup, so I don’t recommend leaving it off. And any leftover tomato paste can be used in my chili recipe or beef stew.
- Leafy Greens: I’m using fresh kale in this recipe to amp up the antioxidants, vitamins, and nutrients. But feel free to add another leafy green like baby spinach.
- Herbs: A simple blend of dried oregano, basil, cumin, and thyme highlights those delicious Mediterranean flavors.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
Which Lentils To Use
Green or brown lentils are the best choice for this soup. They have a mild, earthy flavor and soften slightly when cooked, but still hold their shape. Red lentils, on the other hand, break down the fastest and become mushy. French lentils (also called Lentilles du Puy) are great for tossing into a lentil salad due to their firm texture, but they require more cooking time in soups.
How To Make The Best Lentil Soup Recipe
Cook the vegetables. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and stir for 4 to 5 minutes, until they’re softened.
Infuse with flavor. Add the tomato paste, minced garlic, dried spices, salt, and pepper. Stir and toast the spices for 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients and simmer. Add the lentils, diced tomatoes, and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, partially cover with a lid, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes.
Blend the soup. Use an immersion blender to spot-blend for a few seconds. This will break up the chunkiness and give the soup a slightly creamier base. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you could transfer 2 to 3 cups to a regular blender, blend that up, and add it back to the pot.
Finish with flavor. Stir in the kale and lemon juice, and simmer for an additional minute or two to soften the kale. Taste test the soup, and add extra lemon juice, salt, or pepper before serving.
Cooking Tips
- Garnish your soup with fresh herbs and crispy toppings like crispy shallots or bacon bits (if you’re not vegan). You could even drizzle coconut cream or sprinkle freshly grated parmesan on top for a touch of creaminess.
- Add other ingredients to this soup such as sliced mushrooms, diced potatoes, sweet potatoes, or zucchini. This is a great opportunity to use up any leftover vegetables in your fridge!
- Make it meaty by adding shredded chicken, ground turkey, or ground sausage. Any of these additions would be delicious and add some heft.
- Make it in a Crockpot by adding everything to the slow cooker (besides the kale and lemon juice) and cook on high for 5 to 6 hours or low for 7 to 8 hours. Then, pour about 2 to 3 cups into a blender, pulse gently until semi-smooth, and pour back into the slow cooker. Stir in the kale and lemon juice, and it’s ready!
Storage Tips
- To Store: This will stay good in the fridge for 4 to 5 days in an airtight container.
- To Freeze: Store this in a freezer-safe container or pour it into a silicone freezing tray for pre-made servings. It will last for up to 3 months in the freezer.
- For Reheating: If you’re reheating a single serving, pop it in the microwave for a few minutes until warm. If you’re reheating an entire batch, it’s easier to add it back to a pot and warm it up on the stovetop.
More Fall Soup Recipes
- Cabbage Soup: A great option for a healthy and simple meal.
- Butternut Squash Soup: A must-make for squash season.
- Carrot Ginger Soup: Such a healing and nourishing soup!
- Sweet Potato Soup: A delicious way to enjoy sweet potatoes.
- Tomato Soup: This is for all my tomato lovers.
- Or enjoy these other comforting soup recipes or Mediterranean recipes! And if you want a different lentil soup to try, I’ve got a delicious lemony lentil soup in my Healthy Meal Prep cookbook.
If you make this lentil soup recipe, I’d love to know how it turned out in the comment box below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re hungry for more healthy food inspiration (and exclusive content), join my free newsletter.
Mediterranean Lentil Soup
Description
Video
Equipment
- Immersion Blender This is my favorite immersion blender and it's super powerful!
- Dutch Oven A solid cast iron pot is an essential for soups and stews.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, small diced
- 2 medium carrots, small diced
- 2 celery ribs, small diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 to 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup green or brown lentils
- 3 leaves kale, stemmed and sliced
- 1 lemon, juiced (about 3 tablespoons juice)
Instructions
- Saute the vegetables. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and stir for 4 to 5 minutes, until the onion becomes translucent.
- Infuse with flavor. Add the tomato paste, minced garlic, dried spices, salt and pepper. Stir and toast the spices for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Simmer. Add the diced tomatoes, broth, and lentils and stir together. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, partially cover with a lid, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Blend. You can keep the soup chunky, or use an immersion blender to create a more creamy texture, by spot blending for just a few seconds.
- Finish with flavor. Stir in the kale and lemon juice, and simmer for an additional minute or two to soften the kale. Taste the soup, and add any additional lemon juice, salt, or pepper before serving.
Lisa’s Tips
- Each serving is around 2 cups.
- A little tip if you don’t want to open another broth container. You can add 4 cups of broth and 2 cups of water to this recipe because vegetable broth usually comes in 32-ounce containers (4 cups). That way you don’t have a half-used container of broth.
- As the soup sits, the lentils may soak up some of the liquid and thicken up the soup. You can always add more broth or water to thin it out.
- You can substitute 3 teaspoons of Italian seasoning for the oregano, basil, and thyme.
- Make it in a Crockpot by adding everything to the slow cooker (besides the kale and lemon juice) and cook on high for 5 to 6 hours or low for 7 to 8 hours. Then, pour about 2 to 3 cups into a blender, pulse gently until semi-smooth, and pour back into the slow cooker. Stir in the kale and lemon juice, and it’s ready!
- To Store: This will stay good in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
- To Freeze: Store this in a freezer-safe container or pour it into a silicone freezing tray for pre-made servings. It will last for up to 3 months in the freezer.
Nutrition
©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
Recipe originally posted November 2020, but updated to include new photos and information for your benefit!
Awesome, very tasty, satiating and low in calories
Happy you loved this lentil soup, Marta!
Surprisingly hearty! I had to tweak the recipe a little bit for what I had on hand, ie fresh tomatoes instead of fire roasted, but man! My husband and I were surprised by how hearty this soup is. Really enjoyed it, especially with some melted mozzarella on top!
Yay, so happy you both loved it, Christina!
This is one of my Fall go-to recipes. I love stocking the freezer with tasty soups for quick and easy lunches or dinners on a cool day. For this recipe, I simply walk out in my garden for most of the ingredients. In late September, carrots, onions, garlic and tomatoes are all ready. Someimes I even have a second or third planting of spinach ready to go. This recipe makes a nice sized batch giving me dinner the night I cook it and several frozen squares of lunch possibilities made from those nifty souper cubers! Thanks for recipes using garden fresh ingredients
I’m jealous of your garden, Suzanne! Haha. But so thrilled you love this recipe!
Wonderful soup. Beautiful colors. This recipe will get a workout over the coming cold months. Made as directed. The addition of the lemon juice is genius.
Gives me healthy, tasty lunches for the week.
This is a good solid base that I believe will also work well with french and caviar lentils.
So happy you loved the recipe, Lily! And it’s perfect for lunches throughout the week. Enjoy!
This soup is so good, thank you Lisa. I had some leeks in my refrigerator so I added those. I will definitely be putting this in my rotation.
Love the idea of adding leeks into this soup, Debbie!
Hi Lisa, at what step would you add ground turkey if you were making this on the stove? Thank you!
Hi Shiva – I would brown the turkey in a separate pan, and then just stir it into the soup at the end. Hope you enjoy it!
Could I use canned lentils for this soup?
Hi April – this recipe uses dried lentils. Canned lentils are already cooked, so they would just need to be added at the end and warmed through.
Could I use red lentils instead?
Red lentils aren’t ideal as they will become extra mushy and soft.
We love soups in the fall. Made this recipe as written and it is fabulous. Made biscuits to go with and soak up the broth. Outstanding!
Thrilled to hear you enjoyed this lentil soup, Bruce!
You can never go wrong with any of Lisa’s recipes! My husband was hesitant about trying it. Not usually a fan of lentil soup. But he loved it! I love how her recipes are always flavorful, easy, and made with healthy and common ingredients. Delicious!
Wonderful! I’m glad you both ended up loving this lentil soup, Nicole.
Delicious recipe! Added portobello mushrooms and potatoes that I needed to use, which made it extra hearty and flavorful.
Thrilled to hear you love this lentil soup, Dana!
How would this be in the slow cooker with ground turkey
Easy to make and an excellent taste!
Glad you love this lentil soup, Kevin!
Hello! I’m so excited to try this and thank you for the nutrition breakdown. Can you clarify the serving size? Is it a 1 cup or 2? Or?
It’s about 2 cups for this recipe. Enjoy!
SO much fiber though! It’s gentle on glucose levels if you also live with diabetes. I love this soup.
I’m glad you love this lentil soup, Jewels!
My husband & I loved it . Thanks
Jutta
Never put fire roasted tomatoes in my soup before. My grandson loves it.
Wonderful! So happy you and your grandson love this lentil soup recipe, Kathleen!
Hiya Lisa – and just discovered your website! 🥰
Quick question, the carbohydrates listed for this recipe are 56g!(?)
Is this a ‘typo’? 🤔
Cheers!
Ian.
Hi Ian – no it’s not a typo. There’s a lot of veggies and lentils in this soup, which are all carbs. Enjoy!
Delicious! I was surprised by how much there was.
This one creates a good amount! Glad you enjoyed it.
Love this soup! The flavors were amazing!
Hi Kyla – I’m so glad you enjoyed this lentil soup!
Hi Lisa,
Can you omit the kale in the soup as I’m not a fan of this or spinach?
Yes, no problem.
Thanks Lisa.
I made it without the kale and it was absolutely delicious. What a hearty meal that did not feel like your body was weighed down. I’ll definitely enjoy the frozen leftovers. Yum 😁.
Thanks, Liz
Lisa, Your recipes are so good. I just made your Mediterranean Lentil soup recipe, excellent. Your recipes are easy to follow and to understand. I appreciate that very much. I’m about to make your Tuna Salad recipe and I have tried others, they are very good.
Thank you so much,
Marlene
Hi Marlene – I’m so glad you love this lentil soup, among many others!
This is absolutely the best lentil soup that I have ever made. My Sicilian husband who grew up on lentils agrees! Initially, I did not have the tomato paste so skipped it and have never used it in the soup and I have made this recipe several times! A TOTAL WINNER!
Hi Susan – Thrilled to hear both of you enjoyed this lentil soup!
I was really looking forward to this recipe and made it exactly as directed but used diced tomatoes, not fire roasted, and added a pinch of chile flakes. Unfortunately the soup is way too acidic. Do you have any suggestions for that?
Thanks,
Nicole
Hi Nicole – Next time, you can reduce the amount of lemon juice used.
I made this today and it is so delicious, my hubby who is not a fan of lentils, loved this soup. Lisa, you are the bomb.
Aw, thanks Sheryl! So happy you and the hubs loved this lentil soup. :)
This soup is great! I love the taste and fact that it takes so little time to make. I love Lisa’s recipes, they are healthy, easy to follow and for most recipes I already have the ingredients on hand.
Hi Maggie – Happy to hear you’re loving this lentil soup amongst many other recipes across the site!
I made this soup and it turned out delicious. I added one small zucchini and turn out well. thanks for sharing this recipes.
I’m happy you enjoyed it!
The very best lentil soup! Love to make big batches to store in the freezer for busy days, have also made this recently for one of my friends that got sick and everyone in her house loved it! Even a very picky 4 year-old. Thanks for sharing :)
Hi Giulia – It’s always a great idea to keep a batch of this in the freezer!
We never have eaten lentils. This was a great soup to try them. It’s a soup that’s on our menu.
Hi Kitty – Glad you finally got around to trying lentils in this soup!
do the lentils need to be soaked prior to going in the soup?
Hi Catherine – No, they do not!
I made this the other night and it is an absolutely delicious and hearty recipe. I forgot to do the immersion blender but it didn’t matter. It was a great texture. Someone could also easily add meat if they wanted, but definitely not necessary. The lemon was the kicker… I added the juice from one fresh meyer lemon which gives it such a vibrant and bright flavor. I will make this again and recommend to others. Thanks for the recipe : )))
Hi Erica – I’m so glad you loved this lentil soup!
So easy, such great flavor. The fresh lemon juice at the end definitely elevated the flavor, don’t skip it and be sure to use fresh lemon. Juice. Thank you for all your incredible recipes. I love your cook book as well!!!
Hi Shannon – Happy to hear you love this lentil soup! And yes, don’t skip the lemon. It makes all the difference!
Hi Lisa, thank you so much for this wonderfully tasty recipe. I didn’t blend mine and I only had one tin of tomatoes but It was still delicious and so healthy. A fantastic winter warner. X 🥰
Hi Renate – Happy to hear you love this lentil soup!
Can you please tell me what would be a good substitution for Coriander should one have the “coriander gene”?
Hi France – If you are referring to the fresh cilantro on top, you can just omit it!
The flavor is spot on. I used red lentils (that’s what I had on hand) and the soup was a bit thicker without even blending it. Simultaneously hearty and bright. I paired it with your chicken souvlaki over arugula salad for an easy, delicious Mediterranean feast. Will definitely be making again!
Hi Megan – Happy to hear you love this lentil soup!
Can this be adapted for the crockpot?
Hi Lynn – I haven’t tried this in a crockpot yet, but I’m sure it could!
Sorry, am I mistaken or the picture that is featured for this recipe is actually with chickpeas rather than lentils?
Hi Masha – The little bits in the soup are the rest of the ingredients, such as carrots, celery, and onions.
You offer great recipes. The Mediterranean Lentil soup is added to my recipe box.
Hi Lisa – I’m glad you love this lentil soup!
Lisa might say this, but I so agree: This is, without a doubt, the best lentil soup I have ever fixed. Proof, you ask? I have fixed this soup for company 3 times and each time my guests want the recipe. Look no further for a real winner winter soup!
Hi Sarah – Oh wonderful! I’m glad so many people have enjoyed this lentil soup.
why are there so many calories in the mediterranean lentil soup? Where do they come from?
Olive oil is high in calories and there is 1/4 cup in the recipe. I would sub for water or vege broth to lower the calories. Everything else is perfect in this recipe.
Love this recipe! It’s very hearty on its own, but sometimes I add a boost of sausage if I need extra protein. I have yet to be disappointed with one of the recipes from this sight.
Hi Allie – I’m glad you love this lentil soup!
I did make this soup and it is so good. I shared it with my brother and his wife and they asked for the recipe. I think I will add an additional cup of Lentils the next time I make it.
Thank you for this delicious soup recipe!
Hi Jan – I’m glad you enjoyed this lentil soup!
Another winner l made a doubled batch. l didn’t double the cumin as l find it to be a strong spice. I didn’t use kale as my family doesn’t like it. I substituted for spinach.
Hi Trish – It’s always a good idea to make a second batch of this lentil soup!
I made this soup today and it’s Delicious!
Thank you!
Happy you loved it, Sandi!
Serving size 1 cup. Is 420 calories per cup? Or whole batch?
The nutritional information will always be per serving.
Hi Lisa,
I tried your M. Lentil soup and it was really easy to make. I enjoyed mine with sour dough bread. I will be making this again for sure. Thank you!
Hi Ima – I’m so happy to hear you loved this Mediterranean Lentil Soup!
Lisa, you made my day with your Metertian Lental soup with the wholesome ingredients added to taste bright and fulling. I like the ideal no meat involved instead your veggies is excellent choices
So happy you loved the recipe!
How much does one serving yield? Thanks!
Hi Kristina – The serving size is around 2 cups.
So, I randomly bought fire roasted tomatoes for the pantry the other day. Then I saw your recipe. It was fantastic! Surprised my teacher wife when she got home from school with some soul warming soup. I used chicken stock (no water) and spinach because that’s what was in the pantry. Kim coincidentally brought home some tasty sourdough bread and she had teacher Christmas gifts of specialty olive oils, balsamic vinegar, and spices. We added all that to complete the dinner and OH MY!!! Capped it off with some delicious Cabernet. Thank you for helping me score major husband points.
Merry Christmas 🎄 Mark, Kim, and Rollo 🐶
Hi Mark – What a great meal to surprise her with! I’m glad you two enjoyed this lentil soup.