Clinical Nurse Practitioner's Hearty Lentil Soup

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-20 · Updated 2026-04-20

A comforting, protein-rich soup with garden vegetables and herbs. This french-inspired soups ready in about 50 minutes pairs lentils, chicken broth, carrots for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 220 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 cup lentils
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 medium carrots
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 large onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: Rinse 1 cup dried lentils and set aside. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 large diced onion, 2 diced medium carrots, and 2 chopped celery stalks. Cook for 5 minutes until vegetables are softened, stirring occasionally.
2. Step 2: Add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Add rinsed lentils and 4 cups chicken broth, then bring to a gentle boil.
3. Step 3: Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes until lentils are tender. Stir in 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes and continue simmering for 10 minutes more. Remove bay leaf before serving.