Hearty Vegetable and Lentil Soup

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-29 · Updated 2026-04-29

A nourishing and easy-to-prepare lentil soup packed with vegetables. This mediterranean-inspired soups (vegetarian) ready in about 50 minutes pairs dry green lentils, carrots, celery stalks 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, rinsed dry green lentils
• 2 medium, diced carrots
• 2, diced celery stalks
• 1 medium, diced yellow onion
• 3, minced garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp chopped, for garnish fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a large pot, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 diced yellow onion, 2 diced carrots, and 2 diced celery stalks. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables soften.
2. Step 2: Stir in 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp ground cumin, and 1/2 tsp dried thyme. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Step 3: Add 1 cup rinsed dry green lentils, 6 cups vegetable broth, and 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with their juice. Bring mixture to a boil.
4. Step 4: Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes until lentils are tender and soup thickens. Season with 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
5. Step 5: Serve hot garnished with 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley.