Lumberjack's Lentil Soup: Rustic Hearty Broth

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-07 · Updated 2026-04-07

A deeply flavorful, slow-simmered soup with earthy lentils and garden vegetables, ideal for chilly days. This French-inspired soup recipe (vegetarian), ready in about 40 minutes, pairs lentils, carrots, celery for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 300 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 dried brown lentils, rinsed lentils
• 2 medium, diced carrots
• 2 stalks, diced celery
• 1 medium, diced onion
• 3 cloves, minced garlic
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

The stock pot we’d simmer this in → Best Stock Pots for 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp water and sauté 1 diced onion, 2 diced carrots, and 2 diced celery stalks for 5 minutes until softened.
2. Step 2: Add 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in 1 cup rinsed brown lentils, 1 tsp dried thyme, 2 bay leaves, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
3. Step 3: Pour in 4 cups chicken broth and 1 can diced tomatoes. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes until lentils are tender.
4. Step 4: Remove bay leaves. Taste and adjust salt or pepper if needed. Serve hot with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.