Slow-Simmered Greek Lentil Soup with Spinach and Lemon

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-26 · Updated 2026-04-26

Hearty brown lentils gently simmered with aromatic vegetables and finished with fresh spinach and a bright lemon finish. This mediterranean-inspired vegetarian ready in about 60 minutes pairs brown lentils, olive oil, carrot for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 230 calories and feeds 4, 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 brown lentils
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large, diced carrot
• 1, diced celery stalk
• 1 medium, chopped yellow onion
• 3, minced garlic cloves
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cups, roughly chopped fresh spinach
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 diced large carrot, 1 diced celery stalk, and 1 chopped medium onion; sauté for 6-7 minutes until vegetables soften and onions are translucent.
2. Step 2: Stir in 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 cup rinsed brown lentils, 6 cups vegetable broth, 1 tsp dried oregano, and 1 bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes until lentils are tender.
3. Step 3: Remove the bay leaf, then stir in 3 cups roughly chopped fresh spinach, 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Cook for an additional 5 minutes until spinach wilts and soup is hot throughout before serving.