Tomato Lentil Soup (Printable)

Vibrant tomato broth with hearty protein-rich lentils, perfectly spiced and ready in under an hour.

# Ingredient List:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
02 - 2 medium carrots, diced
03 - 2 celery stalks, diced
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
06 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste

→ Lentils

07 - 1 cup dried brown or green lentils, rinsed

→ Liquids

08 - 5 cups vegetable broth
09 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Spices and Seasonings

10 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
11 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - ½ teaspoon dried thyme
13 - ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
14 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
15 - 1 bay leaf

→ Finishing Touches

16 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional
17 - Juice of ½ lemon

# Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery, sautéing for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add tomato paste, cumin, smoked paprika, thyme, and black pepper. Stir continuously for 1 minute to bloom the spices.
04 - Add diced tomatoes with juice, rinsed lentils, vegetable broth, bay leaf, and salt. Stir thoroughly and bring to a boil.
05 - Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 30 minutes or until lentils are completely tender.
06 - Remove bay leaf. Stir in lemon juice and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The smoked paprika creates this unexpected depth that makes people think youve been cooking all day, when really its just a clever shortcut.
  • Its genuinely one of those recipes that tastes even better the next day, making your future self silently thank you during busy weekday lunches.
02 -
  • I once ruined an entire pot by not rinsing the lentils first, which left a gritty texture no amount of additional cooking could fix.
  • Adding the lemon juice at the very end rather than during cooking preserves its bright flavor that would otherwise diminish with heat.
03 -
  • If you happen to scorch the bottom slightly while sautéing the vegetables, dont scrape that part, just continue cooking above it, as those browned bits can add bitterness to the entire pot.
  • Letting the soup sit covered for 10 minutes after cooking completes allows the flavors to settle and marry in a way that direct-from-the-stove serving never achieves.
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