French Lentil Soup Recipe
Authentic French Lentil Soup that you can make in one pot in under an hour. I used lentils du Puy, but green lentils can be used as well. This herb-forward lentil soup is a wonderful vegan and gluten-free dinner that gets better as it sits, making it great for meal prep.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion chopped (about 2 cups) - a large one
- 3 carrots peeled and chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 3 celery stalks chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 can diced tomatoes (14 ounce can)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves chopped
- 1 1/2 cups French Green lentils* aka Lentils Du Puy, rinsed and picked over or regular green lentils
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 6 cups vegetable broth preferably homemade
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- 1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley chopped - plus more as garnish
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large heavy bottom pot over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, and celery and cook until they are softened, 10-12 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for a minute.
- Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Stir in the tomatoes, bay leaf, and thyme. Cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
- Add French lentils, salt and pepper. Give it a big stir to make sure that everything is mixed evenly.
- Pour in the vegetable stock, turn the heat up to medium-high, put the lid on and bring it to a boil. Once boiled, turn down the heat to low and let it simmer for 25-30 minutes.
- Right before serving, take out the bay leaf and stir in the balsamic vinegar and chopped parsley.
- Pour the soup in individual bowls and garnish it with more parsley.
Video
Notes
- Yields: This lentil soup recipe makes about 7-8 cups of soup and is ideal for serving 6 people. The nutritional values you see below are per serving.
- Green lentils: I made this recipe with French green lentils (aka du puy lentils). Compared to other types of lentils, they do a better job of keeping their shape and can stand longer simmering times. With that being said, you can make this recipe with regular green lentils and brown lentils. The texture of the soup could be a little bit mushy but it will still be good.
- Storage: Bring the leftovers to room temperature, then pour them into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezing: Bring your soup to room temperature and transfer it to an airtight container. Then, store it in the freezer for up to three months, thawing it in the fridge overnight when ready to eat.
- Reheat: Reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave for 30-second increments until warm.
Nutrition
Calories: 238kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1377mg | Potassium: 165mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 5872IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 4mg
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