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Cozy Veggie Lentil Soup: Best Easy Comfort Dinner

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This cozy veggie lentil soup is a simple, forgiving, and deeply satisfying comfort meal that comes together in under an hour. It’s packed with wholesome ingredients, naturally creamy, and perfect for meal prep or a quiet evening.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 ½ cups (300g) brown lentils, rinsed and picked over
  • 1 can (14.5 oz / 400g) diced tomatoes (fire-roasted preferred), with juices
  • 6 cups (1.4 liters) low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 Parmesan rind (optional but highly recommended)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • Salt and black pepper to taste (start with 1 teaspoon salt)
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Prep the vegetables: Dice the onion, carrots, and celery into roughly ½-inch pieces. Mince the garlic. Rinse the lentils in a fine-mesh strainer and pick out any small stones or debris.
  2. Sauté the aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened and the onion is translucent.
  3. Add the garlic and spices: Stir in the minced garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, and dried thyme. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Do not let the garlic burn.
  4. Add the lentils, tomatoes, and broth: Pour in the rinsed lentils, the can of diced tomatoes with their juices, and the vegetable broth. Stir everything together, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Drop in the bay leaves and the Parmesan rind if using.
  5. Bring to a boil, then simmer: Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar, and let it simmer for 35-40 minutes. The lentils should be tender but not mushy, and the broth will have thickened slightly.
  6. Season and finish: Remove the bay leaves and the Parmesan rind. Stir in the fresh lemon juice. Taste the soup and add salt and pepper as needed. Start with 1 teaspoon of salt and adjust from there.
  7. Serve and garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls and top with fresh parsley. A drizzle of olive oil on top is optional but recommended.

Notes

Do not skip the lemon juice—it brightens the flavors. Salt carefully as lentils absorb salt; start with 1 teaspoon and adjust at the end. Save Parmesan rinds in the freezer for soups like this. The soup tastes even better the next day. For a thicker soup, mash some lentils against the pot or blend a cup of soup and stir back in. For a thinner soup, add extra broth. Freezes well for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: lentil soup, veggie lentil soup, easy lentil soup, comfort soup, vegetarian soup, healthy soup, meal prep soup, cozy soup

Find it online: https://bouncybowl.com/cozy-veggie-lentil-soup-best-easy-comfort-dinner/