Easy Lentil Spinach Soup
Easy Lentil Spinach Soup- made in one-pot with minimal ingredients, this healthy soup is the perfect quick and easy winter meal! (vegan + gluten-free)
Who’s in the mood for a cozy winter soup? One that is easy enough even for your significant other who never ever cooks to make? Just email them this link with a little winking emoticon and I’m sure they’ll take the hint.
Or, if you’re just cooking for one, you’ll still appreciate how simple it is. Outside of chopping the vegetables, all you have to do is throw everything in a big ol’ pot and wait for it to cook. That’s my kind of meal.
This lentil soup is one of my favorites because it’s healthy AND comforting. The ingredients are nourishing and it’s packed with flavor that gives you all the cozy feels. I like to pair it with a loaf of crusty sourdough bread for a meal that really hits the spot!
What are Lentils?
If you’ve never cooked with lentils before, now is the time! I often buy them from the bulk section at the grocery store (helps save a little dinero) but you can also buy them packaged or canned in the legume (or bean) aisle. Either way, they are an affordable ingredient that packs a lot of bang for your buck.
Lentils are a fantastic source of protein, iron, B vitamins, magnesium, zinc and potassium.
How to Cook Lentils
- This recipe calls for dried brown or green lentils, however you can use canned lentils if you want to save cooking time, but you will need to reduce the broth in the recipe by approximately 2 cups.
- When cooking with dried lentils, always make sure to pick through them to discard any hard or funky looking pieces.
- While it isn’t necessary to soak lentils, I like to do this to help aid in digestion and nutrient absorption. Just place them in a bowl and fill with water until they are submerged then allow them to soak for several hours or up to overnight.
- Regardless of whether or not you soak them, make sure to give them a good rinse using a colander and cold water to remove any debris or dirt.
How to Make Easy Lentil Spinach Soup
- In a large pot, sauté onion, carrot, and garlic in olive oil.
- Add the spinach and cook until wilted.
- Add the lentils, diced tomatoes, oregano, basil, and broth.
- Bring to a low boil and cook until lentils are tender, about 20-30 minutes.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
How to Store Lentil Soup
This soup is perfect to make on a weeknight or to prep as meal to give to someone in need. It stores for a while in the refrigerator and is freezer friendly too! Make sure to allow it to cool completely to room temperature first then transfer it to a sealed container and freeze for up to 3 months.
More Healthy Soup Recipes
- One-Pot Vegetable Tortellini Soup
- Easy Vegetable Minestrone Soup
- Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup
- Easy Roasted Heirloom Tomato Soup
- Healing Moroccan Lentil Soup
- Quinoa Chickpea Spinach Soup
Easy Lentil Spinach Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2-3 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
- 10 ounces fresh baby spinach, or regular spinach, chopped
- 1 cup dried lentils, see notes
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 15-ounce cans diced tomatoes
- 5 cups vegetable broth
- juice of 1 lemon, about 2-3 tablespoons
Instructions
- In a large pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot then cook for about 3 minutes, until onion is translucent. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- To the pot, add the spinach. Cover and cook, stirring intermittently, for 3 minutes more, or until it begins to wilt. Add the lentils, oregano, diced tomatoes and vegetable broth.
- Bring to a low boil then reduce to a simmer. Cover the pot partially with the lid and cook for 20-30 minutes, or until lentils are tender.
- Remove from heat then squeeze fresh lemon juice over top. Stir to combine. Serve warm with dairy-free parmesan (optional) and enjoy!
Notes
- Although it is optional, I prefer to soak my lentils prior to cooking them as it enhances digestion and reduces cooking time. Place the lentils in a large bowl and cover with water until submerged then soak for several hours or overnight. Rinse before adding to the recipe.
- If you would like to use canned lentils, be sure to rinse them before adding to the pot. Reduce the broth to 3 cups and cook until heated through, rather than 20-30 minutes. This will make for a slightly stronger tomato flavor but you can add more broth if you like.
- I always use Better Than Boullion's vegetable base for my vegetable broth because it yields the best flavor. You may need to add more salt if using a less flavorful broth. Please note that I linked it here for reference but it is much cheaper to buy in-store than from Amazon.
- This recipe was barely adapted from my friend Nicole at Foodie Loves Fitness
Nutrition
This post was originally published on January 8th, 2014, and republished on January 19th, 2022
Um YES, that would be amazing!
Yes, we are all kindred spirits!! ;)
I completely agree- the DVR is a must!
You’re so sweet! Thanks girl! <3
The bowl in this picture is from Pottery Barn. They torture me with their catalogs. I want all the things!! ;)
What a lovely and simple soup. I love anything with lentils and this soup is no exception. I hope you get to relax a bit in the near future :)
I love this kind of soup simple, tasty and hearty. Similar to what my Hungarian aunt made for us every now and then. I’ll have to ask her for her recipes. haha. Looks yummy. I’ll add this to the rotation of soups at home :)
Sarah, that lentil soup looks delicious! MUST.MAKE.THIS!
Pingback: Easy Lentil Spinach Soup Recipe - RecipeChart.com
I just made this last nite. It tastiest wonderful. I did change it up a bit by adding celery and onion and garlic powder to the soup. My husband just loved it. He wants me to make it again. Thanks for this easy but delicious recipe.
I bet it’s even better with the extras added in! Thank you for letting me know how it turned out. :)
This soup looks perfect for the cold weather where we are! Just stumbled across your site… Recipes look delicious (hello quinoa cake!) and aren’t you two cute! Congrats on the upcoming wedding bells.
Aw, thanks Gretchen! :)
Loved this soup. So very easy to make. I only used 1 teaspoon of olive oil and 6oz. of baby spinach. (That was what I had on hand) If you are counting for Weight Watchers, each serving is 1.5 points if you divide the recipe into 6 servings. If you divide the recipe into 4 servings, each serving would be 2.25 points. Very low points packed with lots of protein and flavor. Thanks for the recipe!
Pingback: 30 Fast n’ Healthy Soup Recipes
Pingback: A Spicy Perspective 12 Cold Weather Soups - A Spicy Perspective
This soup looks so warm and cozy. How long do you soak the lentils for?
I usually soak them overnight so around 8 hours. But that step isn’t necessary if you don’t have time. I just do it because it’s supposed to help make them easier to digest.
I made this soup and and it was very good!
Looks delish! But I’m plant based & counting macros for leaning out! Do you have nutrition info on your recipes?
That would be awesome!
Oh yes,yes,yes!!! Beans and spinach – two 0n the list of “very favorites”. Thank you for this recipe. It’s on tonight’s table!
So glad to hear that, Audrey! Thank you! :)
Soooo good, I’m making it for the second time this week.
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that. Thanks Evelina! :)
I make this almost every sunday. Really great soup and my whole family loves it.
I’m so happy to hear that, Bridy! Thank you for the review.
Made this recipe without the oil as I am whole food plant based sos (salt,oil and sugar)free. My friend was the taste tester and she gave it a thumbs up!
I absolutely love this soup, and the lemon juice at the end takes the tartness of the tomatoes away. I will definitely add this recipe to my recipe box to make again.
How you can make lentil soup look this good is a testament to what a great food photographer you are! :) I’ve been all about soups because it has been so damn cold here in New England!