Lemon Lentil Soup

5 from 1 vote

Lemon lentil soup gives cozy lentil soup a bright and vibrant lemony twist – a simple, one-pot, nutritious, and delicious comfort soup to warm you up this fall/winter!

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Total Time40

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Lebanese

Diet: Vegan

Servings: - 6

Calories: 361kcal

Author: Toni Okamoto

Equipment

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 yellow onion diced
1 large carrot diced
2 celery ribs diced
4 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
1 ½ cups of green lentils rinsed
6 to 7 cups of water
3 low-sodium vegetable bouillon cubes
2 lemons zest and juice (divided)
Salt and pepper to taste
Parsley chopped (optional)

Instructions

In a large pot with a lid, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Sautee until they begin to brown.
Lower the heat, add the cumin and Italian seasoning. Mix well and cook for 10 seconds. Add the tomato paste and mix. Add the lentils, mix well, and add the water and bouillon cubes. Bring to a boil, cover with a lid, and cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
Turn off the heat, add the lemon zest and juice of 1 lemon, and taste. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix and serve hot.
Garnish with lemon wedges and parsley if using.

Notes

Don’t rush the sauté step: I like to sauté the veg until lightly caramelized, as it really helps bring out their best flavor. Likewise, always add the spices before the liquids so they can sauté and ‘bloom’ for maximum flavor depth.

Adjust the lemon: Everyone has a preference, so adjust the amount (less or more) in this lemon lentil soup to taste.

Adjust the texture: For a brothy soup, leave it as is (or add extra broth). For a smoother, thicker soup, blend some or all to your desired consistency.

Save leftovers: This lemony lentil soup tastes even better on day two.

Nutrition