A steaming bowl of Veggie Lentil Soup is all you need on a cold day. It’s hearty, satisfying, and full of wholesome goodness for your family to enjoy.
This Veggie Lentil Soup is a hearty, nourishing meal packed with wholesome vegetables, protein-rich lentils, and savory herbs. As the lentils simmer, they become tender and create a rich, comforting texture that everyone will enjoy on a cold day.
I love serving this hearty veggie lentil soup alongside a warm piece of bread so soak up all the goodness. Some I would recommend would be my Cheese Breadsticks, Potato Rolls, and Homemade Croissants.
Table of Contents
Recipe Ingredients
Celery Root – This round, knobby bulb is slightly larger than an orange and is often labeled as celeriac in stores. Look for one with smooth skin, as you’ll need to peel it before cubing.
Lentils – Rinse and drain lentils in a colander before adding them to the recipe to remove any dust or debris.
Spices – Using herbes de Provence is a convenient option, but you can make your own blend with – 1 tbsp dried rosemary, 1 tbsp fennel, 1 tbsp summer savory, 1 tbsp thyme, 1 tbsp basil, 1 tbsp marjoram, 1 tbsp Italian parsley, ½ tbsp oregano, and ½ tbsp tarragon. You’ll only need 1 tsp of this mix for the recipe.
For a full list of ingredients and amounts, see the recipe card below.
Variations
Spice Variations – Introduce spices such as curry powder or ground cumin to give the soup a different flavor dimension.
Perfect Garnish Pairings – Finish the soup with parsley, croutons, yogurt, Parmesan, olive oil, or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice for enhanced flavor and an elegant touch.
How to Make Veggie Lentil Soup
Step 1: In a large stock pot or Dutch oven set over medium heat, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the celery, onion, and carrots. Sauté until tender, about 3–4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 2: Pour in the chicken broth, turn the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Add the herbs, salt, pepper, paprika, rosemary, vinegar, split peas, and lentils. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
Step 3: Add the butternut squash, potatoes, and celery root. Simmer for an additional 30 minutes, or until the vegetables, peas, and lentils are tender.
Step 4: Place 4 cups of soup in a blender with ¼ cup of olive oil. Pulse until smooth and creamy. Pour the blended mixture back into the pot and stir to combine. Add the chopped kale, parsley, and Parmesan. Simmer for an additional 5–8 minutes.
Step 5: Remove from the heat and allow the soup to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
FAQs
Absolutely! You can substitute or add vegetables like zucchini, bell peppers, green beans, peas, asparagus, potatoes, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, or fresh (seeded and peeled) tomatoes. Adjust cooking times as necessary for the best texture.
Green lentils are ideal for their texture, but you can replace them with red lentils for a creamier consistency or brown lentils for a heartier, earthier flavor that holds its shape.
Storage Info
To STORE, let the soup cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. It will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For longer storage, FREEZE in portion-sized containers for up to 3 months.
REHEAT in a pot on the stove over medium heat or in the microwave until hot, stirring occasionally.
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Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cup carrots - julienned, (about 1 ½ inches long)
- 1 cup celery - diced
- 3/4 cup onion - diced
- 8 cloves garlic - minced
- 10 cup low-sodium chicken broth - OR vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp herbes de Provence
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher sea salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 2 tsp white vinegar - or red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup yellow split peas
- 1/2 cup green split peas
- 1 cup green lentils
- 2 cup butternut squash - cubed
- 1 cup potatoes - cubed
- 1 cup celery root - cubed
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 cup kale - chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley - chopped
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese - grated or shaved, optional
Instructions
- In a large stock pot or Dutch oven set over medium heat, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the celery, onion, and carrots. Sauté until tender, about 3–4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Pour in the chicken broth, turn the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Add the herbs, salt, pepper, paprika, rosemary, vinegar, split peas, and lentils. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
- Add the butternut squash, potatoes, and celery root. Simmer for an additional 30 minutes, or until the vegetables, peas, and lentils are tender.
- Place 4 cups of soup in a blender with ¼ cup of olive oil. Pulse until smooth and creamy. Pour the blended mixture back into the pot and stir to combine. Add the chopped kale, parsley, and Parmesan. Simmer for an additional 5–8 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and allow the soup to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
NOTES
- Cheese is totally optional, but delicious!
Love love love this recipe! ❤️ Ive never been very successful with soup recipes but this one turns out perfectly every time. My family love it.
Crazy question — the lentils are not cooked first — they are the dried ones? Your recipe looks SO GOOD!!!!
Yes, dried lentils 🙂
OMGosh this soup is delish…I don’t care for potatoes so omitted them and used 3 to 4 cups of the squash instead, also didn’t have herbs of Provence or rosemary but had fresh thyme and added a small bunch to the pot of soup then took out the strands later, it tasted great but can also see how the rosemary would work very well and will add that next time :-).
Thank you Grace!
I made this tonight and it was delicious! Thanks for sharing. For prep time though, this took me close to an hour to chop everything up. I may try a modified version with less chopping 🙂 I had plenty to freeze as well to get through the long Chicago winter.
Ah! Sorry about the prep time. I know I’m a fast chopper, my husband on the other hand takes about double the time to prep ingredients. I will go back and adjust the time a little. Thanks for sharing Lauren!
I prepped the veggies the day before which made the cooking and cleanup so much easier. This soup is delicious and so worth the time!
That’s a good idea! I am glad you liked it! Thank you!
In the text you refer to celery root. The ingredient list calls for celery. Which do you recommend?
It’s both, celery with the carrots and onion, and celery root with the potatoes and squash. Hope that helps!