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.
More Tasty and Satisfying Soup to Try
Veggie Lentil Soup Recipe
Recommended Products
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!
I made it in the Instant Pot, presoaked the legumes and it came out just perfect. The recipe is very flexible. I added some dried split chickpeas I needed to consume.
Thanks for sharing!! Glad to hear you enjoyed the soup!
This soup is worth the effort. Full of flavour, great texture, very filling. It’s a meal in itself, would be great with your favourite bread, but is satisfying on its own.
I’m so happy you liked it! It’s one of my favorite soups. Thanks so much for trying it. I’m glad it turned out so well!
This lentil, split pea soup recipe is a real winner! The combination of spices and garlic add so much flavour and is so delicious! Took some prep time but worth the time and effort.My husband raved about it and loved it. Would definitely make this soup again.
I’m so glad you and your husband loved it!
This was very tasty! I will say it is literally impossible to prep this in less than 10 minutes, unless you are doing it at the same time as other parts of the process, or if you have a perfectly efficient kitchen and 8 arms, it took me an hour to get everything chopped.
Happy you liked the recipe! Thank you!
I made this tonight and it is delicious. I couldn’t find any celery root at the store, sadly, but I had everything else. I sautéed the onions, celery and garlic in my instant pot and after throwing the rest of the ingredients into the pot I cooked it on high for ten minutes. I added the kale and Parmesan at the end after the pressure came down. This is a keeper for sure. Thank you.
You are welcome! Glad you tried it & let me know! Thank you!