Home » The Lagana Family Cooking Series » LENTIL SOUP

This quick and simple Lentil soup is so nourishing, comforting and delicious! It’s the perfect soup for cold days to keep you cozy all Winter long!

big pot of lentil soup with parsley, carrots, tomatoes, a whole onion and bulb of garlic in the background, a cup of uncooked lentils and a bunch of fresh parsley on the side, wooden spoon in the pot, 2 slices of garlic bread on the side

Lentil Soup (which we only ever called “Lenticchie”) was on repeat in our household growing up. And shamefully, as a kid or teenager that God forbid couldn’t be caught dead eating anything healthy, I’d hate when this soup was in our fridge. Fast forward to now (and honestly, starting since the beginning of University and beyond) when I started to knock some sense into my own head about good eating habits, there were times and days I actually asked my Momma to make this soup for me. I loved it because it always felt like I was eating the healthiest soup in the world (it really flushes you out, if you know what I’m sayin’). And she loved it because it was so super easy, hardly required any cooking and the ingredients were so few and simple, we always had them on hand. Therefore, as an adult, you best believe Lentil Soup always has a place on my Winter Menu!

big bowl of lentil soup with carrots, tomatoes, onions and parsley, 2 slices of garlic bread in the background, with another bowl of lentil soup and a whole onion and some parsley

WHY DO YOU CALL LENTIL SOUP “LENTICCHIE?

I know I repeatedly go on about my Italian background. And, like any typical kid born into an Italian family, I’m damn proud of it. What I’m not proud of, though is how I managed to scrape by nearly 31 years of living not knowing how to speak Italian fluently. Much of that time (still) spent with non-English speaking grandparents. *Puts paper bag over head* And to make matters worse, after my year long South American adventure, I picked up Spanish. I don’t know if that helped me in any way when it came to the Italian thing. Or just continued to confuse the hell outta me.

For some odd reason, although we didn’t speak Italian as our first language at home growing up (not sure why….very, very pissed about this….lol), there were a handful of words that just never got said in English. A dust pan wasn’t a dust pan. It was a “paletta”. A tea towel was only known to us as a “mappina”. A “como” was the only way of saying dresser. A “petza” was a rag or dish cloth. And when Momma announced we were having “lenticchie” for dinner, we knew it meant a great big bowl of this soup right here.

big bowl of lentil soup with carrots, tomatoes, onions and parsley, whole onion and garlic bulb in the background, fresh parsley on the bottom

Now, I know what you’re thinking…is this a food blog or an Italian class?! But did you really think we could get through the Lagana Family Cooking Series WITHOUT a mini Italian lesson?! Although I’m probably not the world’s greatest teacher in that department. Who knows…at this rate, one day you may be better at it than me!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE MOMMA’S LENTIL SOUP

ingredients for lentil soup - lentils, olive oil, onions, tomatoes, carrots, salt and pepper, garlic and spices (paprika, turmeric, oregano, cumin) — *Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.*

There may not be many ingredients in this Lentil Soup recipe but don’t be fooled, it’s full of flavour! Let’s discuss the ingredients in a little bit more detail down below:

The Lentils: I like using green lentils for this recipe but you can use brown lentils, if preferred.
The Spices: I like using a mixture of spices to give this Lentil Soup a bit more flavor. In this recipe, I use Dried Oregano, Turmeric, Cumin, Smoked Paprika and of course, Salt and Pepper. In all honesty, though, Momma only uses Salt and Pepper so you can use whatever spice combination you fancy, if anything at all!
The Carrots and Tomatoes: These, at the end of the day, are completely optional and my personal touch to my Momma’s Lentil Soup. She keeps things basic and only adds Onions and Garlic but I really enjoy this Lentil Soup with the addition of Carrots and Tomatoes. On that note, I like rough chopping them into larger bite sized pieces so they’re still visible in the soup. But, if you prefer smaller pieces, you may do that as well.
Onion: Adds flavour and texture to the soup. White onion is best in this recipe.
Garlic: As always, adds flavour. If you only have garlic powder on hand, use that instead. You’ll need a 1/4 teaspoon instead of the 2 fresh cloves.
Olive Oil: For sautéeing, adds flavour. Feel free to use butter or a different oil, such as avocado instead, if you prefer.

2 big bowl of lentil soup with carrots, tomatoes, onions and parsley, 2 cloves of garlic, a whole onion and some fresh parsley in the shot

KEY TIPS FOR MAKING LENTIL SOUP

Rinse the Lentils in a fine mesh strainer to get them nice and wet before adding them to the pot. This will ensure the spices will stick to the lentils and give the lentils a better opportunity to toast in the couple minutes they cook before adding any liquid.
Add the Spice mixture before adding the water and stir to allow the spices to cook a bit and release their flavors.
Once the soup starts cooking and you have it on simmer, keep checking it every 20-30 minutes to ensure that the water hasn’t evaporated too much. If so, add more water, the lentils should always be covered by an inch or two of water. Adjust seasonings as needed.

hands holding big bowl of lentil soup with carrots, tomatoes, onions and parsley

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

I DON’T HAVE GREEN OR BROWN LENTILS. CAN I USE YELLOW OR RED?

Green and Brown Lentils hold their shape a lot better than the yellow or red ones. However, if you only have yellow or red on hand, consider pureeing the entire soup after it’s cooked using an immersion blender, stand up blender or food processor.

CAN I FREEZE THIS LENTIL SOUP?

Yes, this Lentil Soup freezes rather beautifully. I like portioning it out into these containers and then thawing it out in the fridge the night before I want to use it. To reheat, transfer to a microwave safe bowl and microwave for a few minutes, until heated through. Or, my preferred method, is heating it up over medium heat on the stove until heated through.

DO YOU COOK LENTILS BEFORE ADDING IT TO THE SOUP?

Nope, just give them a quick rinse! They will cook in the water as everything simmers.

CAN I USE CANNED LENTILS INSTEAD OF DRIED?

I’ve only ever used dried to be honest and believe their texture is what really makes this soup great. However, if you want to use canned use at least two large cans and reduce the overall amount of water by about a cup.

LENTIL SOUP AKA "LENTICCHIE"

Yield: 6 Servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Winter made better with this easy and delicious Lentil Soup.

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups Dried Green Lentils
1 large White Onion, sliced
5 large Carrots, peeled and sliced
2 Tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Your Fav Spices* optional (see notes)
4-6 cups Water*

Instructions

Chop all your veggies before beginning so they're ready to use.
Heat the olive oil in a large stock or soup pot over medium high heat. Add the onions and sautée for a minute or two, stirring frequently. Add the carrots and stir for an additional couple minutes. Finally, add the chopped tomatoes and minced garlic and stir for another minute or two, until the garlic is fragrant but not browning.
Rinse the lentils under water (I use a fine mesh strainer to do so) and add them to the pot. Add in all spices, aside from the salt and pepper. Mix all the ingredients until well combined, turn the heat to medium and stir for about a minute.
Cover the veggies and lentils with water and add salt and pepper. Stir, raise heat back to high and cover with a lid.
Once boiling, reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for about 45 minutes until the lentils and carrots are tender and cooked through. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Best served with a good ol' slice o' crusty bread.

Notes

You can add any flavor spice combo you want aside from salt and pepper...or nothing at all! The one used in this recipe is 2 tsp each of Turmeric, Smoked Paprika, Dried Oregano and Cumin. Keep in mind that as the soup simmers, the water evaporates so the spices may need to be adjusted after cooking.

Water is just enough to cover everything in the pot at first and then you keep adding, a few cups at a time (as needed) to keep the lentils covered throughout.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 160Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 114mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 8gSugar: 5gProtein: 8g