Vibrant Tomato Lentil Soup (Printable)

Vibrant tomato broth with hearty lentils, fresh vegetables, and aromatic Mediterranean spices in every spoonful.

# Ingredient List:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
02 - 2 medium carrots, diced
03 - 2 celery stalks, diced
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
06 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste

→ Lentils

07 - 1 cup dried brown or green lentils, rinsed

→ Liquids

08 - 5 cups vegetable broth
09 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Spices & Seasonings

10 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
11 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - ½ teaspoon dried thyme
13 - ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
14 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
15 - 1 bay leaf

→ Finishing Touches

16 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional
17 - Juice of ½ lemon

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables are softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add tomato paste, cumin, smoked paprika, thyme, and black pepper. Stir continuously for 1 minute to release spice flavors.
04 - Add diced tomatoes with juice, lentils, vegetable broth, bay leaf, and salt. Stir well and bring to a boil.
05 - Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes until lentils are tender.
06 - Remove bay leaf. Stir in lemon juice and adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's ready in under an hour, which means you can go from empty pot to steaming bowls before dinner feels like a chore.
  • The lentils are packed with protein and fiber, so you actually feel full and energized afterward, not sluggish.
  • One pot means minimal cleanup, and the flavor actually improves as it sits in the fridge for days.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the lentils because this removes the dusty coating that makes them taste slightly off, and the two minutes it takes is worth it.
  • If your lentils are still crunchy after 30 minutes, the heat might be too high or your pot might be letting heat escape, so lower the heat a bit more and check again in 5 minutes rather than cranking up the temperature.
03 -
  • If your soup tastes flat or one-dimensional after cooking, it usually means it needs more salt or more lemon juice, so taste and adjust before deciding it didn't work.
  • Toasting the spices for that full minute actually matters because it unlocks flavors that would otherwise just float around unnoticed in your bowl.
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