Hearty Lentil Soup Spinach Lemon (Print version)

Earthy lentils combined with tender spinach and a bright lemon touch create a nourishing meal.

# Ingredient List:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 medium carrots, diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 3 garlic cloves, minced

→ Legumes

06 - 1 cup dried brown or green lentils, rinsed

→ Liquids & Seasonings

07 - 6 cups vegetable broth (gluten-free if needed)
08 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
09 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 1 bay leaf
11 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Greens & Finish

13 - 4 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
14 - 1 lemon, juiced (plus extra wedges for serving)
15 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5–7 minutes until softened.
02 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
03 - Stir in rinsed lentils, ground cumin, dried thyme, bay leaf, and smoked paprika until evenly combined.
04 - Pour in vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 25–30 minutes until lentils are tender.
05 - Remove bay leaf. Stir in chopped spinach and cook for 3–4 minutes until wilted.
06 - Mix in lemon juice and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with chopped parsley if desired, and serve with extra lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means weeknight dinner without the stress.
  • The lemon lifts everything at the last second—suddenly it tastes brighter and more alive than you'd expect.
  • Lentils are forgiving; they don't demand perfection, which is exactly what a good comfort soup should be.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the lentils—this removes dust and starch, so they cook more evenly and taste cleaner.
  • Lemon juice loses flavor when added too early, so save it for the very end, just before serving.
  • If your broth is already quite salty, go easy on the extra salt at the end; it's always easier to add more than to fix oversalted soup.
03 -
  • If you cook this ahead of time, wait to add the spinach and lemon juice until you're reheating—both taste fresher that way.
  • For a creamier texture without dairy, blend half the soup and stir it back in, which creates body while keeping the vegetable pieces visible.

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