Description
This hearty and wholesome lentil soup is packed with nutritious ingredients like brown lentils, fire-roasted tomatoes, and fresh spinach. Enhanced with aromatic fennel, carrots, and a blend of spices, this easy-to-make soup is perfect for a comforting meal any day of the week. It’s simple to prepare on the stovetop, delivering rich flavors and a satisfying texture that will keep you coming back for more.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 fennel bulb, diced
- 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
- 3 cups baby spinach (or chopped standard spinach)
- 1 clove garlic, grated
Liquids
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 28-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 quart vegetable broth
- 1 cup water
Dry Ingredients & Seasonings
- 1 ½ cups dry brown or green lentils
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables: Dice the onion and fennel bulb. Peel and dice the carrots. Grate the garlic and set it aside to be stirred in later once the soup has cooked.
- Sauté aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and fennel and sauté for 6 to 7 minutes until they become translucent and fragrant.
- Add remaining ingredients: Stir in the diced carrots, lentils, fire-roasted tomatoes (with juice), vegetable broth, water, kosher salt, paprika, and dried oregano into the pot.
- Simmer the soup: Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then cook uncovered for 22 to 25 minutes, or until the lentils are tender and the flavors meld beautifully.
- Finish with greens and garlic: Stir in the baby spinach and grated garlic. Let the soup rest for 5 minutes to allow the spinach to wilt and the garlic to mellow and infuse the broth.
- Season and serve: Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. Serve immediately. This soup can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for 3 to 4 months for future meals.
Notes
- Using fire-roasted tomatoes adds a smoky depth of flavor to the soup.
- Grating the garlic rather than chopping gives a milder garlic flavor that blends smoothly into the soup.
- This soup freezes well in airtight containers, making it a convenient meal prep option.
- Feel free to substitute standard spinach if baby spinach is not available, just chop it finely.
- For a thicker soup, reduce the water slightly or simmer a bit longer.
- Instant Pot adaptation is possible by skipping the sauté step and pressure cooking the soup for about 15 minutes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 230
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Fiber: 12 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
