Easy Lentil Soup

By Melissa Clark

Updated January 9, 2023

  • Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
1 hour
Rating
4(3,508)
Comments
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This earthy, simple-to-make lentil soup can be embellished however you please. Leave it plain, and it’s warming and velvety. Or dress it up as you like, either with one or two of the suggested garnishes listed in the recipe (see Tip), or with anything else in your pantry or fridge. If you’d like to make this in a pressure cooker, reduce the stock to 3 ½ cups, and cook on high pressure for 12 minutes, allowing the pressure to release naturally.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

  • 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed

  • 1 large onion, diced

  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed

  • 1 quart chicken, beef or vegetable stock, preferably homemade

  • 1 cup brown or green lentils, rinsed

  • 2 thyme or rosemary sprigs

  • 1 to 2 garlic cloves, finely grated or pushed through a garlic press

  • 1 teaspoon white-wine, sherry or cider vinegar, or lemon or lime juice, plus more to taste

  • ½ cup thinly sliced radicchio, or red or green cabbage (optional)

  • ½ cup parsley leaves, chopped

  • Toppings (see Tip)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)

30 grams carbs; 5 milligrams cholesterol; 307 calories; 11 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 16 grams fat; 4 grams fiber; 572 milligrams sodium; 13 grams protein; 5 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat ¼ cup oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Stir in onions and ½ teaspoon salt, and cook until onions start to brown at the edges, stirring frequently, 6 to 9 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Stir in stock, lentils, thyme and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until lentils are tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs.

  3. Step 3

    Stir in garlic, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and use an immersion blender to purée the soup to the desired consistency, keeping it chunky or making it smooth. (Alternatively, ladle it into a blender and blend in batches.) Stir in vinegar, then taste and add more salt and vinegar if needed.

  4. Step 4

    In a small bowl, toss radicchio, if using, and parsley with a drizzle of oil and a sprinkle of salt. To serve, ladle soup into bowls and top with a small mound of radicchio and parsley, and/or any other garnishes you like.

Tip

  • Dairy (yogurt or sour cream, crumbled feta or goat cheese, or grated Parmesan); spices (toasted cumin seeds, chile flakes, or garam masala); savory vegetables and tart fruit (cubed avocado, browned leeks or onions, grated citrus zest, diced tomatoes, diced orange or grapefruit segments, diced roasted red peppers or pickled jalapeños); or salty finishes (croutons, chopped cooked bacon, sliced olives, crumbled nori or dried seaweed snacks, sesame seeds and sesame oil) are all worthy toppings.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
3,508 user ratings
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Comments

nicole b.

Instead of the vinegar i usually add lemon juice at the end. And considerably more than suggested- as much as a couple tablespoons , or whatever i find in an entire lemon. It brightens up the taste wonderfully. A 1/4 teaspoon of cumin also works wonderfully with the lentils and lemon. Topped off with a swirl of good olive oil and a dollop of sour cream or thick yogurt.

Carolyn B

@Dr. J- the sauteing step is for the onion. With careful attention to the process a tablespoon (or two, max) would be enough to brown the onion, with a splash of broth or water added as needed during those 6-9 minutes. I almost never use as much oil as the mainstream servants of 'classical' technique do. Use common sense and the quantity that is needed for the task at hand.

William Powell

Then perhaps you should make a recipe for low/no salt, fat soup and publish; don't eat this one, although it looks delicious.

Deborah

Simple and tasty. I added a couple of sliced carrots and two cloves of garlic instead of one.

Carmen

I struggled with this one. The flavor was good, but I wish I hadn’t added all the salt the recipe called for. Serving it with sour cream helped reduce the saltiness. My bigger issue was that I used Rosemary sprigs (recipe say thyme or rosemary). I pulled out the sprigs but by then all the spikey leaves had fallen off and there were lots of them throughout the soup. Futile to pick them all out and the immersion blender didn’t get rid of them. If I had served that to guests, I would have been embarrassed.

Courtney

I added the garlic to the onions and sautéed on low, instead of adding later. My preference is not pureed, and it makes it even easier

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