Italian Lentil Soup

The recipe for this rich and hearty Italian Lentil Soup requires very little time, start to finish, and it takes advantage of lentils luscious state of tenderness.  This vegetarian lentil soup is made with green lentils, onion, celery, carrots, red potatoes and classic Italian seasoning.

This healthy lentil soup is hands-down the best lentil soup that I’ve ever had.   The simplicity of this lentil soup requires no garnish, but I personally love to garnish it with croutes, fresh parsley, sautéed mushrooms and a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

There’s a little Italian restaurant called Garduno’s in Costa Mesa that my family has gone to for years.  They make the best lentil soup I’ve ever had at a restaurant.  This Italian Lentil Soup recipe is my riff on their lentil soup. They add mushrooms  to their soup, but I prefer to sauté them and add them on top as a garnish with homemade cheese croutés. My family loves this healthy lentil soup, and I make it often. This is an easy Italian lentil soup recipe that’s quick and inexpensive to make.  And I love to make it because I typically have all of the ingredients on hand, so I can make it on a whim.

BEST LENTIL SOUP RECIPE

This vegetarian lentil soup recipe uses dried lentils, fresh organic produce and classic Italian seasoning.

• Broth (chicken or vegetable)
• Canned crushed tomatoes
• Green lentils or brown lentils
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Onion
• Celery
• Carrots
• Red potatoes
• Garlic
• Seasoning

HOW TO MAKE LENTIL SOUP

This easy lentil soup recipe comes together in about 45 minutes.

1. Sauté the onions, celery, carrots and garlic.
2. Pour in wine (if using).
3. Add broth, water, tomatoes, potatoes and lentils.
4. Sprinkle in seasoning.
5. Cover the pot and simmer for approximately 40 minutes or until the lentils are tender.

HEALTHY SOUP RECIPES 

• French Lentil Soup
• Vegetable Soup
• Vegan Lentil Soup
• Hearty Lentil Stew
• Easy Minestrone Soup Recipe
• Vegetarian Tuscan White Bean Soup
• Black Bean Soup
• Summer Squash Soup

MORE LENTIL RECIPES

• Lentil Salad
• How to Cook Lentils
• Healthy Lentil Stew
• Lentil Bolognese Sauce
• Vegetarian Mulligatawny

Originally published 6.2019 – updated 11.2020

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Yield: 4 - 6 servings

Italian Lentil Soup

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

The recipe for this rich and hearty Italian Lentil Soup requires very little time, start to finish, and it takes advantage of lentils luscious state of tenderness. This is a humble soup made with the most humble of ingredients.

Ingredients

• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup white wine or sherry
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes (canned)
• 1 cup dried green or brown lentils (rinsed and stones and debris discarded)
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion,  chopped
• 3 large stalks celery, chopped
• 2 large carrots, chopped
• 2-3 small red potatoes, cut into small chunks
• 2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried dill
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• sea salt to taste

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large pot. Add the onions, celery and carrots and sauté for approximately 7 minutes until tender and the onions are golden in color.
2. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute.
3. Add the wine and let simmer for just a minute.
4. Add the chicken broth, water, and tomatoes, potatoes and lentils.
5. Add the parsley, basil, oregano, dill, and freshly ground black pepper.
6. Cover the pot and simmer for approximately 40 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
7. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with cheese croutés and sautéed mushrooms.
8. An extra drizzle of olive oil is nice to add as well.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 249Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 1168mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 6gSugar: 7gProtein: 8g

theharvestkitchen.com attempts to provide accurate information, however, this nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. The nutritional information provided comes from online sources and calculations.