This Lentil Spinach Soup with Lemon is a quick and easy one-pot vegetarian meal that is full of unexpected flavor. It’s light, nutritious and satisfying with lots of fiber. Serve it over rice for a complete vegan protein. What’s not to love?
The winter holidays are loaded with culinary temptations. From party cocktails to comfort food to dessert platters, we’re indulging like there’s no tomorrow. Around this time of year I often feel the need to clean up my diet a bit. My energy level becomes low; I feel sluggish. Last winter I came across Melissa Clark’s recipe for Red Lentil Soup with Lemon and it seemed just the ticket. Using the ingredients I had on hand, I made my own version of this popular soup. The result was a perfect combination of healthy and tasty.
Since last year I have made this soup repeatedly, refining it to suit my taste– using brown lentils, less stock for a thicker soup, and wilting in lots of healthy greens. The result is a simple stew-like lentil soup, richly flavored and full of vitamins. The lemon gives it an unexpected brightness that just sings. My husband, who tends to think lentil soup is boring, was pleasantly surprised. “So much flavor! And it tastes healthy, in a good way.”
Suffice it to say, this has become one of our winter staple meals. It’s so easy to throw together. I’ve thickened the broth so it’s halfway between a soup and a stew; pour it over white or brown rice for a complete protein and a heartier meal. Enjoy!
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Food Photography and Styling by Kelly Jaggers
Lentil Spinach Soup with Lemon
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 whole onion, diced
- 1 whole carrot, peeled and diced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 quart low sodium vegetable stock (if not vegetarian, you can substitute chicken stock)
- 1 cup water
- 1 1/4 cups brown, green or red lentils, rinsed and sorted
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups fresh spinach leaves (or substitute kale, swiss chard, or another favorite green)
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (or can substitute parsley-- I prefer the flavor of cilantro here)
- 1 whole lemon
NOTES
Instructions
- Heat up the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and carrot. Sauté until the onion softens and starts to turn golden. Add the garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes longer until fragrant. Add the tomato paste, cumin, cayenne, salt and black pepper. Stir and sauté for 2 minutes longer.
- Add the vegetable stock, water, lentils and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer then cover the pot, slightly vented. Let the soup cook for about 30 minutes until the lentils are soft.
- Remove soup from heat, remove the bay leaf and discard. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup halfway, so that it thickens but still has texture.Put soup over medium heat again. Add the fresh spinach leaves and cilantro. Stir the greens into the soup for 1-2 minutes until just wilted (covering the pot will wilt them faster).
- Turn off the heat and stir in fresh lemon juice to taste. Adjust seasonings if desired, and serve.
Nutrition
tried this recipe?
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I’ve made this several times, always forgetting the cilantro or parsley at the end
Tonight was the first time I used red lentils. I was surprised, but I think I liked the flavor better than with brown lentils
This was delicious. I substituted butternut squash for the carrots and didn’t add the lemon juice.
Recipe was fabulous, big hit with my family! I did add some parsnip, fresh basil, and a good amount of white wine!
Delicious! I used chicken bone broth and didn’t bother blending. It was perfect! Thank you for sharing
Made this lentil soup this evening. It is by far one of the best lentil soups I have made. Thank you for a great recipe!
I wish to make healthy matzo balls – fluffy without matzo meal but coconut or almond flour –
Don’t want schmaltz. Unsure about eggs.
Can you send me a recipe of the above that will work? Gluten/wheatfree/leaning to keto.
Need help.
These would be the closest thing I have to that: https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/gluten-free-potato-knaidelach/ I think it would be next to impossible to make a fluffy matzo ball with coconut or almond flour as the main flour.
Easy, delicious, healthy- everything I was looking for! Used chopped kale and cilantro- good combination with the other ingredients. 💕
My family is Lebanese and we have something similar as a staple food. Yours is great and I just wanted to recommend trying out replacing the spinach with swiss chard OR removing the cilantro and adding dried mint instead. Those two options are very popular, and add tons of lemon at the end!
I love chard as a sub! Use it often. Mint is a great idea, thanks for sharing. 🙂
Nice soup, very tasty. I changed the recipe a bit: I used red lentils; added a few stalks of finely chopped celery and sauteed with the onion and carrot; doubled the chopped garlic; and added the finely grated rind of the lemon along with the lemon juice. We really enjoyed it.
This has become one the staples in our house (I usually use red lentils and serve it with Jasmine rice–pretty and tasty). My teenage son often requests it. It was also a hit when I have taken it as a vegetarian option for a soup potluck.
Yum Doubled the recipe to feed a big group. Blended a little as we like our lentil soup chunky. Excellent. Wasn’t sure of lemon but just added the right bite. My son wants franks in it will make it meat tomorrow, however dairy with parmesan cheese is another option. Tori you are the best!!
My go to lentils recipe!
Made this soup for the first time and we thought it was delicious. Flavor is excellent compared to some lentil soups. Mine didn’t look quite as thick as yours, but still wonderful. Thank you for a great recipe.
I’ve made this soup several times and each time it gets better. Easy, healthy and delicious!
Amazing! This is my favorite lentil soup recipe! I’ve made this soup about 5 times now, and it is amazing every time. This definitely goes down as one of my favorite soup recipes of all time.
Is this the correct photo? Soup looks delicious, but more like a beef vegetable soup. Thanks!
Yes it’s correct – the lentil soup is thick and brown when cooked.
I didn’t have enough lentils so added some pearl barley as well. Such a delicious soup! I don’t normally comment on recipes but this one is so good!
Thanks for commenting Carol, this type of feedback keeps me energized. 🙂 I agree, I love this soup too.
I’m not a fan of cumin and cayenne pepper but when I read through your recipe and saw you used lemon juice and cilantro it inspired me to use lemon pepper spice instead! Happy to say it was a refreshing twist on the lentil spinach soup! Thanks for a great recipe!
OH — now I have two ways to make this delicious soup! Thank you!! (LOVE lemon pepper!)
Made it to use up beet leaves (in place of spinach). Chopped the stems and sautéed with onions. Kids gobbled it up. Thanks!!!
My daughter, Sheri, gave me your website, since we are both avid cooks, or at least we we both love being in the kitchen. Your recipes are awesome, easy to follow. Look forward to trying all your recipes, Tomorrow, Challah bread French toast !
absolutely delicious !!! Found your website…will be trying all your recipes !! 🙂
Happy you’re here Sheri!