This easy vegan lentil vegetable soup is packed with vegetables and cooks in a little over 30 minutes. Perfect for a nutritious, plant-based weeknight dinner or meal prep!
Why we love this recipe
- Quick and easy: This lentil vegetable soup doesn't take long to prep and it cooks in just about 30 minutes. Perfect for a weeknight dinner!
- Packed with vegetables including carrot, celery, zucchini, potato, onion, garlic and swiss chard.
- High in plant-based protein thanks to lentils!
- Perfect for meal prep: you can easily make this soup ahead of time for quick lunches and dinners throughout the week.
- Freezer-friendly
Ingredients
Here are a few of the main ingredients you'll need to make this vegan lentil soup:
- Onion & garlic
- Zucchini
- Carrots
- Celery
- Potatoes
- Swiss chard
- French green lentils
- Italian seasoning blend
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Lentils: French green lentils (also known as Puy lentils) are smaller and firmer than regular brown or green lentils. They're my favorite choice for a brothy soup like this one as they don't turn to mush! As you can see in the photos, they retain their shape perfectly and add a bit of texture to the soup.
- Zucchini: feel free to sub with green beans.
- Italian seasoning blends typically contain oregano, thyme, basil, rosemary and sage. If you don't have a blend, simply add a mix of these dried herbs to the soup.
- Potatoes: we used baby red potatoes in this soup, but yellow potatoes would be a great substitute.
- Swiss chard: feel free to sub with any leafy green of your choice, including kale, spinach or collard greens.
Directions
This easy lentil vegetable soup comes together in just a few simple steps.
First, heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. We love using a cast iron dutch oven for pretty much any soup!
Next, add the onion and garlic and sauté for 5-7 minutes, until they start to soften.
Add in the celery, carrots, potatoes and zucchini and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes. Add vegetable broth, vinegar, lentils, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender.
Add swiss chard and parsley and continue cooking for 5-10 minutes. Serve hot and enjoy!
Expert Tips & FAQs
- Want to make your own vegetable broth? Try this recipe.
- We add a dash of white wine vinegar to this lentil vegetable soup for acidity, which helps balance everything out and add a bit of brightness. If you don't have any, feel free to use another acid like freshly squeezed lemon juice.
- Storage: let soup cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for 5 days. Reheat in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Freezer storage: Let the soup cool completely before transferring to an airtight, freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 6 months. To reheat, defrost in the refrigerator overnight, then heat over medium in a saucepan.
Honestly, the options are endless! You can add or substitute sweet potato, squash, green beans, parsnips, turnips, cauliflower, bell pepper, or just about anything else in your fridge.
Yes, absolutely! Start by sautéing the onion and garlic, then add everything but the swiss chard and parsley and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Add in the greens just before serving.
More lentil recipes to try
More soup recipes you'll love
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Easy Lentil Vegetable Soup
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This easy vegan lentil vegetable soup is packed with vegetables and cooks in a little over 30 minutes. Perfect for a nutritious, plant-based weeknight dinner or meal prep!
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 celery stalks, diced
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 2 cups diced red potatoes (skin on)
- 1 cup diced zucchini
- 8 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar (optional)
- 1 ½ tsp Italian seasoning blend
- ¾ cup French green lentils
- 1 tsp fine grain kosher salt
- Pepper to taste
- 1 small bunch of Swiss chard or kale, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté for 5-7 minutes.
- Add celery, carrots, potatoes and zucchini and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes. Add vegetable broth, vinegar, lentils, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Add swiss chard and parsley and continue cooking for 5-10 minutes. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
Lentils: French green lentils (also known as Puy lentils) are smaller and firmer than regular brown or green lentils. They're my favorite choice for a brothy soup like this one as they don't turn to mush!
Italian seasoning blends typically contain oregano, thyme, basil, rosemary and sage. If you don't have a blend, simply add a mix of these dried herbs to the soup.
Want to make your own vegetable broth? Try this recipe.
We add a dash of white wine vinegar to this soup for acidity, which helps balance everything out and add a bit of brightness. If you don't have any, feel free to use another acid like freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Storage: let soup cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for 5 days. Reheat in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Freezer storage: Let the soup cool completely before transferring to an airtight, freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 6 months. To reheat, defrost in the refrigerator overnight, then heat over medium in a saucepan.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Soups
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Bowl
- Calories: 313
- Sugar: 9.9 g
- Sodium: 1819.6 mg
- Fat: 7.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 51.6 g
- Fiber: 8.5 g
- Protein: 12.3 g
Alana says
Loved this recipe! So easy and flavorful. The only change I made was using chicken broth instead of vegetable broth because that’s what I had on hand but I’m sure it’d be great both ways!
Lexi says
Yay thank you so much Alana! I'm so glad you enjoyed and glad it worked well with your modification!
Hilary says
has become one of my regular standards.AMAZING
Lexi says
Thanks so much, Hilary!!
Vivian says
So, ladies, do you have the recipe for this wonderful homemade vegetable broth on your site? If not, how do I get it? Can't wait to make this soup; thank you!
Lexi says
Hi there! Unfortunately we do not, but we can work on one! In the meantime, here's a recipe we really love: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/vegetable-stock