One-Pot Green Lentil Soup with Carrots, Onions, and Celery
One-Pot Green Lentil Soup with Carrots, Onions, and Celery is more like a rich and hearty stew, and it's ridiculously easy to make. Packed with flavor, this comfort food in a bowl is perfect for lunch or a light dinner.
2quartschicken or vegetable stockpreferably homemade
½teaspoonground coriander
½teaspoonground cumin
½teaspoonblack pepper
lemon juice or balsamic vinegarOptional*
Instructions
Finely chop all of the vegetables.
Add olive oil to a large dutch oven and place over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the onion and ½ of the carrots and celery, and salt. Cook approximately six to seven minutes or until the vegetables are soft and the onions are translucent. Stir occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
Add the lentils, diced tomatoes with juice, chicken or vegetable broth, and spices. Mix well. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for approximately 35-45 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
Top each bowl with a handful of the remaining chopped celery and carrots. Optionally, add a splash of fresh lemon juice or balsamic vinegar.
Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
If you like creamy soups and you have an immersion blender, you might want to blend some or all of your soup depending on the consistency you prefer. I like mine chunky and don't blend it up. It's optional, but we also enjoy the added crunch of fresh chopped carrots and celery and always add some to each bowl before serving. To make this in a crockpot, add all ingredients except the lemon juice or balsamic vinegar to your crockpot and cook on high for five to six hours, or on low for seven to eight hours. Most of the time, when I buy lentils at the grocery store, the package is just identified as lentils, and it does not say what variety they are. These are most likely either brown or green lentils and either work in this recipe. When the soup is cooking, you might notice a scum bubbling up on top. You can remove this by taking a large spoon and skimming it across the top and then discard it. This dish will keep well covered in the refrigerator for up to five days. It also freezes well and can be stored in your freezer for up to three months. You can reduce the amount of sodium in this recipe by using low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock and low sodium diced tomatoes. If you use low-sodium ingredients, taste before serving and add additional salt if needed.