This hearty Italian Lentil Soup Recipe is not only easy to make but healthy and delicious as well. One bowl is never enough!
There is evidence that suggests that lentils have been used in Italian cooking since the Roman Empire.
Fast forward to today where there are so many varieties of lentil dishes prepared throughout the different regions of Italy.
This humble lentil soup starts with a soffritto which is the Italian term for a mixture of chopped vegetables sautéed gently in oil. The word means “under fried”.
This method creates a tasty flavor base for our soup. If you recall, we used the same technique for this escarole and beans recipe as well as this white kidney bean soup.
The earthiness of this simple legume picks up the wonderful flavors of the slow-cooked vegetables as well as the rest of the ingredients.
You won’t believe how easy this is to make!
Mise en place
Prep the vegetables: Finely dice 1 medium onion, 2 medium carrots, and 2-3 celery stalks. Depending on the size of your garlic, mince about 3 medium cloves.
Prep the tomatoes: I like the convenience of canned tomatoes for this recipe. If possible, purchase San Marzano whole peeled canned tomatoes packed in their juices and not tomato sauce. Use a high quality canned tomato just like when we made our classic marinara sauce.
Empty a 14 ounce (about 2 cups) can in a large bowl and hand crush the tomatoes. If present, remove the tough white cores.
How do you make lentil soup from scratch?
In a large pot, heat ¼ cup of olive oil over medium-high heat.
Lower the heat to medium, add the diced onions (1 medium), carrots (2 medium) and celery (2-3 stalks) and saute for about 10 minutes until soft. Add the minced garlic and saute for a couple of minutes.
Increase heat to medium-high, add ½ cup of white wine and cook for an additional minute or so.
Add the rest of the ingredients. More specifically, the hand-crushed tomatoes (2 cups), the sorted and rinsed dried lentils (2 cups), and 8 cups of stock (vegetable or chicken).
Finally, add 1 bay leaf, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, 4-5 basil leaves, and salt and pepper to taste. As an option, you can add ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium.
Partially cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until the lentils are soft. Adjust the consistency of the soup by adding water.
Taste and adjust seasonings.
If desired, garnish with some grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, and/or a squirt of lemon juice. Chopped fresh Italian parsley is another option.
Tips
- There is no need to soak these pulses as they cook in less than one hour.
- Always rinse and sort your lentils to ensure there are no impurities.
- Dice the vegetables the same size so that they cook evenly and quickly.
- The addition of parsley stems is a wonderful flavor enhancer in this dish.
- This soup tastes better the day after it is made. If necessary, add a little bit of water and reheat.
Do you soak the lentils before cooking?
No. The lentils take about 30 minutes to cook in the soup.
How long does this soup keep?
Refrigerate for up to 5 days. It can also be frozen for up to 6 months.
Can I use canned lentils instead of dry?
Yes, if you are in a hurry, using canned lentils will decrease the cooking time by 20 minutes or so. Do not rinse the lentils.
Can I use other vegetables?
Absolutely. It’s a great vehicle to empty out the fridge with vegetables that need to be used. Green beans, broccoli, Swiss chard, broccoli rabe or even escarole are just a few examples.
Easy lentil recipes
If you are looking for creative recipes to incorporate more lentils into your dietary eating habits try this slow cooker lentil stew recipe. It’s so versatile that it is great for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Two other family favorites are a quick pasta risotto and this fregola salad recipe. Who says eating healthy is boring?
Recipe origins
My mom would refer to this recipe as Minestra di Lenticchie. It would often be served with her homemade focaccia recipe.
She would make so many variations of this soup. Sometimes, she would make this hearty dish even heartier with the addition of sausage. Other times, escarole would be combined with lentils to make a delicious vegetarian soup.
If you grew up in an Italian household, chances are that you would have a variation of this lentil dish on New Year’s Eve. Consuming a spoonful of lentils on New Year’s Eve is an old Italian superstition that will bring good luck and health.
If you are interested, I recently made a variation of this recipe with my friend Carlo, a professional chef. If you would like to see how it is made, head on over to YouTube. Just click on the following link and be sure to subscribe to the YouTube channel as my friend Carlo and I plan to share more wonderful recipes with all of you!
THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.
Ciao for now,
Maria
★★★★★ If you have made this healthy hearty soup recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!
Recipe
Italian Lentil Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil extra virgin
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 2 carrots finely diced
- 2 stalks celery finely diced
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup white wine
- 14 ounces canned whole tomatoes 2 cups, hand crushed
- 2 cups lentils (brown or green) picked over and rinsed
- 8 cups stock vegetable or chicken, low sodium
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon thyme dried
- 4-5 leaves basil fresh
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- salt and pepper to taste
- extra olive oil for drizzling
- 2 tablespoons parsley for topping
- 2 tablespoons grated cheese for topping, optional
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Lower the heat to medium, add the diced onions (1 medium), carrots (2 medium) and celery (2-3 stalks) and saute for about 10 minutes until soft.
- Add the minced garlic and saute for a couple of minutes.
- Increase heat to medium-high, add ½ cup of white wine and cook for an additional minute or so.
- Add the rest of the ingredients. More specifically, the hand-crushed tomatoes (2 cups), the sorted and rinsed dried lentils (2 cups), and 8 cups of stock (vegetable or chicken).
- Finally, add 1 bay leaf, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, 4-5 basil leaves and salt and pepper to taste. As an option, you can add ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
- Bring to a boil, cover slightly, lower heat and simmer for approximately 30-40 minutes or until lentils are soft. Adjust the consistency of the soup by adding water.
- Taste and adjust seasonings.
- Remove bay leaf.
- Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and garnish with chopped parsley and cheese.OPTIONAL: a squirt of lemon juice.
Notes
- There is no need to soak these pulses as they cook in less than one hour.
- Always rinse and sort your lentils to ensure there are no impurities.
- Dice the vegetables the same size so that they cook evenly and quickly.
- The addition of parsley stems is a wonderful flavor enhancer in this dish.
- This soup tastes better the day after it is made. If necessary, add a little bit of water and reheat.
Kathy Wallace
No need to add meet when you have good lentils, but i add some mild sausage the second time i made this, knowing how yummy it was and needing to use it. Also added some cannelloni beans and radiatore noodles once I found out company was coming, and had a very filling, full filling dinner!
Maria
Thanks Kathy!
Lene
Thank you Maria for this recipe! I found it on Pinterest long time ago and today it was a wonderful heart-warming dinner here in Berlin, Germany. Tanti saluti from Europe,
Lene
Maria
Thanks so much for sharing Lene!
Kim Morris
I have a bag of Plum tomatoes I would like to use up. Can I substitute them for the canned and how and how much?
Maria
Thanks for your interest Kim. Yes, I do it all the time with my frozen tomatoes.
If they are fresh, I would first blanch the tomatoes to get rid of the skin, and then follow the instructions. Enjoy!