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    Home » Soups » Italian Lentil Soup Recipe: Simply Delicious!

    Italian Lentil Soup Recipe: Simply Delicious!

    December 28, 2019 , Updated February 17, 2024 Maria 125 Comments

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    Lentil soup in a white bowl garnished with grated cheese.

    This hearty Italian Lentil Soup Recipe is not only easy to make but healthy and delicious as well. One bowl is never enough! 

    Lentil soup in a big white bowl.

    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!

    Lentil soup with vegetables in a white bowl.

    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 can (about 2 cups) in a large bowl and hand-crush the tomatoes. If present, remove the tough white cores.

    How do you make lentil soup from scratch?

    The ingredients needed to make lentil soup on a wooden board.

    In a large pot, heat ¼ cup of olive oil over medium-high heat. 

    Vegetables being sauteed in a pot.

    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).

    Herbs and a bay leaf added to the pot of soup.

    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.

    Close up of grated cheese on lentil soup.

    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? 

    Italian Lentil soup in a white bowl next to a lemon wedge.

    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 hearty lentil soup recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

    Recipe

    Italian Lentil soup in a white bowl next to a lemon wedge.

    Italian Lentil Soup Recipe

    This hearty Italian Lentil Soup Recipe is not only easy to make but healthy and delicious as well. One bowl is never enough! 
    5 from 38 votes
    Print Save RecipeSaved! Pin Rate
    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 370kcal
    Author: Maria Vannelli RD
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    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
    • 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.
    Enhance Your Cooking Experience!SCROLL UP for essential step-by-step photos embedded in the article above. When available, videos can be found in the next section. These visuals are designed to help you achieve perfect results every time. Happy cooking!

    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.
    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. 
    Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 370kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1382mg | Potassium: 890mg | Fiber: 21g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 4406IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 6mg
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    Filed Under: Soups

    About Maria

    Maria Vannelli is a retired dietitian who lives in a suburb just outside Montreal, Canada. She's the founder of the food blog She Loves Biscotti. Maria hopes to inspire you and bring you and your loved ones closer together at meal times enabling you to create some memorable moments.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jo

      February 22, 2025 at 5:46 pm

      5 stars
      Always amazing recipes. Did you know that parsley roots added to soup are something that is a very old French tradition? Just scrub and wash them. I also have the roots in a bag in the freezer when my parsley plants run wild in the garden.

      Reply
      • Maria

        March 08, 2025 at 10:31 pm

        Thanks so much Jo! I did not know this! Thanks so much for sharing. I must remember this in the fall.

        Reply
    2. Nancy Randazzo

      January 06, 2025 at 2:53 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve made lentil soup many times & always seems a bit bland. This time I used marinara sauce that I happened to have leftover and what a difference. Much more flavorful and of course a piece of cheese rind while cooking added to the taste. Thanks Maria.

      Reply
      • Maria

        January 22, 2025 at 2:38 pm

        Thanks for sharing Nancy ♥

        Reply
    3. Michelle Randazzo

      August 14, 2024 at 4:58 pm

      5 stars
      My sicilian husband loves lentil soup. I had eggplant and mushrooms to use up. So I added them to this soup. Absolutely love this soup!!! Next time will add some sausage to it. My new lentil soup go to!! Mangia!

      Reply
      • Maria

        August 16, 2024 at 8:46 am

        Thanks so much for sharing Michelle!

        Reply
    4. Addie

      February 25, 2024 at 7:45 am

      This looks super delicious! Do you think it would work if I used passata instead of canned tomatoes?

      Reply
      • Maria

        March 02, 2024 at 7:26 am

        Yes, that would would fine. Enjoy!

        Reply
    5. anna

      February 24, 2024 at 3:49 pm

      I will try this soup next time thanks

      Reply
      • Maria

        March 02, 2024 at 7:43 am

        My pleasure Anna. Enjoy!

        Reply
    6. Dagma

      February 04, 2024 at 2:17 pm

      Can I use canned petite diced tomatoes? I have these on hand because I use them a lot.

      Reply
      • Maria

        February 05, 2024 at 9:21 am

        Thanks for your interest Dagma. Yes, those are fine to use in this lentil soup recipe. Enjoy!

        Reply
    7. Sarah

      January 22, 2024 at 8:20 pm

      Hi! Could I mix brown and green lentils for this, or do I have to choose just one?

      Reply
      • Maria

        January 23, 2024 at 3:46 pm

        Thanks for your interest Sarah. Yes you can with a small adjustment to the cooking time. Green lentils take a little longer to cook, about 40-45 minutes. Brown lentils take about half the time. Enjoy.

        Reply
    8. Margaret Alletto

      January 19, 2024 at 7:52 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks for the recipe, delicious. I really enjoyed it.

      Reply
      • Maria

        January 19, 2024 at 8:44 pm

        My pleasure Margaret! Thanks for sharing.

        Reply
    9. Kathy Wallace

      October 07, 2023 at 2:22 pm

      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!

      Reply
      • Maria

        October 26, 2023 at 11:34 pm

        Thanks Kathy!

        Reply
        • Lene

          November 19, 2023 at 3:48 pm

          5 stars
          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

          November 20, 2023 at 7:28 pm

          Thanks so much for sharing Lene!

    10. Kim Morris

      September 30, 2023 at 3:31 pm

      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?

      Reply
      • Maria

        October 05, 2023 at 5:20 pm

        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!

        Reply
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