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 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?
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 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 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
- 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.
Julie
We rate recipes on a scale of Yums, 5/5 being perfect. Your soup is definitely 5 Yums out of 5!
Spring has sprung in Victoria, BC
Maria
Thank you so much for taking the time to share Julie! Enjoy springtime in beautiful BC!
Adrienne Mccallum
Lovely healthy soup, very much enjoyed by the whole family!
Maria
SO thrilled to read this! Thanks so much Adrienne!
Luisa Bellissimo
Just rated it 5 star
Maria
Thanks again Luisa!
Luisa Bellissimo
Made this a few times now!
It’s a keeper! Simple and delicious!
Thanks for all your tasty and awesome recipes!
Keep warm and stay safe!
A fellow Italo-Canadese from Woodbridge Ontario
Maria
Hello Luisa! Thanks so much for sharing. I am so thrilled to read this. It is truly my pleasure. We definitely need our soups in Canada…lol
Maria A.
Absolutely fantastic. This tastes even better the following day. Finally an authentic lentil soup that brings me back to my childhood.
Grazie mille.
Maria
I am so thrilled to read this! Thanks so much Maria!
Rena
I have made this soup twice. It is so delicious. Made it for guests both times and everyone loved it. I did make mine in the pressure cooker (instant pot). Followed all the directions but instead used the sautée setting the cooked under pressure for 5-7 minutes. We were hungry so cooked 7 minutes and manually released the pressure. Perfect lentils. Great soup.
Maria
How wonderful Rena! I am sure this comment will help others who have a pressure cooker. Thank you.
Cheryl
I made this today and it’s absolutely delicious!!
I added Turkey sausage for extra flavor.
Very good 😋
Maria
Thanks so much Cheryl! So thrilled to hear you enjoyed it!
Susan
Just made this and it is delicious. Made it in the morning to have at dinner this evening….hopefully giving the flavours a chance to meld…
Maria
How wonderful Susan! Happy New Year!
Susan
Making this right now…my daughter said the house smells like a professional resort dinning area lol… can’t wait to taste the final results!
Debra
Just made this soup. So good! I used a 15oz can of lentils and reduced the broth to 3 cups, which is just perfect. For the tomatoes, I used a can of diced petite tomatoes and I used up containers of veggie broth and chicken broth. I also added the red pepper flakes. Very happy with this soup. I’ll make it again. Blogging about it at djfpdxcooks.wordpress.com.
Maria
How wonderful Debra! Thank you so much for sharing, appreciate it!