• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
She Loves Biscotti
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • About Maria
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

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

    Italian Lentil Soup Recipe: Simply Delicious!

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

    • Facebook
    • Reddit
    • Flipboard
    Jump to Recipe
    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
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?

    Enter you email below and I'll send the link to your inbox.
    PLUS, be the first to get newly published recipes!

    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
    SIGN UP for Email updates!YES! Send me FREE RECIPES!

    WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?

    Enter you email below and I'll send the link to your inbox.
    PLUS, be the first to get newly published recipes!

    • Facebook
    • Reddit
    • Flipboard

    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. Marie DeSimone

      November 04, 2022 at 11:21 am

      5 stars
      This soup was absolutely fantastic! I had some frozen tomatoes that I used instead of the canned because I wanted to get rid of them. I follow your recipes religiously and am a great fan of all of them They never fail! Thank you again for keeping the Italian heritage alive!

      Reply
      • Maria

        November 04, 2022 at 11:35 am

        Thank you so much for your kind words and support Marie! So thrilled to read this! Grazie ♥♥♥

        Reply
    2. Lori

      October 24, 2022 at 9:44 am

      5 stars
      Made two of your recipes over the weekend. The ameritti cookies were so good, decided to try the soup. Both were fantastic!

      Reply
      • Maria

        October 24, 2022 at 9:46 am

        So thrilled to read this! Thanks so much for sharing Lori!

        Reply
    3. Phyllis

      October 09, 2022 at 10:08 pm

      5 stars
      Made this soup today. We love it!! Definitely a favorite

      Reply
      • Maria

        October 09, 2022 at 10:11 pm

        So thrilled to read this! Thanks Phyllis!

        Reply
    4. Teresa

      September 26, 2022 at 11:26 am

      5 stars
      I just discovered this wonderful soup, and I wish I had known about it sooner. I made it this morning, had some for late breakfast and will enjoy it again for lunch. Thank you, thank you!

      Reply
      • Maria

        September 26, 2022 at 11:39 am

        My pleasure Teresa! Enjoy!!!

        Reply
    5. Juan

      September 14, 2022 at 1:40 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious

      Reply
      • Maria

        September 16, 2022 at 9:28 am

        Thanks so much Juan!

        Reply
    6. Eve Goldberg

      August 15, 2022 at 5:16 pm

      5 stars
      I love this soup. I added lots of extra chopped vegetables…red pepper, zucchini, yellow squash, portobello mushrooms, and eggplant. Served over a gluten free (brown rice/quinoa) pasta I found at Trader Joe’s. Yummy!

      Reply
      • Maria

        August 19, 2022 at 10:35 am

        Thanks so much for sharing Eve!

        Reply
    7. Liz

      July 17, 2022 at 4:56 am

      5 stars
      Made a double batch of this delicious lentil soup. We loved it.
      Thanks for wonderful reciepe!

      Reply
      • Maria

        July 19, 2022 at 9:25 pm

        My pleasure Liz! Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
    8. Tessa

      July 03, 2022 at 8:52 pm

      5 stars
      Oh my goodness, this is my dream soup. I found this recipe on a random google when I was looking for something to do with a bag of lentils that I bought by accident. I love soup, spicy food, and Italian food so this really appealed to me. This is so good and I’ve had it daily for lunch for weeks. I amp up the red pepper to a full teaspoon, but thats just me!

      Reply
      • Maria

        July 08, 2022 at 8:49 pm

        How wonderful Tessa! Thanks so much for sharing.

        Reply
    9. Lady Di

      March 29, 2022 at 11:25 pm

      5 stars
      Great hearty soup! I will added more celery at the end because I like a little crunch. I think adding more veggies next time will make it even better.

      Reply
      • Maria

        March 30, 2022 at 9:36 pm

        Hoe wonderful! Thanks for sharing Lady Di!

        Reply
    10. Carol

      March 06, 2022 at 9:47 am

      Just such a heartwarming delicious soup. If there ever was a food I would like to live on it would be this. But of course I would have to have pasta too. Oh wait -what about this ice cream and sweets???!!! ok so you get the idea! I really, really love this recipe!

      Reply
      • Maria

        March 30, 2022 at 9:39 pm

        lol…thanks Carol! I am so happy to read this!

        Reply
      • Gloria

        October 16, 2022 at 12:47 pm

        Can you use red lentils? I have a large bag and would love to use them up. Thanks

        Reply
        • Maria

          October 20, 2022 at 9:50 pm

          Yes. As it takes 5-10 minutes to cook red lentils, add them towards the end of the cooking time. Great comment! Thanks Gloria!

    « Older Comments
    Newer Comments »

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Maria from She loves biscotti

    Hi, I'm Maria! a dietitian (retired) and full-time content creator. Join me as I share traditional Italian recipes from my youth to modern twists on classics using fresh and seasonal ingredients.

    More about me →

    Subscribe and Follow

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram
    • YouTube

    STRAWBERRY RECIPES

    • Strawberries and ricotta in a dessert glass.
      Easy Strawberry Ricotta Dessert
    • Baked strawberries in a baking dish.
      Roasted Strawberries: From Ordinary to Amazing!
    • Lemons and fresh strawberries surround a white dish of macerated berries.
      Macerated Strawberries: A Simple Recipe
    • A close up of icy cold frozen strawberry halves set on ice.
      How to Freeze Strawberries: 6 Easy Steps!
    Banner of sites featuring She Loves Biscotti including Buzzfeed, Huffpost, etc.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • About
    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 She Loves Biscotti INC

    Copyright © 2025

    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Read more