Italian lentil soup is a hearty soup that is perfect for cooler weather. Simple to make and budget friendly, our version includes carrots, onions, celery, and plum tomatoes, plus baby spinach, a touch of oregano, and a rind of Parmigiano Reggiano. Perfect served alongside a salad, sandwich, or some crusty bread, this soup can be ready in about 1 hour.
Full Instructional Video
One of the things I like best about Italian lentil soup is that it can be made with items that I almost always have on hand in the pantry, and in the refrigerator.
I usually keep several bags of lentils in my pantry as well as plum tomatoes and beans. Carrots, celery, and onions are also always there waiting to be used in some way. From beef barley soup and Tuscan white bean soup, to pasta e ceci and split pea soup we make plenty of soup recipes during the fall and winter months.
This is the soup I grew up eating. Nothing fancy about it at all. In fact, it is really basic. More basic than my sausage lentil soup, though that one isn’t too difficult either.
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How to make the best lentil soup
Note: Whenever using lentils, make sure to inspect them in a bowl for any hard rocks or debris and be sure to discard.
Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.
- Dice 2 celery ribs, 2 medium carrots, and 1 medium onion (Photo #1). Tip: Include the celery leaves for more flavor!
- Heat a large heavy pot to medium-low and add a 1/4 cup of olive oil along with the carrots, celery, and onion. Cook until soft and translucent (about 10 minutes). (Photo #2)
- After the veggies are nice and soft add in 3 ounces of tomato paste (half a standard can) and cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes (Photo #3).
- Next, add in 8 ounces of hand-crushed plum tomatoes, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, 1 bag of lentils (standard 1 pound bag), a Parmigiano Reggiano rind, and 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and cook over a simmer until the lentils are soft (about 45-50 minutes) (Photo #4). Note: I always recommend saving the rinds from Parmigiano Reggiano blocks. They add great flavor to almost all soups! Just omit this step if you don’t have one.
- Taste test the lentils to make sure they are all tender and that no hard pieces are left. Once satisfied, turn off the heat and add the baby spinach (Photo #5).
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste to get the flavor just right (Photo #6).
Bring your pot of lentil soup to the table and serve alongside a delicious green salad and this light and fluffy no knead focaccia.
Drizzle your best extra virgin olive oil onto each bowl and offer grated cheese for anyone who would like some.
Top tips
- Check your lentils. Whenever working with lentils, make sure to inspect them in a large bowl for any hard pebbles or debris. Sometimes they can erroneously be packaged at the sorting facility. Just discard anything that is not a lentil.
- Save your Parmigiano Reggiano rinds. When you’ve used the last bit of cheese and are about to toss the rind, think twice. Adding the rind to sauce and soups, like sausage lentil soup, spicy sausage potato and kale soup or pasta e ceci adds another layer of flavor that is just so darn good.
- Make ahead of time. Making any soup ahead of time and allowing it to sit in the fridge for a day or two will allow the flavor time to mature, yielding an even better tasting soup.
- Don’t be afraid to add. I added baby spinach to this recipe, but don’t be shy to add other ingredients depending on your mood. I usually add red wine vinegar right before I eat lentil soup. My wife usually adds Greek yogurt to hers for some extra protein. Sausage or even ground turkey would be great add-ins as well.
More great soup recipes
In addition to the soups I mentioned above, these are some of my favorites, and more reasons to hang on to those Parmigiano Reggiano rinds!
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Italian Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (60g) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 ribs celery diced
- 2 medium carrots diced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 ounces (85g) tomato paste
- 1 cup (240g) crushed plum tomatoes
- 1/2 pound (226g) baby spinach
- 8 cups (1.9kg) water
- 1 pound (454g) brown or green lentils see notes below
- 1 small Parmigiano Reggiano rind optional, see notes below
- salt and pepper to taste
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Instructions
- Heat a large heavy pot to medium-low and add the olive oil, carrots, celery, and onion. Cook until soft and translucent (about 10 minutes).
- Add in the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes.
- Next add in the plum tomatoes, oregano, lentils, Parmigiano Reggiano rind, and water. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and cook over a simmer until the lentils are soft (about 45-50 minutes).
- After the lentils are cooked through and tender, turn off the heat and add the baby spinach.
- Taste test and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve in bowls with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and with grated cheese on the side. Also, serve with crusty bread. Enjoy!
Notes
- Makes 8 moderate or 6 large servings.
- Brown and green lentils can both be used. Brown cook a bit quicker and have a milder taste than peppery green lentils.
- Always save your Parmigiano Rinds! They are excellent for soups like this, but if you don’t have one just serve with grated cheese.
- A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and/or a splash of red wine vinegar is an excellent addition to each bowl.
- Leftovers can be saved for up to 3 days and can be reheated in the microwave. Lentil soup can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Just tried this and it is delicious. My husband loved it and I’ve added it to my regular rotation. Thanks so much!
Hi Jackie, we’re so happy you and your husband enjoyed the soup and appreciate your comment!
This soup reminded me of my mom’s lentils and macaroni. Delicious! I added a little bit of shell pasta, just to make it heartier. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Hi Linda, we’re so happy you enjoyed and thanks for the comment!
Wonderful as always.
Winner, winner lentil dinner!
Thank you very much.
I added crushed red pepper flakes and substituted freshly grated Parmesan for the rind.
Hi Roger, we’re so happy you enjoyed and appreciate your comment!
Amazing James and so easy! A real crowd pleaser…thank you!
Hi Maria, we’re so happy you enjoyed and appreciate your comment!
Can I substitute frozen kale for the spinach?
Hi Amy, you definitely can substitute kale for spinach here. Hope you enjoy!
I am addicted to your channel. I think I ve made every single recipe! Today I’m making your lentil soup as it’s getting cold here. Enjoy your family getting in on the act rating each dish! Thank you for sharing recipes of my fave cuisine 🙌
Hi Karlotta, we’re so happy you’re enjoying the recipes and channel and really appreciate your comment!
Just to clarify—only 8 oz of the 28 oz can of tomatoes is used?
Hi Karen, yes, only 8 ounces. You can also refer to the video if you’re unsure as Jim goes over the ingredients in depth here.
It just finished cooking . I didn’t add the plum tomatoes. I like the paste tomato flavor as a base without the tomatoes themselves. I also added Italian sausage out of the casing. The soup is pretty thick, probably because I didn’t add the plum tomatoes so I may have to add a little broth. I added the red wine vinegar at the end with the spinach and s and p. The red wine vinegar really brightens it up. Unfortunately, I did not have a rind to add which would’ve really been great. Very good recipe. 👍 great website Tara and Jim!
Hi Ellen, we’re so happy you enjoyed the lentil soup! Hope you’re doing well!
I don’t have any tomato paste. Can I make it without?
Hi Diana, yes, you can skip the tomato paste if you don’t have any. Hope you enjoy!
16 oz of lentils.that’s 2 cups right?Love your recipes and how you demonstrate them!
Hi Carmen, yes, 2 cups of lentils equals 16 ounces. So happy you’re enjoying the recipes!
I made this last night, have for lunch today. It’s delicious!
Hi Carol, thanks for the comment! We’re so happy you enjoyed the soup!
I love making soups, and this one did not disappoint! I absolutely loved it! I’ve never made a lentil soup before, but will certainly come back to this recipe. For some reason I needed to add two extra cups of water as it became too thick, but I don’t think this hurt the dish in anyway.
Thank you for the recipe!!!
KM
Hi KM, thanks for the comment and so happy you enjoyed the lentil soup!
Thanks for the recipes there all good, my family thinks I’m a good cook thanks to you guys great podcast too
Hi Kerry, I appreciate the comment and so happy you’re enjoying the recipes and podcast!
Love the soup and alot of your recipes. Can I use canned lentils when I don’t have dried. Great work guys. Luv from Canada 🇨🇦
Hi Debbie, so glad you’re enjoying the recipes. We’ve never used canned lentils but I’m sure you could use them here. Hope you enjoy!
Love Lentil Soup. Thank you so much for the delicious recipe. We loved it!
Hi Dorothy, thanks for the comment and so happy you enjoyed this one!
Added quite a bit more salt, added balsamic vinegar and black pepper. Bf and I both liked it but I did adjust the original recipe as I’m a salt lover.
Hi Anna, happy to hear you enjoyed the soup and thanks for the comment.
I loved this so much the first time that it’s actually a repeater for me which is rare because I’m addicted to variety in cooking. It’s a great recipe in every category that makes a perfect meal in all categories. I thoroughly enjoy your youtube channel and have made several of your recipes. Very talented in the kitchen and wonderful, engaging persona. Tara is a great asset, too, with her excellent commentary. Thanks for your generosity in sharing your gifts.
Hi Mary, thanks for the comment and so happy you enjoyed! I’m so happy you’re enjoying the channel and appreciate the kind words!
Add sausage to it; italian or polish, etc.
Hi LP, thanks for the comment. I actually have a recipe up for lentil soup with sausage – slightly different recipe than this one.
Made this exactly as you recommended last March when it was still cold here … and we loved it. My Italian husband always asks “when are we having that lentil soup again”? It’s his absolute favorite, but I prefer soup in the fall and winter. So glad cooler weather is here and I can add back to rotation! Thanks for all your great recipes!
Hi Melanie, thanks for the comment and so happy you and your husband are enjoying the lentil soup!
Jim you are the best!!!! I am 94 years old and love to cook I have followed your pasta recipes, now your Lentil soup, I do cook Lentil soup but will use your recipe,. The genovese pasta is an old recipe my mom cooked it but used a piece of eye round I like your recipe using chuck delicious!!! My next recipe will be your Pasta Bolenese which will be served Sunday with family. LOV YA!!!!
Hi Flo, thanks for the great comment and I’m so flattered to hear you’re enjoying the recipes. I hope you and your family love the bolognese this Sunday!
Your recommendation about adding the celery leaves reminded me of my Nona!!! She always said to add the leaves! Thanks for the nice memory! I enjoy your posts!
Hi Margaret, thanks for the copy and we’re happy to hear we were able to stir up some nice memories!
All your recipes sound wonderful. I am Italian so most of them I make, maybe a little different. I am going to try your recipes and maybe change mine. Would love to get them thru email so that I can add to my recipe book.
Stay safe.
Hi Linda, thanks for the comment and we’re so happy you’re enjoying the recipes!