Hearty Vegan Lentil Soup
This hearty vegan lentil soup is slow-simmered in a savory and flavorful vegetable broth with wholesome lentils and a comforting mix of onions, celery, carrots, potatoes, and tomatoes.
Print TRADITIONAL Recipe
Servings: 8
INGREDIENTS
Vegetables
- Drizzle Olive Oil
- 1 Large Yellow Onion
- 4 Ribs Celery
- ½ to 1 Bag Baby Carrots (16 oz bag)
- 2 Cups Baby Potatoes (or more to taste)
- 2 tbsp Minced Garlic
Seasonings
- 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
- 2 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
Remaining Ingredients
- 1½ Cups Green Lentils
- 1 Can Diced Tomatoes (Large 28 oz)
- 2+ Cartons Vegetable Broth Carton (32 oz ea)
Optional
- 1 Package Plant Based Sausage (of choice)
Optional to Serve With:
- Salt & Pepper (to taste)
- Sriracha
- Nutritional Yeast
INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare & Cook Veggies
- Heat a generous drizzle of olive oil in an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat (the larger pot makes it easy to add extra veggies if you want a bigger batch).Drizzle Olive Oil
- Dice the onion and celery. Add to the pot.1 Large Yellow Onion, 4 Ribs Celery
- Add minced garlic, mix well, and cook about 5 minutes.2 tbsp Minced Garlic
- Meanwhile, chop baby carrots in half (or thirds) and dice baby potatoes.½ to 1 Bag Baby Carrots (16 oz bag), 2 Cups Baby Potatoes
- Add carrots and potatoes to the pot, mix well, and cook about 5 minutes.
- Note: Add more carrots and potatoes if you’d like to fill up the pot even more!
Add Seasonings
- Add all spices to the pot.1 tbsp Italian Seasoning, 2 tsp Paprika, 1 tsp Ground Cumin, 1 tsp Salt, 1 tsp Black Pepper
- Mix well so the vegetables are evenly coated.
- Cook for about 2 minutes to allow the spices to bloom and meld.
Add Remaining Ingredients
- Add the lentils and tomatoes to the pot.1½ Cups Green Lentils, 1 Can Diced Tomatoes (Large 28 oz)
- Add vegetable broth - start with 2 cartons, then add more as needed.2+ Cartons Vegetable Broth Carton (32 oz ea)
- Mix well, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Place the lid on with the side vent open.
- Cook for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally & scraping the bottom.
- After about 1 hour, taste and adjust seasonings as desired (it will likely need more salt). Add additional broth to thin the soup, if needed.
Prepare Optional Plant-Based Sausage
- If desired, while the soup cooks, dice the sausage links and brown according to package directions. Set aside.1 Package Plant Based Sausage (of choice)
Serve:
- Fill bowls with soup and top with plant-based sausage, if using. Finish with optional toppings, such as salt and pepper, sriracha, and nutritional yeast.Salt & Pepper, Sriracha, Nutritional Yeast
OPTIONAL INSTANT POT INSTRUCTIONS:
- This recipe works GREAT in a pressure cooker!■ Use Sauté for Step 1 ingredients.■ Add remaining ingredients but reduce lentils to 1 C and add broth only to the Max Fill line.■ Mix well, turn off Sauté, cover, and pressure cook on High for 30 minutes (about 10 minutes to pressurize).■ Naturally release for 15 minutes, then carefully vent, remove the lid, and mix well.