Italian Lentil and Vegetable Soup Recipe
A thick, hearty soup with lentils and vegetables is the Italian answer to our homestyle “everything in one pot” soup. In Tuscany and Umbria, soups like this are eaten especially in winter – they’re simple, inexpensive and warming, and they taste fantastic with a slice of bread.
This Italian lentil soup is reminiscent of homestyle Tuscan minestrone – thick, full of vegetables, with a pronounced herbal aroma and deep, savory umami flavor. It combines simple ingredients with long, gentle cooking, so the lentils become tender without falling apart and the vegetables create a naturally thick, warming broth. It’s a typical “piatto unico” – a single dish that truly fills you up and stands in for a whole meal.
Chef's tips
Be sure to rinse the lentils in a sieve, and if you’re using older lentils, it’s worth soaking them for an hour so they cook faster and more evenly. Simmer the soup over low heat, without a vigorous boil – otherwise the vegetables may fall apart and the lentils may end up soft on the outside but hard in the center. Season with salt and herbs toward the end, because if you do it too early, the flavor will be less pronounced and the herbs will lose their aroma.
How to serve
Serve the soup with a thick slice of rustic country bread, ideally slightly warmed and drizzled with olive oil – just like in small trattorias in winter. A glass of simple table red wine or just a jug of water with lemon slices pairs beautifully. This dish is perfect for a chilly, busy workday when you want to cook one pot and have a ready meal for two days.
Ingredients
- lentils rinsed in a sieve - 200 g
- carrot diced small - 2 pieces
- celery stalk diced - 2 stalks
- onion diced - 1 piece
- garlic finely chopped - 2 cloves
- chopped canned tomatoes 1 can - 400 g
- vegetable stock can be from a cube, but mild - 1 l
- bay leaf - 1 piece
- dried oregano - 1 teaspoon
- olive oil for sautéing the vegetables - 3 tablespoons
- fresh parsley chopped, for serving - 2 tablespoons
- salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Preparation
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add the diced onion, carrot and celery. Sauté for 6–8 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables soften and become slightly translucent but do not brown.
- Add the chopped garlic and cook for 1 more minute, until fragrant.
- Add the rinsed lentils, bay leaf and dried oregano. Stir to combine.
- Pour in the vegetable stock and canned tomatoes. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a lid leaving a small gap, and simmer for 30–35 minutes, until the lentils are tender but not falling apart. Stir from time to time.
- If the soup is too thick, add a little water or stock. If it’s too thin, cook for a few minutes without the lid to let some of the liquid evaporate.
- Remove the bay leaf. Season the soup with salt and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper.
- Serve hot, sprinkled with chopped parsley. You can drizzle each portion with a little olive oil.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The soup will thicken as it stands – when reheating, loosen it with a splash of water or stock and heat gently, stirring often. You can also freeze it (without the parsley) for up to 3 months; defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat on low heat.
