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Hearty Lentil Soup with Carrots and Spinach

Hearty lentil soup simmers brown or green lentils with carrots, celery, and tomatoes until tender. Baby spinach stirred in at the end adds a fresh finish to this comforting one-pot soup.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 240
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion medium, diced
  • 4 carrots medium, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
  • 2 ribs celery diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1.5 cups brown or green lentils picked over and rinsed
  • 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with juices
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 5 oz baby spinach

Equipment

  • 1 5-quart Dutch oven

Method
 

  1. Heat the olive oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven over medium heat.
  2. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
  3. Stir in the garlic and dried thyme and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
  4. Add the lentils, vegetable broth, tomatoes with their juices, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper, and bring to a boil.
  5. Reduce the heat to low, partially cover, and simmer for 30–40 minutes, until the lentils are tender.
  6. Remove the bay leaf.
  7. Stir in the spinach and cook for 2–3 minutes, until wilted.

Notes

For tender lentils, check them near the end of the simmer and avoid cooking them past tender. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. For a lower-sodium version, use no-salt-added diced tomatoes and adjust the salt to taste.