I have all manner of bean recipes on the blog but have been woefully neglectful of the humble companion lentil. Not that I have anything against dark sludgy masses of mush, but I will say that this particular recipe caught my attention for a few reasons.
Built from a base of dark green lentils, this soup acquires its vibrance (and deliciousness) through the addition of fire-roasted tomatoes (my luuv of warm tomatoes runs deep), smoked paprika, and a touch of sherry vinegar. The flavors come together in a smoldering bowl of warmth grounded in tender root vegetables. A cup of cozy worthy of any snow day (a bit of a looker too as far as muddy lentil soups go).
Most of the ingredients are pantry staples and the lentils themselves cook in about 20 minutes, much quicker than dry beans and don’t require pre-soaking (unless that works better for your digestion).
French lentils are known for their taste (mildly flinty) and uniquely firmer texture which holds up well when cooked (other lentils tend to get mushy). So this is one lentil soup you won’t have to purée.
The original French lentil (Lentille du Puy) is grown in the area of Le Puy en Velay, in the Auvergne region of France. It is widely considered (in fancy-pants culinary circles) the caviar of lentils — with the regional soil and climate said to contribute to its exceptional quality and taste. If you happen to have a bag of lentille du Puy on hand (or access to them), fantastic. Otherwise, French lentils cultivated outside the Puy region (known simply as French lentils or French green lentils), will do just fine.
This recipe is inspired by and adapted from Laura Wright’s ‘Cozy Lentil Soup’ which can be found in her thoughtful and beautiful work The First Mess Cookbook — a recent birthday gift. Pretty sure it was Plato who said “the secret to a well balanced life is holding a cup of tea in one hand, and a good book in the other.”
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped fine
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed, salted & minced
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 6-8 fresh thyme stems (about 2 tsp minced) + more for garnish as desired
- 2 carrots (16ish baby carrots), sliced
- 1 cup diced celeriac or 2 stalks celery sliced
- 1 cup French lentils (lentille du Puy if available), picked over and rinsed
- 14 oz fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
- 14 oz fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 4-6 cups broth of choice (see Notes)
- 1 Tbsp sherry vinegar
- 1 tsp honey
- salt & pepper to taste
- In a large bottom-heavy pot set to low-medium heat, sauté onion and garlic in some olive oil adding a few cracks of salt & pepper and cooking until translucent (about 6 minutes).
- Add thyme: pinch the stem near the top with your thumb & index finger and then swipe down the length of the stem using other hand to release the thyme leaves into the pot. I love this technique - it's the most efficient (least wasteful) and effective way to free the leaves while leaving the woodsy stems behind.
- Sprinkle the onion/garlic/thyme mixture with paprika and cumin, mixing to combine.
- Mix in carrots and celeriac/celery and then add the lentils intermingling with the spices and adding a good pinch of salt & pepper.
- Add the two varieties of tomatoes and 4 cups of broth.
- Bring soup just to the boiling point and then reduce heat to simmer.
- Add the vinegar and honey, mixing to combine, and then cover the pot with a lid (leaving a space for steam to escape). Allow the soup to simmer until the lentils are just tender (about 20-30 minutes). Taste the soup and adjust seasoning as desired.
- ** If you're serving the full amount of soup at this point, the consistency (thickness) should be about right. If however, you save some (or all) of the soup for later, you can expect to add more broth. This is because the lentils will continue to absorb liquid as the soup sits and will become thicker** adjust thickness and seasoning as desired.
- This soup keeps beautifully in a covered container in the fridge for up to 5 days - you can also freeze the soup. If you'd like to freeze in individual portions, I like this method (scroll down to view illustrative image).
Does it matter if I use fire-roasted tomatoes? Yes (and happily they're very easy to find). With their char-flecked skin and grounding flavor, fire-roasted tomatoes offer a slightly sweeter, smokier taste than regular tomatoes which balances acidity well in this soup and adds to its depth of flavor.
Can you help with substitutions? Always. Vinegar: red wine or apple cider would be my top alternates. Honey: maple syrup. Celeriac: you can simply use celery instead (about 2 stocks) or consider fennel bulb. When cooked, fennel's otherwise pronounced flavor (reminiscent of licorice) mellows. Broth: If you prefer to keep this recipe plant-based, simply use a veg broth otherwise, sub variety of choice.
Any suggestions on how to deal with woodsy herbs? fresh thyme is one of my favorite herbs but the stem can be quite tough. The easiest way to release the tiny leaves is to pinch the stem near the top with your thumb & index finger and then swipe down the length of the stem using your other hand to release. I explain this method in the recipe as well. If you haven't tried it before, it's quite the revelation! (and you can use it with other herbs wherever you see fit).
My ground paprika is tasteless: Don't underestimate the flavor and potency of fresh ground herbs & spices. Sometimes we forget about spices that we don't tend to use a lot in our kitchens. If your ground paprika (or cumin) has been hanging out in the spice rack since the dawn of time (it happens) this is a perfect occasion to refresh. You won't regret it.
I'm not a fine chopper, please help: I feel your pain (and have the scars to prove it). If fine chopping has never been your superpower - two options, (i) don't worry about it :) chunkier will still work; (ii) if you feel inclined, pulse your onion/garlic in a mini blender/processor (not to smithereens but just enough to reduce size a bit). I've been using my small but mighty food processor (cuisinart pro classic) more and more and really digging its utility - small, super quick to clean and doesn't take up much room on my counter (it also makes awesome nut butters and bean dips) - there I go again with my bean bias!
How many servings would this make?
the recipe should produce somewhere in the range of 6-8 cups (there will be some variance depending on how much broth you add to desired thickness/consistency).
This is beautiful. My lentil soups are fairly plain, although I sometimes include sausages. But I love the tomato-y-ness of your soup!
Color, texture, and nourishing – I love this soup, Kelly! French lentils are always stocked for a quick stew/soup or as the base of vegetarian ‘meat’ balls – they’re versatile and hearty. And thyme… forever in the garden, withstanding the cold, snow and wind. I love it too. Beautifully written and captured. xo
I love the cozy vibes here. A lentil soup with rich flavours like this sounds just perfect. It’s still minus temperatures here during the evenings and spring seems like a long way away sadly, so we’re looking for warmth in all our dinners lately! Adding French lentils to my shopping list and making this soon!
Hello Christine, I’m just returning from a short trip home and absolutely relished the snow and experiencing the ‘freshness’ of Canadian winter again :) but, as a visitor, it’s a very different thing of course. Cheering on spring for you! Thank you for stopping by, so lovely to see you.
This soup was delicious. Simple to make and so much flavor! I didn’t have the Puy lentils but the French lentils I bought held up great. I’ll be making this one again soon – thank you!
Thrilled to read your note! Thank you so much for taking a moment to share your feedback. It does pack a nice punch of flavor given its simple ingredients, doesn’t it. Wonderful you enjoyed.
Your notes are always the best and this soup could not be better timed with our 3rd !! nor’easter
the snow is gorgeous but I can well imagine that the story is starting to feel a bit long:) I hope this soup brings some respite and thank you for your words – so glad you like the notes!
What a coincidence, I have that exact French Lentil box, I just keep refilling it with another brand because I love the container so much; I bought it in Lyon a few years ago. Lentil soups are my easy Go-To recipes when I forget to soak beans but I always use red lentils because I love how mushy and creamy they get. I just made a lasagna using French lentils instead of ground meat, it held up very well and the texture was amazing. I am sure I would love this hearty and warm soup, particularly with the second winter we seem to be having (it’s is snowing very lightly as I type).
It is a pretty box! Red lentils are so beautiful and work especially well in purées; agreed on the creamy factor. I make a coconut red lentil soup that’s so yummy – easy to spice up too for those thermogenic properties :=) brrr…. stay cozy & warm Eva.
Definitely will be looking for some French lentils. I love the flavor of lentil dishes, but have never been a fan of the texture because I find the lentils too mushy. You mention that French lentils stay firmer so those are the ones I need to try. This soup looks so rich and delicious! Thanks for sharing Kelly!
Hi MJ – mushy has it’s place ;-) but also nice to have the more resilient variety from time to time. I hope you love this one if you get a chance to make it.
Nothing better than a warm bowl of lentil soup, I love this version, so healthy and full of flavor, plus anything with fresh thyme is always a winner!
oh yes to the fresh thyme… thanks so much for stopping by; appreciate your words.
Looks delicious and very hardy! Great info on the green lentils too.
Thanks for sharing :)
thanks Lynn; starting to feel like a long winter I’m sure ❄❄❄ this one warms all the corners.
That’s my definition of balance too =) I can literally taste this soup; it looks so delicious and I can’t stop staring at your gorgeous photos!
;-) sometimes it’s the simplest things that are the very best things. Thanks so much for your words.
Saved to my Pinterest Nibble board! Thank you :-)
Yay! I hope you love it if you give it a try.