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Mediterranean Lentil Soup

Mediterranean lentil soup simmers tender lentils with diced tomatoes, carrots, and warm cumin-smoked paprika for a deep ruby-red broth. It’s finished with fresh parsley for a bright, rustic texture that thickens beautifully as it sits.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Calories: 250
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Lentils and soup base
  • 2 cup dried green or brown lentils
  • 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2 clove garlic, minced
  • 6 cup vegetable broth
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 Fresh parsley, for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sauté aromatics
  1. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add the onion and carrots; cook until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The mixture should look translucent around the edges and smell sweet and warm.
  2. Add the minced garlic to the pot and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly until fragrant. You should see no raw garlic bits or scorching on the bottom.
Toast spices
  1. Stir in the cumin and smoked paprika and toast for 30 seconds, keeping the heat at medium so the spices bloom. The spices should darken slightly and look glossy as they toast.
Simmer the soup
  1. Add the lentils, diced tomatoes, and vegetable broth to the pot and stir to combine. Make sure all lentils are submerged under the broth.
  2. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook for 30-35 minutes until the lentils are tender. Look for tender lentils and a thickened, ruby-red broth that gently bubbles.
Finish and serve
  1. Taste and adjust seasoning to your preference, adding more spice or broth-based seasoning as needed. The flavor should be balanced and fully developed.
  2. Turn off the heat and garnish with fresh parsley before serving. The surface should have bright green flecks right before you eat.

Notes

This soup thickens as it sits, so thin with extra vegetable broth when reheating leftovers. Store in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat on the stove over medium-low with a splash of broth until warmed through. Freezing is yes—freeze in portions for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. For a gluten-free swap, use a gluten-free vegetable broth label with no cross-contamination concerns.