Go Back
Vegetable Soup

Vegetable Soup

A comforting one-pot Vegetable Soup made with sautéed aromatics, tender lentils, pasta, and spinach in a savory broth.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Calories: 250
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Soup Base
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced (about 1 cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 medium carrots sliced (about 1 cup)
  • 2 stalks celery sliced (about 1 cup)
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 0.25 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
Soup
  • 1 can (14-ounce) diced tomatoes
  • 1.5 cups dried brown or green lentils rinsed and drained
  • 6 cups vegetable broth
  • 1.5 cups small pasta such as ditalini or macaroni
  • 4 cups baby spinach
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice optional
  • chopped fresh parsley for serving (optional)

Method
 

Soup Base
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Season with salt and pepper and sauté until softened and edges turn golden, about 6–8 minutes.
    2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 medium yellow onion, 3 cloves garlic, 2 medium carrots, 2 stalks celery, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  2. Stir in the oregano and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
    2 teaspoons dried oregano, 0.25 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Soup
  1. Add the diced tomatoes, lentils, and broth. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil.
    1 can (14-ounce) diced tomatoes, 1.5 cups dried brown or green lentils
  2. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until lentils are tender with a slight bite, about 25–30 minutes.
  3. Uncover the pot and stir in the pasta. Continue to simmer until pasta is al dente, about 8–10 minutes.
    6 cups vegetable broth
  4. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted, about 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice.
  5. Ladle into bowls and garnish with parsley before serving.

Notes

During prep, I found slicing the carrots into half-moons rather than rounds shaved 2 minutes off cook time.
On my third trial I let the onions brown a bit longer for a deeper flavor, which added a nutty aroma.
For storing, freezing in portioned containers eases reheating and keeps texture intact best.