Hearty Lentil Soup Recipe – Family Meal Friday

This Hearty Lentil Soup recipe is packed with nutrient dense ingredients and is full of warm and comforting flavors making it a delicious meal for any night of the week. 

I have really learned to love lentil soup, especially when it is full of vibrant flavors that just warm my soul. This is such a versatile recipe that can be adapted to your preferences, what you have on hand, and any additions you may want to make. 

Eating lentil soup for New Years is also a tradition in my family, which makes this a great time of year to try out this recipe. 

You can find the base recipe below, but I often like to mix in additional spices to my individual bowl depending on what I’m in the mood for. Sometimes I like to mix in a garlic and butter seasoning blend, and other times I like an Italian spice blend with pepper flakes. 

This soup recipe works with it all and tastes amazing with any addition. You could also add additional vegetables to the mix such as a handful of spinach or a few celery stalks diced into smaller pieces.

Hearty Lentil Soup is a great recipe to make during the colder winter months because it can simmer on the stove all day, which lets the flavors strengthen. This soup will warm up your house when cooking, and warm your body and soul when eating. 

This recipe requires a few staple ingredients, which you may already have, and minimal prep work, making it an easy meal to make for dinner any evening. 

You could also make this as a meal-prep recipe, as it makes a large batch and can last in the refrigerator for multiple days. This is a great way to prepare a nutrient-dense dish that pairs well with many other meals. 

Family Meal Friday Prayer

Try this meal on a friday night or over the weekend with your family or friends! Gather to share in thanksgiving for the Lord’s provision throughout the week over a home cooked meal with loved ones!

“Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for this meal in front of us. How amazing it is that we can create a meal from the foods you have created, provided, and blessed us with. We ask that you may bless it so that it may provide nourishment to our bodies. As we reflect on this day, week, and season, we thank you for always being present in our lives and caring for us, every step of the way. You are so good! We love you and praise you, in Jesus name, Amen!”

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Lentils: the main ingredient of this soup recipe. Lentils are nutrient dense and provide many health benefits such as fiber, folate, potassium, iron, and other vitamins. 
• Olive Oil: This provides healthy fats among many other health benefits. You could substitute another type of oil like avocado, or butter.
• Onions: I like to use yellow/white onions for soup, however purple onions work as well. Cooking them down and caramelizing them in olive oil will bring out sweet and savory smells and flavor.
• Garlic: provides vibrant flavors to the soup recipe among many health benefits.
• Carrots: provides flavor as well as many other vitamins (like vitamin A) and minerals. Carrots are rich in nutrients such as alpha- and beta-carotene. You can substitute with an additional sweet potato if you don’t have carrots.
• Sweet Potato: gives sweet flavors to the soup. They are a great source of nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin C, beta-carotene, and antioxidants. Sweet potatoes also provide dietary fiber which works with the lentils in this recipe to make it healthy, filling, and may improve gut health. You can substitute with additional carrots if you don’t have a sweet potato.
• White Potato: helps make this recipe more filling. They provide healthy carbohydrates, antioxidants, vitamin C, potassium, and other health benefits. If you do not have a white potato, you can substitute some chopped celery, cauliflower, another sweet potato, or just omit it from the recipe.
• Water: you will need about 4 cups, but should use enough to make sure that all of the other ingredients are submerged in liquid. You could also use a low sodium broth for more flavor.
• Spices: season with salt and pepper to taste. When serving in individual bowls you could mix in additional seasonings such as a garlic and butter blend, or spice blend depending on your preferences. 

Equipment

• Large pot
• Mixing spoon
• Stove

How to make: step-by-step

Rinse your lentils and soak in water for at least 30 minutes. If you don’t soak the lentils, you can boil them in water before making the soup. This will take some time, but it eliminates the soaking period.

Prepare your vegetables for the soup (you can start doing this as the lentils soak). Chop the onion into small pieces. Mince the garlic or push through a garlic press. Peel the carrots and chop into small pieces. Wash and peel the sweet potato and white potato; chop into small cubes. Set aside.

Note: if your potatoes are organic, you can leave the skin on for some added nutrients.

In a large pot over medium heat, pour in 1-2 tbsps of olive oil. Once the oil has heated, add in the onion and garlic and stir occasionally. Cook with the lid on until the onions have become translucent and slightly caramelized; this should take about 5 minutes. 

The onions will make the soup very flavorful, so be patient in allowing them to get some color before moving on.

Add in the carrots, sweet potatoes, and white potatoes. Mix together with the rest of the ingredients and allow it to cook for about 3-4 minutes with the lid on. Pour about 2 cups of water over the ingredients; everything should be fully submerged in water.

Bring the pot to a boil; this should take about 10-15 minutes. Allow it to boil until the carrots and potatoes have softened (you can check this by piercing them with a fork). 

Drain the soaked lentils and add to the soup mixture with about 2 more cups of water; stir to combine. Cover with the lid and simmer for about 15-20 minutes to bring the soup to a boil. Once all of the ingredients are soft and have cooked together, it should be ready.

You could also leave this at a low temperature and allow it to simmer on the stove throughout the day until you’re ready to eat. Season with a dash of salt and pepper to taste, serve and enjoy!

Serving and Storage

Serve in individual bowls. This recipe makes about 8 servings. I like to mix in additional seasonings to my bowl of soup like a garlic and herb blend or italian spice blend. Feel free to try mixing in different spice combinations to meet your needs.

Any leftover soup can be stored in a glass bowl with a covering. Keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. 

“God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church.” Ephesians 1:22 NLT