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This Italian Red Lentil Soup is hearty, cozy, and packed with flavor from tender vegetables, tomatoes, Parmesan, and Italian herbs. Red lentils cook quickly and naturally thicken the broth, making this easy one-pot soup perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner.
Why You’ll Love This Italian Lentil Soup
- Naturally hearty and filling: red lentils break down as they cook, giving the soup a thick, satisfying texture without any cream or flour.
- Deep flavor from simple ingredients: a Parmesan rind and a well-cooked vegetable base build real depth without a long ingredient list.
- Ready in about 45 minutes: a comforting, from-scratch soup that doesn’t require all day on the stove.
- Naturally adaptable: easily made vegetarian by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
Ingredients You’ll Need
How to Make Italian Lentil Soup
- Cook the vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 6–7 minutes, until softened.
- Add the aromatics: Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add the lentils: Add the red lentils, chopped tomatoes, broth, Parmesan rind, salt, and pepper.
- Simmer: Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer partially covered for 20–25 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Add more broth if needed.
- Finish: Remove the Parmesan rind. Stir in the spinach, lemon juice, Parmesan, and parsley. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
Recipe Tip
If you don’t already keep a bag of Parmesan rinds in the freezer, this soup is a great reason to start. They simmer right in the broth and release a deep, savory flavor as the soup cooks, then get discarded before serving. It’s an easy way to use up something that would otherwise just get thrown away.
Recipe Variations
- Sausage Lentil Soup-Brown ½ pound of Italian sausage with the vegetables for a heartier, meatier version.
- Vegetarian Italian Lentil Soup-Use vegetable broth in place of chicken broth and skip the Parmesan rind, or use a vegetarian hard cheese alternative.
- Extra Vegetable Lentil Soup-Stir in diced zucchini or chopped kale along with the spinach for even more vegetables.
- Creamy Lentil Soup-Blend a portion of the finished soup with an immersion blender for a partially creamy texture, then stir it back into the pot.
Ways to Serve Italian Lentil Soup
- With Crusty Bread-Perfect for dipping into the thick, hearty broth.
- Topped with Extra Parmesan-A generous sprinkle on top adds even more savory flavor to each bowl.
- Alongside a Simple Salad-A lightly dressed green salad rounds out the meal nicely.
- With a Drizzle of Good Olive Oil-A finishing drizzle of good-quality olive oil adds richness right before serving.
Storage and Freezing Instructions
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The soup will thicken as it sits, so add a splash of broth or water when reheating.
- Freezer: Freeze in individual portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, or in the microwave, stirring occasionally and adding liquid as needed to loosen the soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Red lentils are recommended here because they break down and thicken the soup naturally. Green or brown lentils can be used, but they hold their shape more and will need a longer simmer time to become tender.
No, it’s optional, though it adds a nice savory depth to the broth. If you don’t have one, the soup will still taste great, especially with the grated Parmesan stirred in at the end.
Yes, this soup actually tastes great the next day once the flavors have had more time to meld. Just add a bit of extra broth when reheating, since the lentils will have thickened the soup further overnight.
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Italian Lentil Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 medium carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 celery ribs, diced (about ¾ cup)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- 1½ cups dry red lentils, rinsed and drained
- 1 14.5-ounce can chopped tomatoes
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth, plus more as needed
- 1 small Parmesan rind, optional
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
- 4 cups baby spinach
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- â…“ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- Grated Parmesan, for serving
Instructions
- Cook the vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 6–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Add the aromatics. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the tomato paste darkens slightly and the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the lentils. Stir in the rinsed red lentils, chopped tomatoes, broth, Parmesan rind, salt, and black pepper.
- Simmer. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low. Partially cover and simmer for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender and beginning to break down. Add a little more broth if the soup becomes thicker than you like.
- Finish the soup. Remove and discard the Parmesan rind. Stir in the spinach and cook for 1–2 minutes, just until wilted. Stir in the lemon juice, grated Parmesan, and parsley. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
- Ladle into bowls and finish with extra Parmesan, freshly cracked black pepper, parsley, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Made this for dinner tonite..it’s AMAZING!
Thank you so much, Linda! So happy you loved it! 😊 Nothing makes me happier than hearing a recipe was a hit at dinner. Thanks for taking the time to let me know!