This Italian Lentil Soup is simple to make, but hearty and delicious! This is rustic Italian cooking at it's finest. Serve with a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil on top, and crusty bread!
Happy 2015, my loves! The first thing I am sharing this year is straight from my Italian mamma's kitchen, her amazing Lentil Soup. Traditionally, lentils are eaten in Italy on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day for good luck and wealth in the new year, but truth be told, we make this soup all the time and it's delicious! I mentioned on my Facebook page that my family traditionally eats lentils on NYE and I had a reader ask me for a good lentil soup recipe... so, here we are! Ask and you shall receive, my friends. This is incredibly simple but it packs tons of savory, delicious flavor! It's healthy without compromising any richness, and it's the best way to kick off the new year. Resolutions to lose weight and eat better, anyone? This fits right into your new diet, I promise. 🙂
My mom's family is from Puglia, a region in southern Italy, so a lot of the traditional foods are very simple, peasant recipes! This lentil soup is vegan {because guess what, animal products are expensive!}, and just uses dried lentils, onions, celery, tomatoes, bay leaves, and a little bit of salt and olive oil. Don't be deceived by it's simplicity, that's what makes it so incredibly good! If you're not a soup person, making this with a bit less water turns it into a creamy lentil side dish, perfect alongside grilled chicken or a yummy roast. Please enjoy this authentic Italian recipe, straight from my kitchen to yours. May your new year be full of luck, wealth, and good health {and lentils}!
- 1 lb {1 normal bag} dry lentils
- ½ white onion, chopped
- 2-3 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 tomato, chopped {or a handful of baby tomatoes, cut in half}
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 vegetable bouillon cube
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoon salt, to taste
- water
- First, sort and rinse your lentils. Sometimes, small rocks or other weird stuff ends up in the bags, so make sure you're only eating lentils!
- In a large nonstick pot, combined the onion, celery, tomato, olive oil, and cleaned lentils. Add in the bay leaves, salt, and bouillon cube, then add enough water to cover everything in the pot plus a couple inches on top.
- Cover, and cook on medium-low heat for 60-70 minutes, until the lentils are soft and flavorful. Add more water, if needed, to make it "soupier," or cook, uncovered, for a bit longer for thicker, creamier lentils.
- Serve with a drizzle of olive oil on top, and crusty bread!
Megan - The Emotional Baker says
What a delicious looking soup! I can guarantee I'll be trying it very soon 🙂
Marie says
i would think italian lentil soup would include "garlic"? I use it in mine...it's delicious.
What makes it Italian? The ingredients are the norm? Celery, onions tomatoes.
I make this soup frequently. It's a keeper.
[email protected] says
Hi Marie! I am full-blooded Italian, and this is the way my mom has always made the soup, so that's what makes it Italian for me 🙂
Doug says
Thanks for the recipe - ever try this with red lentils? For some reason - I have trouble with the color of regular lentils...it doesn't seem appealing to me.
[email protected] says
Hi Doug! I have personally never tried red lentils, but I'm sure they are similar enough to regular lentils to where you could make this recipe with them. Let me know how that works out for you! 🙂
Scott Williams says
Lentil soup has always been my favorite and I really liked you version of it. I agree with doug. Red lentils are the best! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Paul (On The Gas) says
This Lentil Soup recipe was incredible and it helped my child recover from the flu because they loved the flavor. Thank you for sharing this awesome recipe.
Cheers Paul
Vince Trombetta says
Will make it today. I have a bag of red lentils, but the date shows best use by 2018. Do you think they're ok to use?
Vince
valentina says
Hey Vince! I personally would not use them, as even if they were best by December 2018, we are already almost 6 months past that! I also have never made this soup with red lentils so I don't think I would recommend them here. Traditional green lentils would work best!
Jess says
Hi! Could this be made in a slow cooker? Would be great to prepare in the morning and have it ready to come home to! 🙂
valentina says
Hi Jess! I’ve never tried it but I think it would work well! I would do it on low if it’s gonna be most of the day so that the lentils don’t get too mushy!
Carlee says
Thank you for your recipes, both the Apple Cake and this Lentil soup one - will be trying them both soon as they sound super delicious!
My Sicilian mother in law used to made (and I still make it on a time poor evening for dinner!) Fennel Seed / Fenocchio and Lentil pasta soup, the ingredients are really simple (green lentils, fennel seeds - fennel leaves too if you have them, pasta, water and salt) and it’s on the table in around 30 minutes! 20 minutes for the lentils and the extra time to cook the pasta. It’s peasants’ fare but just a really good, vegan Italian meal.
valentina says
Thank you so much for your sweet comment, Carlee! This lentil soup is definitely a family favorite. I love your version with the fennel, sounds delicious! I do have a really hard time finding fennel in the US but I would love to try it. I have been wanting to veganize the italian apple cake so I do hope to be able to share that at some point!
Wylie says
Wifey keeps saying "Don't mess with success. Stick with the Rheinlander Lentil soup recipe." Well. This recipe looks much easier and too good to pass up. Thank you. Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana copycat recipe just got crossed off the to-do list.