Lentil soup is a standard in our house in the winter. I don’t make tons of soups, but lentil is always a favorite. This Lentil Spinach soup is a variation of my basic recipe I make. I had a lot of spinach that needed to be used up and this was the perfect way!
I start by boiling the lentils with seasonings before I add anything else in. The lentils take longer than any of the other veggies, so I like to give them a head start. I’m using my Lodge enameled dutch oven, which I love so much for soups!
After the lentil have boiled for about 20-30 minutes, add in the rest of the veggies, minus the spinach.
Onions are a must in our house.
Once all the veggies have cooked, last step is the spinach.
This soup came together in under an hour and was such a large batch, we had plenty for 2 days after!
This Vegetable Barley is another favorite soup of ours. It is vegetarian as well, and comes together in under an hour too.
How about a crockpot version of this soup? I prefer the cook top method, but some days you just don’t have that kind of time.
Lentil and Spinach Soup
Equipment
- Large stock pot. I love to use my enameled dutch oven, link is in post.
Ingredients
- 12 cups water or vegetable stock You might need more than this. Amount will depend on how quickly it reduces and boils out.
- 1-1.5 pounds lentils
- 1-2 teaspoon ground red pepper this is a variable, or you can omit it all together. We love things a little spicy, so we add it in.
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cups cubed potatoes I cut mine into cubes about 1 inch. If you prefer your's larger or smaller, but that size.
- 1 cup onion, diced I cut these to a medium dice. If your family isn't into onions, cut it to a fine dice.
- 1.5 cup carrots, medium dice
- 6 cups spinach, rough chop This is a variable, if you want more or less, change the amount. I also do a rough chop as my youngest son really isn't into spinach. As long as I keep it smaller, he can handle it.
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add water or stock, lentils, bay leaves, garlic, and thyme to stock pot. Heat on high until it comes to a full rolling boil.I like to put a lid on the pot for several minutes to get it to hear faster. Reduce heat to medium high and cook about 20 minutes. If you need to add more water, add it. Everyone's medium and high are different temps, as are the thickness of our pots. This will all contribute to how quickly the liquid boils out.Next is the potatoes, celery onions and carrots. Continue to boil on medium high until veggies are tender. Now, at this point, add in your salt and pepper to taste. Last step is the spinach. This cooks in just a few minutes, so I add it last.We served our soup piping hot and topped with parmesan. It was so good. Leftovers will need to be cooled, then stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Now, sit back and enjoy. You deserve it!