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    Home » Recipes » Soups and Stews

    Lentil Potato Soup

    Published: May 2, 2020 · Modified: Apr 30, 2022 by Elizabeth · Leave a Comment

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    Lentil potato soup pin

    This easy lentil potato soup is a delicious way to get a wholesome dinner, even on a weeknight. As a plus, this soup is made with easy-to-find, affordable ingredients and pantry staples.

    Lentil potato soup served in a white bowl on a gold and white floral linen.

    In this recipe, lentils and potatoes are cooked with onions, carrots, celery, garlic and spices until they’re tender and the broth is rich and flavorful. Then the soup is finished with a generous amount of fresh greens.

    This site contains affiliate links to products. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    What type of lentils should I use for this soup?

    Lentils are small, lens shaped legumes that are packed with protein, fiber, iron and minerals. There are four general categories: brown, green, red/yellow and specialty. For this soup we recommend using brown or green lentils. They hold their shape with longer cooking times and they are easy to find at just about any supermarket.

    Check out this article all about how to cook lentils for more information including some great recipes to get you started.

    How long does it take to cook lentils?

    The cooking time offered for the lentils is just an estimate. Actual cooking time will depend on several factors including:

    • The type of lentil – red and yellow lentils will cook faster than brown and green lentils.
    • The freshness of the beans – the fresher the lentils the quicker they will cook.
    • How you like your lentils – if you like them al dente (with a little bite in the center) then, they will be done quicker than if you like them super tender.

    As a reference we cooked the lentils a total of 35 minutes before adding the potatoes.

    Ingredients in lentil potato soup

    • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
    • 1 Small Onion, finely diced
    • 1-2 Carrots, peeled and diced – depending on the size of the carrot I will use one or two, sometimes they’re so puny – use about ¾-1 cup of diced carrots
    • 1 Celery Rib, finely diced
    • 2-3 Garlic Cloves, minced
    • 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
    • ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
    • ½ teaspoon Dried Thyme
    • ¼ teaspoon Cumin
    • ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
    • 12 ounce Package of Lentils, sorted, rinsed and drained
    • 8 cups Chicken Broth
    • 1 pound Red Potatoes, cut into ½ – 1 inch pieces
    • 5-6 ounces Fresh Kale, Chard, Spinach or a combination of greens (buy pre-packaged/pre-washed or wash and gently pat dry
    • Salt, to season the lentils at the end – if needed
    The ingredients for the soup displayed on a large, wood cutting board.

    Recipe tips

    • Sort the lentils before cooking. Don’t skip this step. Place them in a large colander, bowl or on a clean, flat surface and pick through them carefully. Remove any foreign objects, such as tiny rocks, twigs, misshaped beans, etc.
    Lentils on a wood cutting board.
    • Make the soup vegetarian by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. Try this lentil chili for another meatless option.
    • Cut the potatoes roughly the same size so they cook at the same rate.
    • Keep cut potatoes in cold water if you’re prepping them in advance. It slows the browning process.
    • Wait until the end to add salt to this lentil and potato soup. The chicken broth and tomato paste both contain a good amount of salt already. As a reference we did not add any extra salt to ours.
    • Use reduced sodium broth if you are sensitive to salt. Adjust at the end if needed.
    The prepped ingredients for the soup arranged in glass bowls on a wood cutting board.

    Instructions

    Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots and celery and cook them gently for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

    Diced onions, carrots and celery in a large pot.

    Then, add the garlic, tomato paste, oregano, thyme, cumin and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute while stirring almost constantly.

    Next comes the lentils and chicken broth. Raise the heat to high and bring the broth to a boil.

    Adding chicken broth to the lentils in a pot.

    Lower the heat to medium when the broth is at a full boil. Cover the pot and cook the lentils for 20-25 minutes, or until they have almost reached the desired tenderness.

    If they are still hard, continue cooking another 10 minutes, then taste again. If they have already started to soften, then add the potatoes.

    Lower the heat to medium-low and cover when the soup starts simmering again. Cook the lentils and potatoes for 10-12 minutes or until they are both tender.

    Stir the soup more often as it thickens to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

    Finally, add the greens to the soup and stir until they start to wilt. Cover the pot and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the greens are completely wilted.

    A ladle scooping the lentil potato soup.

    Serving, storing and reheating

    Serve the lentil soup alone, with white rice or a generous piece of crusty bread.

    Let leftovers cool then package them up in an airtight container. Keep them in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

    Reheat the soup in a saucepan over medium heat or use the microwave. It may be necessary to add a couple of tablespoons of broth or water to loosen the lentils while reheating.

    A close image of the lentil soup.

    You may also like these lentil recipes:

    • Lentil Chorizo Soup
    • Chicken Lentil Soup
    • Lentil Andouille Sausage Soup
    • Bacon Lentil Soup
    • Lentil Sausage Soup
    • Italian Sausage Lentil Soup

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    Lentil potato soup served in a white bowl on a gold and white floral linen.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 3 votes

    Lentil Potato Soup

    This easy lentil potato soup is a delicious way to get a wholesome dinner, even on the weekend. As a plus, this soup is made with easy-to-find, affordable ingredients and pantry staples.
    Prep Time20 mins
    Cook Time1 hr
    Total Time1 hr 20 mins
    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: lentils, potatoes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 475kcal
    Author: Elizabeth

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
    • 1 Medium Onion finely diced
    • ¾ – 1 cup Diced Carrot
    • 1 Celery Rib finely diced
    • 2-3 Garlic Cloves minced
    • 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
    • ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
    • ½ teaspoon Dried Thyme
    • ¼ teaspoon Cumin
    • ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
    • 12 ounce Package of Lentils sorted, rinsed and drained
    • 8 cups Chicken Broth
    • 1 pound Red Potatoes cut into ½ – 1 inch pieces
    • 5-6 ounces Fresh Kale, Chard or Spinach or use a combination of greens – washed
    • Salt to season the lentils at the end

    Instructions

    • Sort the lentils and remove any foreign objects, such as tiny rocks, twigs, misshaped beans, etc. Rinse the lentils with cold water and drain.
    • Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the onions carrots and celery. Gently cook the vegetables for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
    • Add the garlic, tomato paste, oregano, thyme, cumin and black pepper to the pot. Cook for 1 minute, stirring almost constantly.
    • Add the lentils and chicken broth to the pot. Stir well.
    • Raise the heat to high and bring the broth to a boil.
    • Lower the heat to medium when the broth is at a full boil. Cover the pot and cook the lentils for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    • Taste the lentils to see if they have almost reached the desired tenderness. If they’re still super hard continue cooking another 10 minutes, then taste again.
    • If the lentils are almost tender, add the potatoes.
    • When the liquid comes to a simmer again, lower the heat to medium-low and cover. Cook the lentils and potatoes for 10-12 minutes or until they are both tender. Stir the soup more often as it thickens.
    • Add the greens to the pot and stir until they start to wilt. Cover the pot and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the greens are completely wilted.
    • Taste the lentils and add salt if needed. As a reference, didn’t add any extra salt to ours.

    Notes

    It’s best to wait until the end to add any salt to this lentil soup. The chicken broth and tomato paste both contain a good amount of salt already.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 475kcal | Carbohydrates: 80g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1837mg | Potassium: 2111mg | Fiber: 30g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 8808IU | Vitamin C: 62mg | Calcium: 150mg | Iron: 10mg
    The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate.This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.

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    Hi, I’m Elizabeth! welcome to Cook2eatwell. Food is my favorite subject; I like to cook food, talk about food, write about food, and most importantly, eat food. Lucky for me, my husband Eddie feels the same way. 

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