Hearty Vegan Lentil and Spinach Soup
A warming one‑pot vegan lentil soup with tomatoes, spinach and a bright squeeze of lemon — quick, nutritious and freezer‑friendly.
This is the sort of soup you’ll want on the hob when the evenings are dreary and you need comfort that’s actually good for you. It’s a simple, one‑pot vegan lunch or light supper that keeps beautifully and freezes like a dream.
Brown lentils hold their shape for texture while a little blitz with a hand blender gives a silky body. A squeeze of lemon at the end lifts all the flavours and stops it tasting one‑note.
Ingredients
- 30 ml olive oil
- 1 brown onion — large, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves — crushed or finely sliced
- 2 carrots — medium, peeled and diced
- 2 celery — sticks, thinly sliced
- 200 g dried brown lentils — rinsed and picked over
- 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes
- 1 l vegetable stock — hot
- 5 ml dried thyme
- 5 ml smoked paprika
- 5 ml ground cumin
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 ml maple syrup
- 100 g fresh spinach — stems removed if thick
- 1 lemon — juice of
- 5 ml sea salt
- 5 ml black pepper — freshly ground
Equipment
- hand blender (immersion blender)
Instructions
Prepare the vegetables: peel and finely chop the brown onion; peel and dice the carrots; thinly slice the celery; crush or finely slice the garlic. Rinse the dried brown lentils under cold water and pick over for any debris.
Heat the olive oil in a large heavy‑based saucepan over a medium heat on the hob. Add the brown onion, carrots and celery with half the sea salt and sweat gently, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are very soft and the onion is translucent.
Add the garlic, smoked paprika, ground cumin, dried thyme and the bay leaf. Cook, stirring, for 60 seconds until fragrant — do not let the garlic burn.
Pour in the tinned chopped tomatoes, add the dried brown lentils, the hot vegetable stock and the maple syrup. Stir well to combine and bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Simmer gently, uncovered, for 30 minutes until the lentils are tender but not falling entirely to mush. Stir occasionally and top up with a splash of hot water if it looks too thick.
Remove and discard the bay leaf. Check seasoning and adjust with a little more sea salt if needed.
Stir in the fresh spinach and the juice of the lemon; simmer for 2 minutes until the spinach has just wilted.
If you prefer a creamier texture, use a hand blender to pulse the soup directly in the pan 3–6 times to break up some lentils; leave some whole for texture. Season with black pepper and adjust salt to taste.
Ladle into bowls and finish with a drizzle of olive oil and an extra wedge of lemon for squeezing at the table. Cool quickly if freezing and portion into airtight tubs.
Tips
- Rinse and pick over dried brown lentils to remove grit — they don’t need soaking, but a rinse makes a cleaner pot.
- If you only have red or yellow lentils, reduce simmer time to 12–15 minutes; they’ll break down and give a thicker, puréed soup.
- To thicken without blending, mash a small handful of cooked lentils against the side of the pan with a spoon and stir back in.
- Make ahead: the soup tastes even better the next day once the flavours have melded. Cool, refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- If using shop bought stock with a high salt content, hold back some sea salt until the end and season to taste.
Substitutions
dried brown lentils → Puy lentils, same weight (200 g) — they hold their shape even better
Stays closefresh spinach → finely shredded kale, same weight (100 g) — will need a couple of extra minutes to soften
Noticeably differentvegetable stock → 1,000 ml water plus 1 vegetable stock cube or stock paste (adjust to taste)
Stays closemaple syrup → 1 tsp brown sugar or omit — helps balance tomato acidity
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 295
- Calories
- 13 g
- Protein
- 41 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 750 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use red lentils instead of brown?
Yes — red lentils cook much faster and will mostly break down, producing a thicker, more puréed soup. Reduce the simmer to 12–15 minutes and check frequently.
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
Absolutely. Sweat the onions, carrots and celery first, then transfer everything to the slow cooker and cook on low for 4–6 hours or high 2–3 hours.
How should I store and reheat leftovers?
Cool quickly, refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the hob or in a saucepan from frozen, adding a splash of water if too thick.
How can I make the soup smokier?
Increase the smoked paprika to 1½ tsp or add a small pinch of hot smoked paprika/chipotle powder to taste. A few drops of liquid smoke will also intensify the effect.
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