Last updated on July 28th, 2024
Are you looking for some easy weeknight Italian dinner meals that you can make in a crockpot? This vegan Italian lentil soup recipe is on our winter rotation at my home in Tuscany, where I have been based since 2012.
Whether you work outside the home and need a crockpot meal to make before you leave or you work from home and prefer the stove top, this Italian lentil soup is perfect for any busy weeknight.
You can make this Italian lentil soup with everyday ingredients that you most likely already have in your pantry.
And if you are trying to eat less meat or are a vegan or vegetarian, this Italian lentil soup fits the bill as well. Serve it with a crusty corner of bread and dinner is served!
Like Easy-to-Make Italian Meals? Check out my Easy Italian Dinner Ideas and Delicious Dinner Recipes That We Make in Italy.
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What Is Italian Lentil Soup?
Italian lentil soup is a hearty vegan soup made with any kind of lentils and canned tomatoes, flavored with garlic and other herbs, easily prepared ahead of time or right on the spot.
Italian Lentil Soup Ingredients
Lentils
Use 2 cups of any kind of lentils that are accessible to you including brown lentils, green lentils, French lentils and red lentils.
Soffritto
Soffritto in Italian is a combination of cooked diced onion, carrot, celery and garlic cloves (added at the end). In this recipe you will need 1 large onion, 2 medium carrots and 2 stalks of celery.
To learn more about how to use soffritto, check out Freezing Soffritto – Kitchen Hacks From An Italian Mom of Four and How to Use Soffrito – My Italian Family’s Top 5 Soffritto Uses In The Kitchen.
Canned Tomatoes
Use 1-14 oz can of either crushed or diced tomatoes. You can also use whole peeled tomatoes as long as you crush them with kitchen scissors or your hands before adding to the Italian lentil soup.
Other Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 8 cups water (or broth)
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig rosemary
- Chopped parsley for serving, optional
How To Make Italian Lentil Soup
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy bottomed pot or crockpot (if it has a saute setting). Add the chopped celery, carrot and onion and cook, stirring often until tender and the onions are transparent, about 10 minutes. Turn the heat down to low, if need be.
Add the peeled and smashed garlic and cook for another 2 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic.
Add the canned tomatoes. Tie the rosemary and the bay leaf into a small bundle with a piece of kitchen string (this helps the rosemary from falling apart into the soup) and add. Cook for another 5 minutes over medium-low heat.
Add the lentils, 8 cups of water or broth, salt (if you are using canned broth, you should omit the salt and test for seasoning later) and a couple turns of freshly ground black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and gently cook for about 45 minutes over a stovetop or crockpot or until the lentils are tender.
Remove the garlic and herb bundle and add the apple cider vinegar. Test for seasoning.
Remove about 1 ½ cups of the soup and puree using a blender or immersion blender. Add back into the pot to create a creamier consistency.
Serve with a sprinkling of freshly chopped parsley, if you like and crusty bread.
Notes and Tips For Making Italian Lentil Soup
- This Italian lentil soup improves with time. It’s much better the next day or even two days later, making it an ideal recipe to make in advance and serve later in the week.
- If the soup is too thick, add a bit more water, one half cup at a time, until desired consistency. I prefer my lentil soup to be thick, which you should achieve with 8 cups of water.
- This recipe is a great way to use up frozen parsley that you have on hand. Because you are stirring it into the soup before serving, the disheveled look of the wilted frozen parsley isn’t an issue. It will, however, brighten up the soup.
- If you are using broth or some form of stock instead of water, hold back on adding salt. Test for seasoning at the end of cooking.
Italian Lentil Soup Substitutions & Variations
Even my family gets tired of lentil soup after a while but not with these variations. I always add different ingredients and flavors, including herbs, spices and greens to mix things up. These are my favorite variations and substitutions to Italian lentil soup:
- You can use any kind of lentils that are available to use. French green lentils are a bit firmer than other varieties.
- Use red wine vinegar or white vinegar in place of apple cider vinegar and any kind of olive oil instead of extra virgin olive oil. If you need help choosing an olive oil, read 15 Best Italian Olive Oils – To Enjoy in Italy & Bring Home as a Souvenir and Best Italian Olive Oil Brands in America – Where to Buy Them and How to Store Them.
- We often add a parmesan rind to soups in Italy. This is no exception: it adds a ton of rich flavor. For more specifics on how to use a parmesan rind, read What to Do With a Parmesan Rind – Cook Like An Italian!
- In the summer when tomatoes are in season, feel free to use fresh tomatoes instead of canned.
- For a bit of added heat, add a pinch (or two!) of red pepper flakes with the tomatoes.
- For a kid-friendly version, add 1 cup orzo (or another small pasta that you like) with an additional 2 cups of broth or water after you have pureed the 1 ½ cups of lentils. Cook until the pasta is al dente, stirring often to keep the soup from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- For an extra bit of fiber and vitamins, throw in a couple handfuls of baby spinach 2 minutes before serving.
- Add ½ teaspoon cumin to the tomatoes for an earthy kick.
How To Serve Italian Lentil Soup
Finish Italian lentil soup with a generous sprinkling of parsley or grated parmesan cheese. Use either fresh or frozen parsley or even gremolata.
Italian lentil soup is hearty enough to serve as the main course as lunch or dinner with a crusty loaf of bread.
My kids always feel they need a bit more so we often pair our Italian lentil soup evenings with schiacciata (a type of focaccia), cheese and a side salad.
How To Store Italian Lentil Soup
Italian lentil soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to three months.
More Italian Soups: If you love Italian soups, consider making:
Pappa al Pomodoro
Ribollita
Italian Minestrone
Creamy Italian Kale Soup
Italian Greens and Beans
Italian Lentil Soup
Italian Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 2 cups lentils rinsed
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
- 2 carrots diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 14-oz can crushed or diced tomatoes
- 8 cups water
- freshly-ground pepper to taste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig rosemary
- chopped parsley for serving optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy bottomed pot or crockpot (if it has a saute setting). Add the chopped celery, carrot and onion and cook, stirring often until tender and the onions are transparent, about 10 minutes. Turn the heat down to low, if need be.
- Add the peeled and smashed garlic and cook for another 2 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Add the canned tomatoes. Tie the rosemary and the bay leaf into a small bundle with a piece of kitchen string (this helps the rosemary from falling apart into the soup) and add. Cook for another 5 minutes over medium-low heat.
- Add the lentils, 8 cups of water or broth, salt (if you are using canned broth, you should omit the salt and test for seasoning later) and a couple turns of freshly ground black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and gently cook for about 45 minutes over a stovetop or crockpot or until the lentils are tender.
- Remove the garlic and herb bundle and add the apple cider vinegar. Test for seasoning.
- Remove about 1 ½ cups of the soup and puree using an immersion blender. Add back into the pot to create a creamier consistency.
- Serve with a sprinkling of freshly chopped parsley, if you like and crusty bread.
Notes
- This Italian lentil soup improves with time. It’s much better the next day or even two days later, making it an ideal recipe to make in advance and serve later in the week.
- If the soup is too thick, add a bit more water, one half cup at a time, until desired consistency. I prefer my lentil soup to be thick, which you should achieve with 8 cups of water.
- This recipe is a great way to use up frozen parsley that you have on hand. Because you are stirring it into the soup before serving, the disheveled look of the wilted frozen parsley isn’t an issue. It will, however, brighten up the soup.
- If you are using broth or some form of stock instead of water, hold back on adding salt. Test for seasoning at the end of cooking.
