The Garden Grazer

Rustic Lentil and Potato Soup

By 20 Comments

Hearty Lentil Potato Soup with mushrooms and herbs! The rich, savory flavors remind me of a vegan version of classic beef stew! (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free)

I’m tempted to dazzle you with a bunch of super cool lentil facts but I’ll refrain 😉 Let’s keep it short and sweet: lentils ROCK. They’re easy to cook, packed with nutrients and protein, satisfying, and budget-friendly (yay!) This recipe is adapted from one of my favorites: Lentil Spinach Soup. Any form of lentil soup is a win in my book, but this one feels extra hearty and wonderfully rustic with chunks of potato, carrot, and mushroom. It reminds me of a veganized version of classic beef stew!

Also a nice bonus? The leftovers are delicious. The broth becomes even richer and more flavorful the next day. (Which is great news because I’m a soup-for-breakfast kind of girl.) As always, soup is beautifully versatile so have fun playing around with your own variations. Cozy up to a warm bowl and enjoy!

Come join The Garden Grazer on Instagram 🍓 and share a pic if you make this! I love seeing your recreations.

Vegan, gluten-free (with tamari)
Serves about 6-8

Ingredients
1 onion
3 carrots
8 oz. mushrooms
3 medium potatoes (about 3 cups diced)
4-5 cloves garlic
4 cups vegetable broth
3-4 cups water (or more broth)
3 Tbsp. tamari (or soy sauce)
2 cups dry brown lentils
2 cups spinach (or kale)
1 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
2 tsp. dried parsley
Salt to taste
Optional additions: other herbs of choice, sweet potato, kale, cauliflower, butternut squash, etc.

Directions
Dice onion and carrot, and mince garlic. Halve or slice the mushrooms. Dice the potatoes into about 1″ chunks.
In a large stockpot over medium heat, saute onion for 5 minutes. Add potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, and herbs. Cook 4 more minutes. Add garlic, and cook 1 minute.
Add broth, 3-4 cups of water, and tamari/soy sauce.
Increase heat and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, add lentils and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer 35 minutes or until lentils are tender.
Stir in spinach during the last couple minutes of cooking.
Salt/season to taste.

Note: if you don’t have dried thyme or parsley, a combo of dried basil and oregano work well too! This makes a large batch, so cut in half if desired.

{Printer Friendly Version}

An ode to lentils 🙂
Lentil Taco Soup
Black Bean Lentil Tacos
5-Minute Lentil Tomato Salad
Lentil Salad with Capers and Balsamic-Dijon Dressing
Black Bean Lentil Salad with Cumin-Lime Dressing
Lentil Spinach Soup
Red Lentil Stew

Reader Interactions

Comments

    • Hi Vicky! French, brown, and red lentils are all slightly different varieties. Brown lentils are the most commonly found. French lentils, although smaller, can be a great substitute as they hold their shape well so feel free to use those! Red lentils don't hold their shape as well, and have a mild, more sweeter flavor. I love using them in stews or pasta sauce. I hope you enjoy the recipe! 🙂

      Reply

    • Hi! I haven't done it with this particular recipe. Typically soup freezes very well, but potatoes sometimes not as much. The texture will be a bit different afterwards but it's still doable – just be sure not to overcook the potatoes before freezing. You might want to check out my "Ultimate Vegetable Soup" if you're looking for a good freezer recipe, it's very versatile! 🙂

      Reply

    • Hi Dorothy! I leave that direction out because people use different things to saute (sometimes I use oil, or sometimes broth or water for the "healthier saute" method.) When I use oil I just do a little drizzle – just one or two swirls around the pan is all it seems to take 🙂 Hope you enjoy!!

      Reply

    • Hi Colin! So awesome to hear you gave it a try and enjoyed 🙂 I absolutely love your fresh garden tomato addition – YUM! Thanks for the very kind feedback. Have a great rest of the week! -Kaitlin

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *