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Rustic Lentil & Potato Soup

October 18, 2015 By Kaitlin McGinn 26 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)

Bowl of lentil soup with potato, mushroom, and carrot

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!

Bowl of vegan lentil potato soup garnished with thyme

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. Hope you enjoy!

Come join The Garden Grazer on Instagram and share a photo if you make this! (Also please leave a review & star rating below if you give it a try. Your feedback is greatly appreciated – thank you!)

Vegan rustic lentil potato soup in a bowl
Bowl of rustic lentil and potato soup
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5 from 9 votes

Rustic Lentil & Potato Soup

Satisfying Lentil Potato Soup with mushrooms and herbs! The rich, savory flavors remind me of a vegan version of classic beef stew!
Author: Kaitlin – The Garden Grazer
Prep Time:30 minutes
Cook Time:30 minutes
Total Time:1 hour
Category: Soup
Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Oil-Free, Vegan
Servings:5 medium bowls

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric
  • 1 onion
  • 1 large carrot
  • 6 oz. mushrooms
  • 1 medium potato (about 1.5 cups diced)
  • 3-4 cloves garlic
  • 5 cups vegetable broth (or 4 cups broth + 1 cup water)
  • 2 Tbsp. tamari (or soy sauce)
  • 1 cup green/brown lentils (uncooked)
  • 1 cup spinach, more as desired
  • 1 tsp. dried parsley
  • 3/4 tsp. dried thyme
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  • Prepare the veggies: dice onion and carrot. Mince garlic. Slice mushrooms. Dice potatoes into about 3/4″ chunks.
  • In a stockpot over medium-high heat, saute onion for 5 minutes. (I use 3 Tbsp. water/broth for no-oil-saute method.)
  • Add potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, and dried thyme & parsley. Stir and saute 3-4 more minutes.
  • Add garlic. Stir and saute 1 minute.
  • Add broth, and tamari. Increase heat and bring to a boil.
  • Once boiling, add lentils (rinsed). Cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer 30 minutes or until lentils are tender. Add more broth/water if desired.
  • Stir in roughly chopped spinach during the last couple minutes of cooking. Salt/pepper to taste or add more tamari.

Notes

Don’t have dried thyme or parsley? Dried basil & oregano work very well here too! (Also feel free to add a bay leaf while the soup simmers and remove before serving.)
I love thick soups, so this recipe reflects that. If you prefer yours more thin & brothy, simply decrease the lentils (to about 2/3 cup) and/or increase the broth/water.
For gluten-free, use tamari.

Nutrition Per Serving (estimate)

Calories: 210kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Potassium: 711mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 3067IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 5mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @thegardengrazer on Instagram and hashtag it #thegardengrazer. I love seeing your recreations!
Bowl of vegan rustic lentil potato soup

Enjoying this Lentil Potato Soup? Feel free to also check out the full “Vegan Soup” recipe archives on the site for more plant-based inspiration! (Or this other simple but delicious Lentil Vegetable Soup.)

Filed Under: Gluten-Free, Main Dish, Recipe, Soup, Vegan, WFPBNO Tagged With: autumn, carrot, garlic, lentils, mushroom, one pot, onion, parsley, plant protein, potato, spinach, weeknight, winter

Previous Post: « Mexican Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
Next Post: Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lindsay Lopez

    October 18, 2015 at 3:29 pm

    This looks delicious! I'm wondering if you've ever made this in a crock pot and if so, how did you do it?

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      October 21, 2015 at 2:38 pm

      Hi Lindsay! I’ve never done this in the crock pot, but I’m guessing it’d do pretty well! My estimate is to toss everything in, and cook on high for about 5 hours 🙂 Would love to hear if you give it a go!

      Reply
    • Unknown

      January 14, 2017 at 12:19 am

      I just tried this in the crock pot! Amazing! However, I'd say it only takes about 3.5-4 hours on high to cook!

      Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      February 2, 2017 at 6:42 pm

      Perfect! Thank you so much for your helpful feedback!

      Reply
  2. Vicky Hobson

    October 18, 2015 at 8:57 pm

    Looking forward to trying out this recipe. Are brown lentils the same as French lentils? I've only seen French and red. Thanks

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      October 21, 2015 at 2:45 pm

      Hi Vicky! French, brown, and red lentils are all slightly different varieties. Brown lentils are the most commonly found. French lentils can be a great substitute as they hold their shape well so feel free to use those if you’d like. 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.

      Reply
  3. Katherine England

    January 11, 2016 at 5:38 pm

    I made this last night and it was so delicious and filling. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      January 11, 2016 at 7:41 pm

      So great to hear! Thank you!

      Reply
  4. kchristian

    January 23, 2016 at 2:23 pm

    How about green lentils? Any difference in the cooking? Would these be ok?

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      January 24, 2016 at 7:43 pm

      Hi! Green lentils would be a good substitute here – they tend to hold their shape as well as brown lentils, and the cooking time is similar 🙂 Hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  5. Unknown

    February 23, 2016 at 5:29 pm

    How well does this freeze?

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      February 23, 2016 at 6:22 pm

      Hi! I haven’t tried freezing 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.

      Reply
  6. Aura Lemoine

    March 3, 2016 at 3:29 am

    My husband just loved it! I didn't have spinach, but we didn't miss it at all. I used fresh parsley and celery instead. Thank you for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      March 6, 2016 at 3:33 pm

      So great! Love your substitutions – thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  7. Dorothy Milfort

    March 24, 2016 at 10:01 pm

    Hi, thanks for posting this. How much oil should I use to saute the onions? I see no mention of this in the recipe or ingredient list.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      March 27, 2016 at 1:43 am

      Hi Dorothy! I use a “no-oil sauté method”. In place of the oil, simply use 3 Tbsp. vegetable broth or water, adding more as needed. Otherwise feel free to use the typical olive oil to sauté (about 2-3 tsp.)

      Reply
  8. Sheila Stevenson

    September 10, 2016 at 3:00 am

    Made this tonight and it was yummy! I also added a can of whole tomatoes and dash of balsamic vinegar!!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      September 17, 2016 at 3:54 pm

      Wow, great additions! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  9. ColinHill

    August 30, 2018 at 1:26 am

    I just made this tonight. It was a great soup. I added grape tomatoes from the garden, and it gave it a nice flavor. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      September 5, 2018 at 4:49 pm

      Wonderful! Love your fresh garden tomato addition. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  10. Christina

    September 18, 2020 at 6:07 am

    Easy, quick to make and delicious! This recipe is now in my rotation! Thanks! 😋5 stars

    Reply
    • Kaitlin McGinn

      October 1, 2020 at 11:52 am

      Woo! So awesome to hear that, Christina. Thanks for giving it a try and sharing your kind feedback – very appreciated 🙂 Wishing you a lovely rest of the week! -Kaitlin

      Reply
  11. Maneta

    September 30, 2020 at 2:39 pm

    This recipe is so comforting! Absolutely perfect for these cold nights coming up! The leftovers are even better because the veggies soak up that scrumptious broth 🤤5 stars

    Reply
    • Kaitlin McGinn

      October 1, 2020 at 12:01 pm

      Yay! And completely agree with the leftovers 🙂 Thanks so much for your sweet comments and giving the recipes a try. Sending love your way. -Kaitlin

      Reply
  12. Miriam

    January 28, 2021 at 7:20 am

    What kind of mushrooms did you use?

    Reply
    • Kaitlin McGinn

      January 28, 2021 at 7:40 am

      Hi Miriam! Most often I use cremini or white button but any mushrooms would be lovely, I think. (Portobello, shiitake, or a combination, etc.) Hope you enjoy if you give it a try 🙂

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Kaitlin! I share easy vegan recipes that are mostly whole food, plant-based, oil-free, & gluten-free. Learn More About Me →

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