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!
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!
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Rustic Lentil & Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 1 onion
- 1 large carrot
- 6 oz. mushrooms
- 1 medium potato (about 1.5 cups diced)
- 3-4 cloves garlic
- 4 cups vegetable broth (plus 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 4 cups broth, 1 cup water, 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
Nutrition Per Serving (estimate)
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.)
This looks delicious! I'm wondering if you've ever made this in a crock pot and if so, how did you do it?
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!
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!
Perfect! Thank you so much for your helpful feedback!
Looking forward to trying out this recipe. Are brown lentils the same as French lentils? I've only seen French and red. Thanks
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.
I made this last night and it was so delicious and filling. Thank you!
So great to hear! Thank you!
How about green lentils? Any difference in the cooking? Would these be ok?
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!
How well does this freeze?
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.
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!
So great! Love your substitutions – thanks for sharing!
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.
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.)
Made this tonight and it was yummy! I also added a can of whole tomatoes and dash of balsamic vinegar!!
Wow, great additions! Thanks for sharing!
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.
Wonderful! Love your fresh garden tomato addition. Thanks for sharing!
Easy, quick to make and delicious! This recipe is now in my rotation! Thanks! 😋
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
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 🤤
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