A hearty and rustic vegan Lentil Potato Soup recipe with mushrooms and herbs! The rich, savory flavors remind me of a vegan version of classic beef stew. (Gluten-free, oil-free.)
I'm tempted to dazzle you with a bunch of awesome lentil facts but I will refrain. Let's keep it short and sweet: lentils rock.
They are easy to cook, and filled with nutrients, protein and fiber. Plus they are satisfying and budget-friendly.
This soup has such hearty texture with chunks of potato, carrot, and mushroom. It reminds me of a veganized version of classic beef stew!
Ingredients for Lentil Potato Soup
For this recipe you will simmer in a large pot:
- Yellow onion: Or you can use sweet onion or white onion if needed.
- Carrot
- Mushrooms: I like cremini, but use your own favorite. Portobello mushroom, white button mushroom, shiitake mushrooms, etc.
- Potato: I prefer Yukon gold potatoes for this recipe, but white or russet potatoes work great too.
- Fresh garlic cloves: Or you can substitute dried garlic powder.
- Vegetable broth: Be sure to use low sodium broth if desired.
- Tamari: Or substitute soy sauce, but I use tamari for gluten-free.
- Green lentils or brown lentils: The earthly flavor of green/brown lentils is really tasty in this recipe. But you could substitute red lentils or black lentils as well.
- Fresh spinach: Or you can stir in fresh kale or swiss chard.
- Dried parsley + dried thyme: Or substitute other spices and herbs to taste.
Customizing
Herbs + seasonings: Change up the flavors as you see fit. Try ground dried oregano, dried basil, ground cumin, smoked paprika, coriander, Italian seasonings, bay leaves (remove before serving), turmeric, ginger, black pepper, or curry powder. Or garnish your bowl with fresh herbs or a squeeze of lemon juice before serving.
Veggies: Add other vegetables such as celery, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini, etc.
Storing
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. We find they keep well for about 5-6 days. Simply reheat in the microwave when ready to enjoy.
Tip: The leftovers are especially delicious because the broth becomes even richer and more flavorful the next day. (Which is great because I'm a soup-for-breakfast kind of girl.)
For more inspiration, also browse all potato recipes or vegan soup recipes.
Rustic Lentil Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 large carrot
- 6 oz. mushrooms (I use cremini)
- 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 fresh baby spinach
- 1 tsp. dried parsley
- 3/4 tsp. dried thyme
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables: Dice onion and carrot. Mince garlic. Slice mushrooms. Dice potatoes into about 3/4″ chunks.
- In a stockpot over medium-high heat, sauté onion for 5 minutes. (I use 3 Tbsp. water/broth for no-oil-sauté method.)
- Add potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, and dried thyme & parsley. Stir and sauté 3-4 more minutes.
- Add garlic. Stir and sauté 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
Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)
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Mary Lendzion
We made this for dinner last night and your recipe for black bean quinoa soup the previous night, and we loved both of them. We look forward to trying more of your recipes. Thank you for sharing!
Kaitlin
Hello, Mary! That's so lovely to hear. Thanks for giving them a try and sharing your very kind feedback. I hope you enjoy any others you try! All the best, Kaitlin
Melissa
It is delicious! I added a little bit of curry powder too.
Kaitlin
Really great idea! Thanks for sharing.
Lisa Fiorello
I just made this soup! It is absolutely wonderful! Thank you for the recipe!
Kaitlin
So great to hear that, Lisa! Thank you for giving it a try and sharing your kind feedback!
Evelyn
Absolutely the best lentil soup I have made yet. So tasty. Did exactly as the recipe called except adding spinach. At the end added one more cup of water as I wanted it a little more soupy. Not sure why it took so long for the lentils to get soft. But that’s ok, these was the tastiest I have had. Love it!
Kaitlin
Wonderful to hear you enjoyed, Evelyn! Thanks so much for the kind review.
Miriam
What kind of mushrooms did you use?
Kaitlin McGinn
Hi Miriam! Most often I use cremini or white button but any mushrooms would be lovely, I think. (Portobello, shiitake, or a combination, etc.)
Maneta
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.
Kaitlin McGinn
That's great! And completely agree with the leftovers. Thanks so much for giving the recipes a try.
Christina
Easy, quick to make and delicious! This recipe is now in my rotation! Thanks!
Kaitlin McGinn
Awesome to hear, Christina. Thanks for giving it a try and sharing your kind feedback - very appreciated.
ColinHill
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.
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Wonderful! Love your fresh garden tomato addition. Thanks for sharing!
Sheila Stevenson
Made this tonight and it was yummy! I also added a can of whole tomatoes and dash of balsamic vinegar!!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Wow, great additions! Thanks for sharing!
Dorothy Milfort
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.
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
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.)
Aura Lemoine
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!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
So great! Love your substitutions - thanks for sharing!
Unknown
How well does this freeze?
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
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.
Katherine England
I made this last night and it was so delicious and filling. Thank you!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
So great to hear! Thank you!
Vicky Hobson
Looking forward to trying out this recipe. Are brown lentils the same as French lentils? I've only seen French and red. Thanks
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
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.
Lindsay Lopez
This looks delicious! I'm wondering if you've ever made this in a crock pot and if so, how did you do it?
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
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!
Unknown
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!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Perfect! Thank you so much for your helpful feedback!