You’ll love how easy it is to make this comforting and healthy vegan lentil and quinoa soup!
Is there anything better than a warm bowl of soup? Soups and stews are my go to meal prep recipes because they’re quick to make and great for leftovers. One of my favorite soups is Trader Joe’s “Lentil Soup with Ancient Grains” soup. My boyfriend and I have that soup more often than I’d like to admit, so naturally I had to try out my own lentil quinoa soup!
Oooh, I am so happy with how this lentil and quinoa soup turned out. Good bye weekly (umm, I mean monthly) store bought soup, I found my new go to recipe!
Is homemade soup healthier than store bought soup?
There are many benefits to making homemade soup instead of buying premade soup. When you make homemade soup, you control the amount of sodium (salt) you’re consuming. Premade soups are usually very high in sodium (for preservation and flavor), usually over 600 mg sodium per one cup serving (and often much higher). That’s about one quarter of the daily recommended intake! I don’t know about you, but I’m not always full after just one cup of vegetarian soup.
It’s easy to cut down on added salt by experimenting with seasonings and vinegar, which is exactly what I did with this lentil and quinoa soup recipe. The combination of quinoa, lentils, and a variety of warming spices makes a delicious and filling meal without excess salt.
With homemade soup, you have the power to make it as healthy as you want!
Another reason you’ll love this homemade lentil and quinoa soup: it’s a quick “fix it and forget it” meal made with inexpensive ingredients. This soup tastes even better the next day because the grains have time to really soak up the seasonings.
Double the soup recipe and freeze leftovers in individual containers for up to three months. That way you can grab a container out of the freezer when you need a quick lunch or dinner!
Don’t forget to check out my other favorite soups like this light and easy veggie chili or this slow cooker black bean soup. This quinoa veggie chili goes super well with whole wheat garlic knots!
A quick and nutritious soup made with green lentils, quinoa, and hearty spices.
- 1 and 1/2 cups green lentils
- 1/3 cup quinoa
- 1/3 cup millet
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 3 cups water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
- 1/4 cup carrots, diced (about 1 large carrot)
- 1/4 cup celery, diced (about 2 stalks)
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 14 ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (plus more for topping)
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon marjoram
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 bay leaf
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, saute carrots, celery, and onion for 4-5 minutes, until slightly softened. Add the garlic and saute for 1 more minute.
Add all seasonings (cumin, marjoram, paprika, onion powder, nutmeg, fresh parsley, black pepper) and stir for about 30 seconds to bloom the spices.
Add the tomatoes with their juices, lemon juice, vegetable broth, water, lentils, quinoa, and millet. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes, or until the lentils are cooked.
Taste for salt and other seasonings. Remove the bay leaf prior to serving. Serve and garnish with additional parsley. Keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
