Hearty Lentil Quinoa Soup

Overhead view of white bowl filled with lentil soup, a lemon wedge and a gold fork

5 from 1 vote

A quick and nutritious soup made with lentils, quinoa, and hearty spices. Don't be intimidated by the long ingredient list; this soup is made with mostly pantry staples!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time35 mins

Total Time45 mins

Course: Soup

Cuisine: vegan

Servings: servings

Calories: 285kcal

Author: Cassidy Reeser, MS, RD

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
½ medium yellow onion diced
2 large carrots peeled and diced
2 stalks celery diced
½ teaspoon salt more to taste
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3-4 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon marjoram
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional; makes it lightly spicy
6 and ½ cups vegetable broth see note #1
1 and ½ cups brown lentils rinsed
½ cup quinoa rinsed
2 15 ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley plus more for serving
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons lemon juice plus extra lemon wedges for serving
Parmesan for serving

Instructions

Heat a 6 quart Dutch oven or stock pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, drizzle in the oil. To the hot oil, add the diced onion, carrot and celery. Sprinkle with salt. Sauté the veggies until softened, about 6-8 minutes.
Add the tomato paste and minced garlic. Sauté another 1-2 minutes, until the garlic is golden and aromatic.
Add the spices (cumin, marjoram, paprika, onion powder, nutmeg, black pepper, optional cayenne). Bloom for 30 seconds, stirring to prevent burning.
Deglaze the pan with a drizzle of vegetable broth. Add the diced tomatoes, lentils, quinoa, remaining broth, fresh parsley, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer over medium-low heat and cover.
Simmer until the lentils are tender and fully cooked through. This will take about 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaves. Stir in 2 tablespoons lemon juice just before serving.
Taste for salt and pepper. Serve topped with fresh Parmesan, a lemon wedge and fresh chopped parsley. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Brown lentils cook in 18-20 minutes. Green lentils work but take upwards of 45 minutes to cook. Red/orange lentils do not work here.
Vegetable broth: You can use 4 cups veg broth and 2 and ½ cups water to cut back on salt. I usually use low sodium veg broth.
Leftovers and reheating: Let the soup cool to room temp before transferring to the fridge. Refrigerate for 4-5 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave or return the entire soup pot to the stove. Reheat on the stove over medium-low, stirring occasionally. You will likely need to add an extra splash of broth or water when reheating.
Freezing instructions: Let the soup cool to room temperature before transferring to individual or large freezer safe containers. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use, let thaw overnight in the fridge or defrost in the microwave.

Nutrition