Once Fall hits, soup season is back. White bean lentil soup is perfect to stock your freezer with once the seasons start changing!

Looking for more hearty classic soups? Try ourCurry Chicken and Rice Soup, Italian Wedding Soup, orBroccoli Rabe and Tortellini Soup.

[feast_advanced_jump_to]

Why You Need Lentil Soup

Lentil soup is an Italian classic and is something to have in the fridge and freezer all winter long. I love to have it with dinner or lunch. It's a great addition to the meal, but it's also a great stand-alone soup because the lentils and beans have enough protein to fill you up. If you're looking for more of a side dish, go for Classic Italian Lentils.

What I love about this recipe is that I can store some in my fridge to have as a snack or a vegetable with dinner, and I can keep the rest in the freezer for the following week or as an impromptu dinner whenever I need it! Vegetable soups are great for freezing, like our Creamy Roasted Garlic and Tomato Soup, which is perfect to pair with a Gruyere Grilled Cheese.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Parmesan Rind. The rind is something I always save, and I add it to all of my soups. It adds an extra depth of flavor, and it is so tasty and salty. Remove it before serving.
Broth. I always try to use homemade stock when I make soup, but it's not always possible. I did a half-and-half situation when I made this dish. If you have a rotisserie chicken on hand occasionally, it's so easy to make a broth.
Lentils. I like to use whole lentils instead of split. It takes a little longer to cook, but they don't get as mushy when you serve them.
Lemon. Adding the lemon at the end makes this dish. This is a mandatory item and will add so much flavor to the soup.
Beans. I used white northern beans because they are soft, but you could substitute cannellini beans or kidney beans, like in our Tuscan Fennel and White Bean Soup!

*Please see the recipe card below for more information on the ingredients.

Step-by-Step Directions

Lentil soup is an easy way to start learning to make soup, or cook in general, because soups can be very forgiving. The first part of lentil soup and a lot of soups is the soffritto.

sauteing the carrots, celery, and onion.

Step 1: Saute the soffritto (celery, onions, carrots) on medium heat for 8-10 minutes and then add some garlic and stir for one more minute.

Step 2: The base of the white bean and lentil soup is a combination of the soffritto with tomato paste. Once the garlic is added, add a layer of tomato paste to the pot and caramelize it.

Step 3: Stir it in thoroughly with the vegetables and caramelize for 3 minutes. Caramelizing means you should see the tomato paste slightly sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Step 4: Stir in the broth, the lentils, basil, parsley, and 2 bay leaves. Bring it to a boil and then lower it to a simmer immediately. Stir in the parmesan rind and dried thyme. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Step 5: After the soup has simmered for 20 minutes, use an immersion blender to blend the soup for about 5 -7 seconds. Some of the lentils should still remain intact, but this helps improve the texture of the soup.

Step 6: After blending, add in the zucchini, beans, water, and salt. Return the soup to a simmer for 15 more minutes.

Step 7: When the soup is finished simmering, stir in the spinach, lemon zest, and lemon juice. The lemon in the lentil soup gives it a bright finish. It is the perfect addition.

Step 8: Garnish the soup with fresh chopped parsley and more parmesan. Serve with a sandwich or on the side of dinner. Or just enjoy a great big bowl of this warm and savory soup.

Pro Tips

Blend the lentils after simmering for 20 minutes. This will split some of the lentils so that the soup is a little creamier. Some of the lentils will remain intact while others will melt into the soup.
Adding the lemon at the end of the cooking process will brighten up the flavor and add more depth to the dish. Adding it too early in the cooking process will result in it being overpowered by the rest of the dish.
I like to season with salt and pepper throughout the whole cooking process and then add the remaining seasonings once I add the broth.

Finished white bean and lentil soup in a pot.

Recipe FAQs

Is lentil soup healthy?

Lentil soup is a nutritious meal with plenty of vegetables, carbohydrates, and proteins. It is a well-balanced and flavorful meal.

Can I store lentil soup in the freezer?

It lasts for up to 6 months in the freezer and 3-4 days in the fridge.

What is Soffritto?

Soffritto, is an Italian mirepoix. It is the slow sauteing of onions, garlic, and celery as a base for the soup. By slowly sauteing these vegetables in olive oil, the flavor of the olive oil and the vegetables starts developing into this wonderful, aromatic, combination.

What to serve with lentil soup!

Lentil soup goes great on the side of some of our chicken dishes like the PERFECT Cast Iron Chicken Breast, Restaurant-Style Chicken Saltimbocca, or Crispy Italian Chicken Cutlets.
I love soup and fish together! try it with our Pistachio Crusted Fish, Pan-Seared Vermillion Snapper, or Lemon Garlic Broiled Flounder.
If you're looking to serve a few appetizers, it would go great with Air Fryer Garlic Parm Wings, Baked Italian Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms, or EASY Ricotta Bruschetta
Don't forget about dessert! Serve some Rainbow Cookie Cake or Chewy White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies after dinner!

Storage and Reheating

Lentil soup should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

You can extend the time in the fridge to 5-7 days by using this really easy trick. Fill your sink with ice and water. Drop the whole pot in the ice water and stir the soup until it gets cold. Then store in the fridge immediately.

This will bring the temperature of your soup down quickly to avoid a long slow cool down, which can allow for bacteria to start to grow in the food. This is how restaurants and caterers cool food quickly so that it lasts longer.

We always store some of this recipe in the freezer for a later date. Lentil soup will last in the freezer for 6 months.

Reheat the soup by placing it back in a pot on medium heat until warmed through to 165 degrees.