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Vegetarian, Meal soups and plant based

Green lentil soup with carrots and toasted bread

This green lentil soup with carrots and toasted bread serves 4 in 50 minutes, for about €1.10 per person. It's a very easy recipe, perfect for a fall or winter evening. The trick is blending only half the soup, so it keeps some texture under the creaminess.

A thick, comforting soup of lentils and carrots with thyme, the kind that warms up the whole house, served with toasted bread.

Green lentil soup with carrots and toasted bread
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€1.10
Calories per person
600 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter
The kids
They generally like it

This soup sits somewhere between a smooth puree and a chunky stew. The green lentils simmer with carrots and onion until tender, then only half gets blended. What you get is a thick, creamy base with bits of carrot and whole lentils still showing through, so every spoonful has something to bite into. Thyme adds a quiet herbal note without covering up the earthy taste of the lentils.

This is a weeknight soup, quick to pull together and easy to adjust with whatever vegetables you have left in the fridge. Kids tend to eat it without complaint thanks to its soft texture, especially with a slice of garlic rubbed toast for dipping. It also works well on a cold Sunday evening, when everyone comes in chilled and you need something that warms up fast without much cleanup.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Green lentilsoften in the pantry 250 g
  • Vegetable brothoften in the pantry 1 l
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Carrots 4
  • Onion 1
  • Garlic 1 cloves
  • Thyme 3 sprigs

Bakery

  • Country bread 8 slices

Allergens Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Peel the carrots and onion and cut them into small cubes.

    Dice the carrots small, so they cook in the same time as the lentils.

  2. Cook the vegetables and garlic in the oil for five minutes. 5 min

    Don't let them brown, they should just soften.

  3. Add the rinsed lentils, thyme, and broth, then let it simmer. 30 min

    Skim off any foam if needed, a white foam rises at the start.

  4. Blend half the soup, mix it back in with the rest, then season with salt and pepper.

    Season at the end, lentils toughen up if salted too early.

  5. Toast the bread, rub it with garlic, and serve it alongside the soup.

    A drizzle of olive oil on the soup makes it taste rounder.

Our tips to get it right

  • Rinse the green lentils well before cooking, this removes surface starch and keeps the soup from turning cloudy.
  • If the soup thickens too much as it cools, stir in a little extra broth or hot water when reheating, since the lentils keep soaking up liquid.
  • Rub the toasted bread with raw garlic while it's still warm, the garlic sinks into warm bread much better than into cold bread.

The variations

  • Swap the green lentils for red lentils, they cook faster and the soup turns naturally smooth all on its own.
  • Add a sliced leek along with the carrots for a milder, more fragrant version, without changing anything else in the recipe.
  • For rushed kids, blend the whole soup and serve toasted bread sticks for dipping instead of whole slices.

What to serve it with

  • A green salad with a sharp vinaigrette
  • Grated cheese sprinkled on top
  • A warm thyme infusion

Storage

This soup keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well for up to 3 months in a suitable container. Reheat it gently on the stove, adding a little broth or water if it has thickened.

Questions about this dish

Do you need to soak green lentils before cooking them?

No, green lentils don't need soaking, unlike some dried peas or beans. Just rinse them under cold water before adding them to the soup.

Can you make this soup ahead of time?

Yes, it's actually better reheated the next day, once the flavors have had time to settle. Make the soup the day before and save the toasted bread for the last minute.

Can you replace the vegetable broth with water?

You can, but the flavor will be flatter. If you use water, add a bit more salt and maybe a bundle of herbs to make up for it.

How do you make the soup creamier without blending it all?

Add a drizzle of olive oil just before serving, it naturally ties the textures together. You can also mash a few lentils with a fork right in the bowl.

How long does it take to make a green lentil soup with carrots, served with toasted bread?

Count 50 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in a green lentil soup with carrots, served with toasted bread?

About 600 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a green lentil soup with carrots, served with toasted bread cost?

About €1.10 per serving, or €4.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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