Italian-Style Lentil Soup

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Today’s recipe is a vegetarian lentil soup that I’ve dubbed Italian-style lentil soup, because it’s made with a sofrito of onions, garlic, celery, and tomatoes, to which carrots are added, and to top it off, it’s cooked with Parmesan rinds and scented with a bouquet of fresh thyme. And as if that weren’t enough: it’s ready in an hour.

Two bowls of Italian-Style Lentil Soup are served with a fspoon, ready to enjoy with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

What more could you ask for? Well, a handful of Parmigiano Reggiano when serving and you’ll have a soup that’s both light and comforting. Pair it with a salad and a good piece of bread, and you’ve got the perfect lunch.

Chopped onion, carrot, celery, garlic, lentils, tomatoes, thyme, and olive oil on a white wooden surface—perfect for making Italian-Style Lentil Soup.

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Here you’ll find..

The Olympus of soups
Ingredients
How to make Italian-style lentil soup
FAQs
More legume soups you're going to love
Italian-Style Lentil Soup

Diced carrots, celery, and onions being sautéed in a pot with a wooden spoon—the first step to making flavorful Italian Lentil Soup.

The Olympus of soups

I made this soup for the first time during my first fall in Miami, back in 2012. Although it never got cold, I dreamed of comfort food. I had seen a similar recipe on Food Network and made it my own.

I called it Italian-style lentil soup because thanks to the base sofrito, the tomatoes that give it its characteristic color, the Parmigiano Reggiano rinds—which are the best flavor enhancer in the world—and the perfume of thyme, it tastes like Italy.

So I gave it a nationality to distinguish it from my Spanish-style lentil soup with chorizo, my French bistro-style lentil soup, and my Venezuelan lentil soup with cilantro.

And yes, just like my other lentil soups, this veggie-packed stew also has a place in the Olympus of my favorite soups and was one of my best-selling soups when I had my modest catering service in Miami.

¡Buon appetito!

Enri

A pot of chopped vegetables, including tomatoes, celery, and carrots, being stirred with a wooden spoon for an Italian-Style Lentil Soup.

Ingredients

Extra virgin olive oil
Garlic
Onion
Celery
Carrots
Canned diced tomatoes (petite diced)
Lentils
Water
Fresh thyme sprigs
Parmesan cheese rinds
Coarse sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Parmesan cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano)

Close-up of fresh thyme plant with small green leaves and thin, winding stems—perfect for adding fragrant flavor to an Italian-Style Lentil Soup recipe.

How to make Italian-style lentil soup

Make the sofrito. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the onion, garlic, and celery until wilted.
Add the carrots and tomatoes. Stir them in and cook for a few more minutes, stirring, until the liquid reduces slightly and the tomatoes begin to break down.
Add the lentils and water. Turn up the heat, bring to a boil, and when it starts boiling, add the Parmesan rinds and the thyme bouquet.
Simmer. Cover the pot, lower the heat, and cook until the lentils are tender.
Season and serve. Adjust with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with grated Parmesan.

A bundle of fresh thyme and a bowl of Parmesan rinds rest on a white wooden surface.

FAQs

Can I make this soup with broth?

Yes, you can use vegetable or chicken broth instead of water if you prefer a deeper flavor. I make it with water because the sofrito adds so much flavor, and the umami that the Parmesan rinds give it is divine.

Can I use dried thyme instead of fresh?

Yes. If you don’t have fresh thyme on hand, you can substitute it with two teaspoons of dried thyme that you’ll add when you add the carrots to the sofrito.

Can I add other vegetables besides carrots?

Of course. You can add zucchini, and also toss in a handful of spinach or chard at the end of cooking. You can also add diced potatoes once you add the water and the soup is boiling.

A white bowl of Italian-Style Lentil Soup with vegetables and a spoon, on a light wooden surface.

Can I add pasta?

Yes, you can add short noodles (like ditalini or small shells) when the lentils are almost done. Adjust the amount of liquid if you do this, because the pasta will absorb some of the broth.

How long does it last in the refrigerator?

It keeps perfectly for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container. When reheating, add a splash of water or broth if it’s too thick.

Can this soup be frozen?

I don’t recommend freezing it, as lentils have high starch content and when thawed, their texture changes and can become mealy. It’s better enjoyed fresh or refrigerated. However, if you have to freeze this soup, itl will last up to six month.

More legume soups you’re going to love

Bowl of Italian-Style Lentil Soup topped with grated Parmesan cheese, with a spoon inside, on a light-colored surface.

Potage Saint Germain – Split pea soup
Canellini soup with Swiss chard
Venezuelan sopa de caraotas negras – Black bean soup
Sopa de frijolitos
Venezuelan lentil soup with cilantro
Lentil soup with Spanish chorizo
French bistro-style lentil soup

Two white bowls of Italian-Style Lentil Soup topped with grated cheese, each with a spoon, on a wooden table.

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A light, nutritious, and flavorful soup with tomato sofrito, fresh vegetables, thyme, and Parmigiano Reggiano rinds. Perfect for cool days or when you’re craving a comforting bowl of soup.

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Servings:

Calories: 286kcal

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil 30 ml
3 garlic cloves, minced 15 g
1 cup diced onion 160 g
1 cup diced celery 120 g
2 cups peeled and diced carrots 250 g
3 cups canned diced tomatoes, prtite diced 720 g
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 pound lentils 450 g
2 liters water 8 cups
4 to 6 fresh thyme sprigs
3 to 4 pieces of Parmesan cheese rind
Grated Parmesan cheese Parmigiano Reggiano to taste

Instructions

In a pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil and sauté the onion, garlic, and celery for about 5 minutes.
Add the carrots and cook for 5 more minutes.
Add the tomatoes with their juice. Cook over low heat, stirring, for about 10 minutes until the liquid reduces slightly.
Add the water and lentils, turn up the heat, and bring to a boil.
When boiling, add the Parmesan rinds and thyme bouquet. Cover, lower the heat, and cook for 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve hot with grated Parmesan on top.
This soup tastes even better the next day, when the flavors settle.

Video

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Italian-Style Lentil Soup

Amount Per Serving

Calories 286 Calories from Fat 45

% Daily Value*

Fat 5g8%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 3g

Cholesterol 0.3mg0%

Sodium 172mg7%

Potassium 974mg28%

Carbohydrates 46g15%

Fiber 21g88%

Sugar 8g9%

Protein 17g34%

Vitamin A 5643IU113%

Vitamin C 16mg19%

Calcium 98mg10%

Iron 6mg33%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Soups

Cuisine: Italian Cuisine, Mediterranean

Diet: Vegetarian

Keyword: italian-style lentil soup recipe, italian-style vegetarian lentil soup, lentil soup with parmesan cheese recipe, vegetarian lentil soup

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Enri

Soy una escritora que cocina o una cocinera que escribe: el orden de los factores de no altera el producto. Desde 2010 hice de SAVOIR FAIRE el lugar donde convergen mis dos pasiones y ahora desarrollo recetas profesionalmente y trabajo como estratega y creadora de contenidos digitales, incluyendo la producción de videos de cocina. Disfruta mis recetas.