This easy lentil soup with spinach is the kind of simple, nourishing meal you’ll come back to again and again. It’s affordable, packed with nutrients, and easy to freeze for busy weeks when you need something wholesome on hand.

If you’re looking to stretch your grocery budget without sacrificing health, lentils are a natural place to start. They’re inexpensive, versatile, and surprisingly satisfying — the kind of pantry staple that makes real, comforting meals possible.

The Many Reasons to Love Lentils

These little legumes have a ton of benefits! Several members of the Green Child team follow a flexitarian diet, and beans help us provide filling meals without serving a large amount of meat.

Lentils are extremely affordable

At a recent ShiftCon event, Nzingah Oniwosan and Tasha Edwards led a panel discussing how plant-based doesn’t have to equal privilege. Many people fall into the mistaken impression that you have to spend a fortune to eat healthily, but in reality, some of the healthiest foods are affordable. Most beans fall into this category – especially when you buy them in bulk.

Lentils are rich in fiber and minerals

Lentils are an edible seed in the legume family. They’re high in protein, fiber, and folate. They’re also considered a top “functional food” due to their high nutritive value, polyphenols, minerals, and other bioactive compounds.

While they’re known for providing protein and fiber, their polyphenol content is becoming the focus of ongoing research, since polyphenols are known to play an important role in the prevention of degenerative diseases. (Source)

Lentils are part of the diets of people who live a long time

Beans are a big part of the diets in Blue Zones. Beans are the cornerstone of every Blue Zones diet in the world: black beans in Nicoya; lentils, garbanzo, and white beans in the Mediterranean; and soybeans in Okinawa.

The long-lived populations in these Blue Zones eat at least four times as many beans as we do, on average. One five-country study found that eating 20 grams of beans daily reduced a person’s risk of dying in any given year by about 8%.

How to Make Nourishing Lentil Soup

You can use brown or green lentils in this easy one pot lentil soup. They’re the most popular types. Many people like red lentils but they tend to get mushy in this type of soup.

The type of broth you use is up to you (veggie or chicken). This lentil soup is full of flavor, plus your house will smell amazing as it simmers.

In a large soup pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil. Add the red pepper, onion, carrot, and celery to the pot. Cook until onion is translucent (about 6 minutes).

Stir in the minced garlic, oregano, bay leaf, basil, salt, & pepper and cook until fragrant (about 3 minutes). Add the can of tomatoes, dried lentils, broth, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 1.5 hours or until the lentils are soft. Optional: add broth to get the desired consistency for your soup.

Right before serving add in the spinach and lemon juice, and add salt and pepper to taste.

This soup will nourish you from the inside out on a chilly day and pairs wonderfully with a crusty bead.

Storage & Freezer Tips

This lentil soup stores beautifully, making it perfect for meal prep or doubling the recipe for later.

Refrigerator:
Let the soup cool completely, then store in an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to 4–5 days.

Freezer:
Lentil soup freezes very well. Portion into freezer-safe containers or silicone bags and freeze for up to 3 months. For easy reheating, freeze flat so it stacks and thaws quickly.

Reheating:
Warm on the stovetop over medium heat. Add a splash of broth or water if the soup has thickened, and adjust salt and lemon juice to brighten the flavor again.

Tip:
If you plan to freeze the soup, you can slightly undercook the lentils so they hold their texture better when reheated.