Italian lentil soup is simple to make and ultra comforting. Lentils, carrots, onions, and celery are simmered together until soft. Our version adds baby spinach at the end for an extra dose of green.
Prep time: PT10M
Cook time: PT55M
Total time: PT65M
Rating
4.91 stars (153 reviews)
Keywords
Italian lentil soup, Italian lentil soup recipe
Ingredients
1/4 cup (60g) extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion (diced)
2 ribs celery (diced)
2 medium carrots (diced)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 ounces (85g) tomato paste
1 cup (240g) crushed plum tomatoes
1/2 pound (226g) baby spinach
8 cups (1.9kg) water
1 pound (454g) brown or green lentils (see notes below)
1 small Parmigiano Reggiano rind (optional, see notes below)
salt and pepper (to taste)
Categories
Soup
Cuisine
Italian
Steps
Heat a large heavy pot to medium-low and add the olive oil, carrots, celery, and onion. Cook until soft and translucent (about 10 minutes).
Add in the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes.
Next add in the plum tomatoes, oregano, lentils, Parmigiano Reggiano rind, and water. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and cook over a simmer until the lentils are soft (about 45-50 minutes).
After the lentils are cooked through and tender, turn off the heat and add the baby spinach.
Taste test and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve in bowls with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and with grated cheese on the side. Also, serve with crusty bread. Enjoy!
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 288 kcal
Carbohydrates: 41.7 g
Protein: 16.1 g
Fat: 7.1 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Sodium: 438 mg
Sugar: 5.9 g
Reviews
Eddie on 2026-09-20 (5 stars): I am blown the f*ck away by this Italian lentil soup. Its hard to believe that a dish born out of poverty could deliver such an incredibly satisfying flavor. Its packed with health benefits, yet every bite feels luxurious.
Lucille M Williams on 2026-09-07 (5 stars): You make your lentil soup exactly how I make mine. but I have a question you may be able to answer, I bought Parmigiano Reggiano cheese from Amazon" had it in the fridge and noticed black spots on it, looked like mold, the rind also turned greenish, i cut all of that away. I cannot believe this cheese did this.....i tossed it all out. what do you think??
Eddie LeRoy on 2026-08-23 (5 stars): Awesome friends. I do make this recipe frequently. You truly don't have to change anything in this recipe. But I do add thyme to it and red pepper only because I like the heat. If I have a potato left over or mushroom I throw them in. Thanks
Alex L. on 2026-07-17 (5 stars): I keep coming back to this recipe, it's just so freaking good. So glad you shared this one out, man, very VERY much appreciated, especially when everything is just so expensive.
Bettyann Pernice on 2026-05-11 (5 stars): This authentic Sicilian recipe is so delicious and is worth the time it takes to create it. Soooo! much better than canned lentil soup. Thank you, James.
Bianca on 2026-05-03 (4 stars): We like the soup, I used almost the entire can of tomato paste as we like the tangy taste and added 4 cloves of pressed garlic at the end. I agree about the the difference between brown and green lentils. I used brown, and they do seem much milder than green. We still love the soup.
Bill on 2026-04-03 (5 stars): This is an absolutely delicoius soup. I simply served it with a splash of red wine vinegar and some bread. You knocked it out of the park with this recipe!
