Freezer-Friendly Lentil Soup
390 calories · 18 g protein · Lunch
Prep time
10 min
Cook time
40 min
Servings
6
Calories
390 per serving
Red lentils are the cheapest protein in the pantry and the fastest to cook. This soup needs no soaking, no blending, and no babysitting: the lentils break down on their own and thicken the broth into something that eats like a meal. Six servings, about forty minutes, roughly $1.20 a bowl.
The vegetables are the standard soup trio of onion, carrot, and celery, which you can buy pre-cut on a busy week without changing the recipe. A squeeze of lemon at the end is not optional — it wakes up the whole pot.
Ingredients
- olive oil1 tbsp (15 ml)
- yellow onion, diced1 large (150 g)
- carrots, diced2 large (160 g)
- celery, diced3 stalks (120 g)
- garlic, minced3 cloves (9 g)
- ground cumin2 tsp (5 g)
- dried thyme1 tsp (2 g)
- red pepper flakes1/4 tsp (0.5 g)
- dried red lentils, rinsed1 1/2 cups (285 g)
- diced tomatoes1 can (14.5 oz / 410 g)
- low-sodium vegetable broth6 cups (1.4 L)
- baby spinach2 cups (60 g)
- fresh lemon juice1 tbsp (15 ml)
Directions
- 1
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook 6 to 7 minutes, until the onion turns translucent.
- 2
Add the garlic, cumin, thyme, and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- 3
Stir in the lentils, tomatoes, and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- 4
Simmer 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are soft and the soup has thickened.
- 5
Stir in the spinach and lemon juice and cook 2 minutes, just until the spinach wilts.
- 6
Cool 30 minutes, then portion into six containers; refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Developed and kitchen-tested by The Meal Prep Plans Team — every recipe is cooked in a real Sunday batch-cook before it is published.
Nutrition (approximate)
390
Calories
18 g
Protein
62 g
Carbs
6 g
Fat
Nutrition values are approximate and calculated per serving.
Tips
- ✓Thin with a splash of broth when reheating — the lentils keep absorbing liquid.
- ✓Top with 2 tbsp Greek yogurt for 4 extra grams of protein.
- ✓Double the batch and freeze half in 2-cup containers for a no-cook week.
