A super simple healthy recipe for traditional lentil soup made with lentils, tomatoes, broth, and loads of herbs and greens. If you are reading this during fall, there is nothing more perfect than this Classic French Lentil Soup recipe.
Make The Traditional Lentil Soup: Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat until it's shimmering. Stir in the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic cook until translucent and softened. Season well with kosher salt and black pepper. Stir in the lentils, bay leaf, and oregano (if using) and cook until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and their liquid and the broth or water, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered until lentils are just soft but not mushy, about 25 minutes.TIP: You can stop now and serve the soup brothy (remove the bay leaf and oregano sprig) or blend part of it. Put 1/3 of the soup in a blender, food processor, or use an immersion blender and blend 1/3 until smooth (this thickens the soup but still leaves texture!
Serve The Lentil Soup: If you want a little more "brightness," add in some lemon juice or vinegar. For a little more nutrition and flavor, stir in a few handfuls of greens or parsley until they wilt. Otherwise, drizzle in a bit more olive oil and serve with crusty bread and a green salad!