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Lentil And Spinach Soup With Lemon

This lentil and spinach soup with lemon is delicious and hearty with bright, simple ingredients, lots of aromatics, and fresh lemon juice.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Servings: 8
Calories: 348 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Greek

Ingredients

  • 1½ cups brown or large green lentils rinsed and picked over
  • 2 medium size sweet potato cut in 1/2-inch dice
  • 3 Yukon gold potatoes cut in 1/2-inch dice
  • 10 oz baby spinach chopped
  • 1 red chili pepper stemmed, seeded and chopped
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves  finely chopped
  • 2 celery ribs sliced
  • 10 cups broth vegetable or chicken
  • 1½ teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon sweet red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 2-3 fresh oregano sprigs
  • 2-3 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 lemons total, or juicing and slicing
  • fresh ground pepper
  • sea salt

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the onion, season with a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring, until it starts to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the celery and garlic and cook, often stirring, until they soften, 3 minutes.
  2. Add the red chili, cumin, oregano, sweet red pepper flakes, and bay leaves. Stir and cook for 3 minutes.
  3. Add the lentils and stock, the leaves from a couple of oregano sprigs and thyme sprigs, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer, partially covered, for about 30 minutes until the lentils are tender.
  4. Add the spinach and potatoes, re-cover and cook another 15 to 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
  5. Add sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Discard the bay leaves.
  6. Thinly slice one of the lemons and cut the other into wedges. Just before serving, stir the lemon juice of one lemon into the soup. Serve the soup hot with a lemon slice and have extra lemon wedges at the table.

Notes

  •  
  • Serving suggestions
  • This lentil and spinach soup is vegan. It goes well next to warm crusty bread, olives and a Greek fava dip. However, you can fry some chopped bacon or pancetta and sprinkle it on top as well as some shaved parmesan. We grill a few sausages cut them up, and add them to the soup for a heartier version. Garlic croutons or grilled pita bread and sprinkle some feta go well on top. You can be creative and play around with the toppings of your liking. 
  •  
  • Nutritional Info – Please remember the nutritional information provided is only an estimate and can vary based on the products used.
  • The soup can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks or frozen for up to 3 months.
  • You can stir into the soup the baby spinach as is or chopped.
  • Substitute fresh baby spinach with frozen. Thaw it out and pat dry with a kitchen towel to remove most moisture.
  • Another green you can add to the soup is kale instead of baby spinach. Use the same amount of kale as you would spinach, similar cut, but add it to the soup with the lentils and broth at the beginning of the cooking time, rather than the last bit of the cooking, as you would with spinach.
  • Butternut squash is a great substitute for sweet potatoes.
  • Fresh herbs like oregano, thyme, or sage leaves are optional; you can swap them with dried versions or omit them from the recipe.

Nutrition Information

Calories 348kcal (17%) Carbohydrates 55g (18%) Protein 13g (26%) Fat 10g (15%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 7g Sodium 1247mg (52%) Potassium 1095mg (31%) Fiber 16g (64%) Sugar 8g (16%) Vitamin A 12082IU (242%) Vitamin C 45mg (50%) Calcium 108mg (11%) Iron 5mg (28%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 348

% Daily Value*

Calories 348kcal 17%
Carbohydrates 55g 18%
Protein 13g 26%
Fat 10g 15%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 7g 35%
Sodium 1247mg 52%
Potassium 1095mg 23%
Fiber 16g 64%
Sugar 8g 16%
Vitamin A 12082IU 242%
Vitamin C 45mg 50%
Calcium 108mg 11%
Iron 5mg 28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.