Roasted Vegetable & Lentil Soup

Lentil soup is a must when it comes to cold weather meals, and this Roasted Vegetable & Lentil Soup is good enough to move to the top of your dinner rotation!

Although most people are comfortable cooking with grains and beans, many people are still a little unsure and uneasy when it comes to cooking with lentils. The funny thing is, lentils are just as easy to cook (if not easier) than any bean or grain, and an incredibly versatile ingredient in the kitchen. Available in many different colours and varieties, lentils work well in soups, stews, curries, dhals, veggie burgers, salads, side dishes, or simply cooked on their own and topped with a fried egg! When it comes to lentils, my favourites are red and green because I think they have the best texture and flavour, but it all comes down to personal preference. This recipe calls for Puy lentils, a type of green lentil also known as French lentils, however, any green or brown lentil would work.

This Roasted Vegetable & Lentil Soup is a hearty one-pot meal that is high in fibre, chock-full of veggies, naturally gluten-free, and makes a great winter weeknight dinner or simple meal prep idea for filling lunches for the entire week.

Roasted Vegetable & Lentil Soup

I made this Roasted Vegetable & Lentil Soup with Puy lentils, also known as French lentils, however, any type of green or brown lentil would work well.

Author: Stephanie Kay
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 6 servings
Category: Soups
Cuisine: Vegetarian, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
4 cloves garlic, skin on
1 onion, diced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried chillies
1 cup Puy lentils, rinsed and strained
6-8 cups vegetable or chicken broth
4 stems kale, rinsed, ribs removed and roughly chopped
Sea salt
Black Pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450°F.
Add carrots, squash and garlic to a large baking sheet and drizzle with half of the olive oil and season with a sprinkle of sea salt and black pepper. Transfer to the oven and roast for 20 minutes.
When the vegetables are almost done cooking, start the rest of the soup. In a large pot, heat remaining oil on medium-high heat. Add onion, sprinkle with sea salt, and cook for 3-4 minutes until tender.
Pour in lentils, thyme and chillies, stir to combine, and cook for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant.
Once the vegetables are done roasting, remove pan from the oven and remove skins from garlic cloves. Once removed, transfer the vegetables to the pot with the onion mixture.
Cover with broth, just enough to cover all of the vegetables, and simmer on low for 20 minutes. (You are best to put less broth and add more at the end as needed.)
Add chopped kale, adjust broth level as needed, stir to combine and simmer on low for an additional 10 minutes.
If you find the soup too liquidy, simply use the back of a fork to squash a few pieces of squash to thicken the soup.
Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.