This oil-free Mediterranean green lentil soup with spinach makes a delicious, healthy meal. With simple ingredients and basic spices, you want this plant-based vegan recipe.
You’ll Love this Plant-Based Oil-Free Recipe!
You’ll love this plant-based Mediterranean Lentil Soup with Spinach recipe! It is:
- Full of delicious Mediterranean Flavor
- Easy to make with simple ingredients
- Hearty and Satisfying
- Budget-Friendly
- Freezer-Friendly
Lentils: A Healthy Source of Plant-Based Protein and Fiber
Lentils are full of healthy, plant-based nutrition. They are a great source of vegan protein with about 18g per cup. Plus, lentils have heart-healthy fiber and other key nutrients like Iron, Folate, Magnesium, vitamin B6, and Thiamin. In addition, lentils are a source of plant compounds called phytochemicals. These protect your body from chronic diseases like type-2 diabetes and heart disease.
Lentils: Full of Antioxidants
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Chef Katie’s Plant-Based Cooking Tips:
Freezer- Friendly: This recipe is incredibly freezer-friendly. Make a big batch and freeze in smaller containers for easy meals in the future.
Get Your Greens: Baby spinach is added to this recipe for green color and subtle sweet flavor. However, you Get Your Greens with other leafy greens. Baby arugula, baby kale, and chard would work well.
Green Lentil Alternatives: If you can’t find dried green lentils, you can substitute with brown or black lentils. You can also a hearty whole grain like farro, barley, or quinoa.
Quicker Cooking Time: To reduce the cooking time, use canned lentils instead of dried. Use either brown, black, or green canned lentils. Drain and rinse thoroughly before adding to the soup. Add to the soup at the same time in the cooking process. You’ll only need to simmer the soup 10 minutes before adding in the spinach.
Oil-Free: I’m on a mission to get rid of empty calories, like those found in refined oils. This recipe skips oil and uses parchment paper to keep the bars from sticking to the pan. This makes a healthy, low-calorie recipe.
Heart-Healthy Mediterranean Lentil Soup with Spinach
You’ll love this recipe! It’s:
- Simple and Satisfying
- Oil-Free Vegan
- Whole Foods, Plant-Based
- Gluten-Free
- Freezer-Friendly
- A Great Way to Use Lentils
If you love this recipe, you’ll also love: Middle Eastern Green Lentil Stew with Potatoes, Simple Plant-Based Tomato and White Bean Vegetable Soup, Big ‘Ole Italian Chickpea Salad, and Spinach Basil “Get your Greens” Hummus.
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Healthy Mediterranean Green Lentil Soup with Spinach
Ingredients
- ½ cup dry green lentilsr rinsed and soaked for 1 hour
- 1 onion diced
- 2 carrots diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoons Bragg’s 24 Herb and Spice blend or another salt-free Italian herb seasoning blend
- 5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or water
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 5- ounce bag baby spinach
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- To soak the lentils: Place the lentils in a bowl and cover with 2 inches of water. Let soak for at least 2 hours on the counter, or overnight in the fridge. Drain and rinse thoroughly before using in this recipe.
- To make the Soup:
- Heat a medium pot over medium heat while you chop the onions, carrot, and bell pepper.
- Add the chopped onion, carrot, and bell pepper to the pot. Cover with a lid. Cook until softened and starting to brown around the edges, about 5-7 minutes. Stir every minute to prevent burning. If the mixture starts to burn, add a splash of water and turn the heat down.
- Add the garlic, dried herb blend, fresh thyme, and bay leaf. Cook until aromatic, stirring often, about 1 minute.
- Add the water (or vegetable broth) and the drained and rinsed lentils. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer.
- Simmer until the lentils are tender but not falling apart, about 25 minutes.
- Add the spinach, salt, and pepper. Taste to adjust seasoning. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings 4.0 | |
| Amount Per Serving | |
| calories 108 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 1 g | 1 % |
| Saturated Fat 0 g | 1 % |
| Monounsaturated Fat 0 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g | |
| Trans Fat 0 g | |
| Cholesterol 0 mg | 0 % |
| Sodium 253 mg | 11 % |
| Potassium 677 mg | 19 % |
| Total Carbohydrate 23 g | 8 % |
| Dietary Fiber 8 g | 31 % |
| Sugars 6 g | |
| Protein 5 g | 10 % |
| Vitamin A | 608 % |
| Vitamin C | 146 % |
| Calcium | 15 % |
| Iron | 29 % |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. | |
Shopping and Gear List
- Edward & Sons Garden Veggie Bouillon Cubes
- Arrowhead Mills Organic Green Lentils
- Gel Spice Turkish Bay Leaves
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But that sodium content! Make your own stock and eliminate those bouillon cubes.
Good point. Always a good idea to be mindful of sodium and making your own veggie stock is the best way to cut out salt.