Mushroom Lentil Soup

This healthy veggie packed Mushroom Lentil Soup is so full of delicious umami flavor that you will be licking your bowl clean!

Course Soup

Cuisine American, Vegetarian

Keyword Mushroom Lentil Soup

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings cups

Calories 111kcal

Author Jenn Laughlin - Peas and Crayons

Ingredients

8-16 oz baby bella (cremini) mushrooms, sliced
1 medium yellow onion
2 carrots
3 cloves garlic
1 TBSP butter or olive oil, plus any extra as needed
½ tsp dried thyme or 1 tsp fresh
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
¼ tsp salt
⅛ tsp allspice
⅛ tsp black pepper
1 tsp soy sauce for tasty umami flavor
4 cups vegetable broth or broth of choice
½ cup lentils

Instructions

PREP THE VEGGIES and SPICES

This recipe can be made using anywhere form 8-16 ounces of mushrooms. You will use 8 ounces in the soup itself and then additional mushrooms can be added on top of the soup. I've made it with 8, 12, and 16 ounces of mushrooms and honestly love every variation we've tried.
Measure out the spices (thyme, red pepper, black pepper, salt, and allspice) and add to a small bowl.

SAUTE AND SEASON

If using whole mushrooms, slice each into 4 slices or simply snag pre-sliced as a time-saver. Dice onion and carrots. Peel and mince garlic.
Heat a large pot to medium-high heat and add 1 TBSP of butter or oil. Spread to coat the bottom of the pan.
Add the mushrooms in one layer and leave them alone for 4-5 minutes to brown. Once the bottom side of the mushrooms are nice and golden stir them up and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. If using more than 8 oz mushrooms so you have some for topping, scoop out the extra mushrooms and set aside on a plate. No need to be exact, just give it a quick guess.
Next a onion and carrots and sauté for approx. 5-7 minutes until tender.
Add garlic and the spices you mixed up earlier. Next add soy sauce and mix well. Cook for about a minute, stirring constantly.

BOIL THEN SIMMER

Add vegetable broth and lentils. Stir well then bring to a rolling boil.
Once boiling, reduce heat to a low simmer the soup for 20 minutes with the lid on.
After 20 minutes, remove the lid and test lentils for doneness. For a creamy soup, you're welcome to use an immersion blender to blend ¼ of the soup for a thicker base or add a little heavy cream. It's delicious every which way!

GARNISH AND ENJOY!

Give it a taste, and add any extra spices desired. Garnish with reserved mushrooms and enjoy!
Looking to add something extra? A little grated parmesan is delish with this soup. We love to serve ours with a toasty grilled cheese or buttery garlic bread for dunking. SO GOOD!

Notes

This recipe yields 6 cups of soup or 3 cozy bowls. Leftovers are AMAZING the next day so feel free to add this one to your weekly meal prep too!

Nutrition Facts below are estimated per cup of soup using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed based on any extras added and enjoy!

Nutrition