Italian Lentil Soup, Zuppa di Lenticchie

Healthy and good Italian Lentil Soup full of flavour and hearty vegetables. This soup makes a easy and comforting meal that'll make you feel good inside and out!

A warm bowl of comforting soup is the solid way to keep cosy during the colder months. This Italian lentil soup is packed with good vegetables, protein-rich lentils and white wine for flavour.

Not only is it nutritious, wholesome and healthy, it's the solid way to bring in the New Year Italian style. Italians eat lentils (usually stewed with Cotechino sausage) for good luck on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day. See our Italian Sausages and Lentils recipe – it's so good!

There are many ways to adapt this recipe (see the tips below) but we love it this way, simple, easy and wholesome.

Ingredients – what you need

To make this Italian lentil soup you need dried green or brown lentils, carrot, onion and celery, bay leaf, white wine, and chicken or vegetable stock.

See the photo below that shows you all the ingredients you need!

First rinse the lentils in cold running water according to packet instructions, set aside.

Roughly chop the carrot, celery, and onion (soffritto) and add to a large pot with 1-2 tbsp of olive oil. Saute it slowly on a medium-low heat for around 10 minutes until soft but not browned (photos 1 & 2).

Add the wine and let it simmer until it has reduced by half. Add the lentils and stir to coat in the vegetables and wine (photo 3).

Add the stock and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and simmer it uncovered for 35-40 minutes until the lentils are tender but still have a bite. If the lentils have soaked up too much liquid add more as necessary (photo 5).

Once cooked, taste the soup and season with salt and pepper then serve with a drizzle of olive oil and some fresh parsley (photo 6).

Recipe tips and FAQs

• Soffritto – soffritto is chopped carrot, celery, and onion, it's used to add a huge amount of flavour to soup and stews. You need to saute it slowly so it softens without browning. If you rush this step you'll lose a lot of the flavour.
• Add tomato – you can add a spoonful of tomato paste or canned chopped/whole tomatoes with the stock if you'd like a tomato flavoured lentil soup.
• Other veggies to add – you could add cubed potatoes, green beans, kale, zucchini or any other vegetables you like.
• White wine – this is added for flavour and we recommend adding it but you can omit it if you need to.
• Herbs – you could also add a sprig of rosemary, thyme, or oregano for added flavour.

Do we need to soak the lentils first?

No, lentils do not need to be soaked they cook in around 35-40 minutes but they do need rinsed of any impurities and grit under cold running water.

How long does it last?

This soup will keep well for around 3-4 days covered in the fridge and can be reheated in a large pot.

Can we freeze it?

Yes, this soup freezes well in suitable containers or bags for up to 3 months. thaw it completely and reheat in a pot until piping hot.

More Italian soup recipes you might like

• Green Pea Soup with Crispy Prosciutto
• Creamy Italian Potato & Zucchini Soup
• Pasta Fagioli Soup – Pasta & Beans
• Tuscan Chickpea Soup
• Tuscan Farro Soup with Beans

Ingredients

Makes 6 servings

• 1 carrot
• 1 onion
• 1 celery stalk
• 1.5 cups dried green or brown lentils ((300g))
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ cup white wine ((120ml))
• 6.5 cups chicken or vegetable stock ((1.5 litres))
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper (to season)
• fresh parsley (optional garnish)

Method

1. First rinse the lentils in cold running water according to packet instructions, set aside.

2. Roughly chop the carrot, celery and onion and add to a large pot with 1-2 tbsp of olive oil. Saute it slowly on a medium-low heat for around 10 minutes until soft but not browned.

3. Add the wine and let it simmer until it has reduced by half. Add the lentils (1.5 cups/300g) and stir to coat in the vegetables and wine.

4. Add the stock (6.5 cups/1.5 litres) and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and simmer it uncovered for 35-40 minutes until the lentils are tender but still have a bite. If the lentils have soaked up too much liquid add more as necessary.

5. Once cooked, taste the soup and season with salt and pepper. Serve in bowls with a drizzle of olive oil and fresh parsley (optional).

Kitchen notes

• Soffritto soffritto is chopped carrot, celery, and onion, it's used to add a huge amount of flavour to soup and stews. You need to saute it slowly so it softens without browning. If you rush this step you'll lose a lot of the flavour.
• Add tomato you can add a spoonful of tomato paste or canned chopped/whole tomatoes with the stock if you'd like a tomato flavoured lentil soup.
• Other veggies to add you could add cubed potatoes, green beans, kale, zucchini or any other vegetables you like.
• White wine this is added for flavour and we recommend adding it but you can omit it if you need to.
• Herbs you could also add a sprig of rosemary, thyme, or oregano for added flavour.
• Storage the soup will keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days or can be frozen for up to 3 months.