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This Easy Lentil Potato Soup is chunky, hearty, and full of flavor – the perfect bowl of comfort for cold weather.
It comes together in under an hour and makes an effortless weeknight meal the whole family will enjoy.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
One pot, under an hour. I make this on busy weeknights when I need something filling without a lot of cleanup.
The lentils and potatoes cook together and the whole thing is done in about 45 minutes.
Ingredients Overview
- Aromatics & Seasoning: Onion, garlic, carrots, herbs, and a touch of tomato paste give depth and heartiness.
- Lentils: Green or brown work best. If using a mix, avoid red split lentils only — they cook much faster than potatoes and make the soup mushy.
- Potatoes: Small red or yellow potatoes work great, no peeling needed. Sweet potatoes also work but give a different flavor.
How to Make Lentil Potato Soup
Start by sautéing the onion, garlic, and carrots in a large pot until softened — about 3 minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste, then add the lentils, potatoes, and water or broth.
Season with salt, pepper, thyme, and oregano, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
From there it cooks itself. After 35–40 minutes the lentils should be tender and the potatoes cooked through — test with a fork.
Taste and adjust salt at the end, and if it feels bland add a splash of lemon juice before serving.
That single step makes a noticeable difference.
Why did I add potatoes to a lentil soup?
Plain lentil soup is good, but it was never quite enough for a full meal in my house.
Adding potatoes makes it genuinely filling — the kind of soup that works as dinner on its own, not just a side.
My son loves hearty soups, so this combination became a regular.
You can also blend it fully for small kids if needed.
Recipe Tips
For little kids, blend partially or fully for a smoother texture.
Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for later.
Use vegetable broth for more flavor.
Add spinach or kale at the end for extra greens.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, add everything to your slow cooker and cook on low for 6–7 hours or on high for 3–4 hours, until the potatoes and lentils are tender.
Mash some of the potatoes and lentils with a spoon or blend part of the soup with an immersion blender.
Yes, as long as you use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, this recipe is completely vegan.
The most common reason is using water instead of broth — vegetable broth makes a significant difference. Also make sure you’re not skipping the tomato paste and that you’re adjusting salt at the very end. A splash of lemon juice right before serving brightens everything up and is my go-to fix.
Yes — add them in the last 10 minutes of cooking instead of simmering from the start. The texture will be softer so keep an eye on the consistency and add a little less liquid than the recipe calls for.
Easy Lentil Potato Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup diced onion
- 1 carrot, large, 3 – 4 oz
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/4 cup tomato sauce, optional
- 1 1/4 cups lentils, brown or green
- 12 oz potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 4-5 cups water or vegetable stock
Video
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the onion and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the garlic and carrots and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the tomato paste, tomato sauce, and lentils and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the potatoes and pour in 4 cups of water.
- Season with salt, pepper, thyme, and oregano. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Simmer for 25 to 35 minutes, until the lentils are tender and the potatoes are cooked through.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I have made this several times and it is one of my absolute favorites.
Do I need to soak the lentils first?
No, there is no need to
This soup was delicious. I also added 1/8 tsp cayanne pepper and it was perfect! I only made it to use up a can of lentils i had and i was so pleasantly surprised.
I am a few years late to this recipe, but I’m so glad I found it. I wasn’t prepared for how good this recipe was going to be. I’ve made a million lentil soup recipes (my go to easy meal) and these ingredients are pretty standard for lentil soup, but the proportions must be on point because this is now my most favorite lentil soup recipe ever. I replaced the tomato products with one large chopped tomato, halved the salt, used 5 cups of water & 2.5 tsp vegetable Better Than Bullion, & added 2 handfuls shredded kale at the end. So so so good!!!! (I think the omission of celery is key- all the other flavors come through!) Thank you!!!
This is a great recipe that I have used in the past. The only issue is when I click ‘Metric’ it doesn’t work it just takes me to the top of the page again. Is this a bug?
Thanks
Hi Jack,
thank you! I’ll see, if I can fix this, so sorry about it.
Looks good! Does it work to used precooked lentils and add them at the end instead?
Yes, you can use pre-cooked lentils.
This turned out really yummy! Not sure if it was my lentils or what. But it made SO much. I was able to freeze half and still have dinner for 2 with lunch Leftovers. I had to add additional water to the full box of broth. And I added a bay leaf and spinach at the end. Will definitely be a staple.
I think the omission of celery really helps!
Excellent! The family loved it. Even the kids ate it up without one complaint. That’s a win!
Does this recipe freeze and reheat well? If I doubled it to make for future meals..
Yes, it does freeze and reheat very well.
I made this today and wow I love it. I added 4.5 cups of water and it came out perfect. I’m a nurse and trying to find quick easy recipes to make. This one fits great after a 12 hour shift. It didn’t take long and was very easy to make.