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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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This sounds delicious! Could you use tinned lentils and potatoes? If so, would you adjust the cooking time? Thanks!
I have not tried it with canned lentils and potatoes, it should work though. Just don’t know how long to cook.
Simple & delicious. I used green lentils and chicken stock.
Thank you for the great recipe!
This was excellent!! I used frozen diced potatoes to make it easier and the only thing I did differently was use 4 cups of water and added 1 cup of heavy whipping cream toward the end of cooking. So tasty and perfect for lent. My husband said he couldn’t stop eating it!
Delicious and so simple. Will definitely be making this again. The only change is I had chicken stock on hand so I used that instead of water.
Nice easy lentil soup! Thank you. I didn’t have homemade chicken stock but always have good quality organic stock on hand in my food storage. I used half of that with water for the other half and made this tasty hearty soup and it’s great for a quick healthy inexpensive meal. I also used Italian herbs since it contained the two in the recipe and a couple more that are compatible. I did use a bay leaf too. Every soup and every ‘cook’ does it a little differently. I used up potatoes and carrots I needed to use yoo. definitely a win win
Thank you!
Could this recipe also work in a crock pot?
Yes, 4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.
Great, easy-peasy recipe!! If it were just me enjoying this soup, I’d add kale or spinach at the end, but family won’t do soups w/greens.
I used some roasted veggie stock and added curry powder, a bit of chili powder and smoked black pepper! Gorgeous!🤌
Thank you!
Could green split peas work as a substitute for the lentils ?
Hi, while I have not tried it, these could possibly work in the recipe.
Quick, easy and so delicious.
This soup is so delicious. A friend brought this to our cookie exchange and shared your receipe. I really enjoyed it and will be making it to. Thank you.
Glad you liked it! Thank you!