Batch Lentil and Vegetable Soup

A thick, comforting soup packed with red lentils and everyday veg. It cooks in one pot in about 45 minutes and makes six filling portions. Ideal for batch cooking, freezing, and easy weeknight lunches.

This is the soup to make when you want something wholesome, cheap and reliable. Red lentils break down into a naturally creamy base while carrots, celery and leek add sweetness and body. One big pot gives you six portions, so you can eat now and stash the rest for busy days. No fancy kit, no faff, just a proper bowl of comfort.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion — finely chopped
• 2 carrots — diced
• 2 sticks celery — sliced
• 1 leek — trimmed and sliced
• 3 cloves garlic — crushed
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 250 g dried red lentils — rinsed
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes — 400 g
• 1.5 litres vegetable stock — hot
• 1 bay leaf
• to taste salt and black pepper
• small handful fresh parsley — chopped, to serve

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over a medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery and leek with a pinch of salt, and soften for 8-10 minutes, stirring now and then, until glossy and starting to colour.
2. Stir in the garlic, cumin and smoked paprika and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, keeping everything moving so the spices don't catch.
3. Tip in the rinsed lentils, chopped tomatoes, hot stock and bay leaf. Give it a good stir and scrape up anything stuck to the base.
4. Bring to the boil, then lower to a gentle simmer. Cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are soft and collapsing and the soup has thickened.
5. Fish out the bay leaf. For a smoother finish, blitz about a third of the soup with a stick blender, then stir it back through, or leave it chunky if you prefer.
6. Taste and season well with salt and plenty of black pepper. Loosen with a splash more stock or hot water if it's thicker than you like.
7. Ladle into bowls and scatter with fresh parsley to serve.

Serve it with

• Warm crusty bread or a buttered roll
• A swirl of natural yoghurt or crème fraîche
• Grated cheddar melted on top
• A wedge of lemon for brightness
• Toasted pitta or flatbread

Why this works

Red lentils need no soaking and break down as they cook, thickening the soup and giving it a creamy body without any dairy or cream. Blitzing just part of it means you get a silky base while keeping bite from the veg.

Common swaps

• Use green or brown lentils for more texture, adding 10-15 minutes to the cook time
• Swap leek for an extra onion or a diced courgette
• Stir in a handful of spinach or kale in the last 5 minutes for extra greens
• Add a tin of drained chickpeas to bulk it out further
• Use curry powder in place of cumin and paprika for a spiced version

Common mistakes to avoid

• Not rinsing the lentils, which can leave a slightly dusty, cloudy finish
• Skimping on seasoning, lentils are bland and need a confident hand with salt and pepper
• Letting it boil hard, which can catch on the base, keep it at a gentle simmer
• Under-cooking the lentils so they stay firm, give them the full time until collapsing

Storage, freezing & reheating

Storage: Cool quickly and keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. It will thicken as it sits, so loosen with a little stock or water when reheating.

Freezing: Freezes brilliantly for up to 3 months. Portion into tubs or freezer bags once cool, and defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Reheating: Reheat in a pan over a medium heat until piping hot throughout, stirring often and adding a splash of water to loosen. You can also microwave individual portions, stirring halfway.

Allergen notes: contains Celery. Always check individual product labels.

Estimated nutrition

Per serving, estimated from typical ingredient values — not a substitute for precise dietary calculation.