Beef Lentil Soup

4.50 from 12 votes

This easy Beef Lentil Soup recipe is so comforting and filling. Throw all the ingredients in your pot and let those delicious flavors simmer together to make a delicious meal everyone will love.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 35

Total Time1 50

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 275kcal

Author: Joanna Cismaru

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef extra lean
1 medium onion chopped
2 medium carrots chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
2 cup cabbage shredded
1 cup dried lentils rinsed
1 small green bell pepper chopped
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/2 teaspoon pepper or to taste
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon thyme dried
1 bay leaf
6 cups water
2 cups tomato sauce
1 tablespoon tomato paste
10 ounce frozen spinach thawed, chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Brown the beef: Add the ground beef to a large soup pot and cook it until it’s no longer pink. If there’s a lot of fat left over, drain.
Cook the veggies: Saute the onion, carrots, celery, cabbage, lentils, bell pepper, salt, pepper, garlic powder, thyme, and cook for 5 minutes or until the onion softens. Stir in the tomato paste and toast for 30 seconds.
Finish the soup: Add water and the tomato sauce. Stir well and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the lentils and vegetables are tender. Remove the bay leaf, stir in the chopped spinach, and serve.

Notes

Slow Cooker Instructions: I would still brown the ground beef first, then simply dump all the ingredients in the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 6 hours.

Leftovers: Once the soup has come to room temperature, store it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Freezing: Let the soup fully cool down to room temperature. I like to store it in individually sized airtight containers for easier thawing, but you can, of course, store it all together in a large container. This will last 4-6 months frozen.

Thaw by either placing the soup in the fridge overnight, reheat it in a pot, or zap it in the microwave. If you reheat on the stovetop, you may need to add a splash of water. The lentils can absorb more liquid and create a thicker consistency when you reheat.

Nutrition