This simple healthy French lentil soup is the perfect cold winter day soup. It’s packed full of chopped vegetables, chicken stock, fresh herbs, and just a touch of Dijon mustard. It’s a simple soup that reheats and freezes perfectly.
Is this cold winter weather leaving you craving soup every. single. day?
I know, me too.
Today I’m giving you a healthier soup packed full of vegetables and French lentils.
It’s hearty, earthy, and absolutely perfect when served with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and crusty bread.
This soup does use a few non-vegan ingredients but you can easily swap them out if you’re looking to make this soup vegan friendly.
I also love freezing this soup as it freezes beautifully and then becomes an even easier quick weeknight meal option.
Ingredients in French lentil soup:
- Olive oil and butter – This combo is peak flavor for me but feel free to use just olive oil it keep it vegetarian and vegan friendly.
- Carrots, celery, and leeks – Traditonally you think of onions being used in French soup but I went ahead and swapped in leeks becuase I love their subtle onion flavor. You can just use yellow onions in place if you don’t have or can’t find leeks.
- Garlic and thyme – Classic French soup additions and great for all around flavor.
- Chicken stock – I really like the flavor chicken stock brings to this soup but you can easily swap this out for vegetable stock if you want to keep this soup vegetarian and vegan friendly.
- French lentils – I used traditional French lentils which can also be called Le Puy lentils. However, any green lentil will work in this soup. Use whatever you can find.
- Bay leaf – I love bay leaf because it adds depth of flavor to a soup. Always remember to take it out of the soup after it’s done cooking. They are not to be eaten.
- Dijon mustard – Add a bit of spice and bite to the soup. It’s not a super strong mustard so don’t worry about it overpowering the soup.
What are French lentils?
French lentils are a green lentil variety that are darker in color and a bit smaller in size than traditional green lentils.
They hold their shape very well (read: they don’t get mushy too fast) which works very well for this hearty soup.
You may also see French lentils called “lentilles du Puy” which means the lentils were grown in the Puy region of France.
You can buy French lentils on Amazon or in specialty food stores.
Can I freeze lentil soup?
Yes! In fact, it’s one of my favorite soups to freeze!
Add it to a freezer-safe container, leave a little headroom, freeze, and keep frozen for up to 3 months.
To defrost remove from the freezer and let defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
Love this French lentil soup?
Why not try a few of my other delicious soup recipes?
- Still craving lentils? Try my Creamy Red Lentil Carrot Soup.
- Want an easy leftover ham soup? Try my Easy Ham and Bean Soup.
- Have to much asparagus on hand? Try my Cream of Roasted Asparagus Soup.
- Love tart lime flavor? Try my Chicken Avocado Cilantro Lime Soup.
French Lentil Soup
This simple healthy French lentil soup is the perfect cold winter day soup. It's packed full of chopped vegetables, chicken stock, fresh herbs, and just a touch of Dijon mustard. It's a simple soup that reheats and freezes perfectly.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 large carrots, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 leeks, cleaned, white and light green area chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 3/4 cup French lentils
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Instructions
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the olive oil and butter and cook until the butter has melted.
- Next, add the carrots, celery, and leeks.
- Cook for 5-7 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Stir occasionally.
- Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook for an additional minute.
- Add the chicken stock and scrape the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits.
- Add the lentils, bay leaf, and Dijon mustard.
- Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Simmer for 30-35 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.
- Remove the bay leaf and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Enjoy warm. Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 147Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 322mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 7g
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For the most precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator based on the actual ingredients you used in the recipe.
