This simple, healthy French lentil soup is packed with chopped vegetables, chicken stock, fresh herbs, and a touch of Dijon mustard. It’s a simple soup that reheats and freezes perfectly.

Is this cold winter weather leaving you craving soup almost every single day?

I know, me too. Winter is the perfect soup weather!

Today, I am giving you a healthier soup packed with vegetables and French lentils.

It’s hearty, earthy, and absolutely perfect when served with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and crusty bread.

This soup uses a few non-vegan ingredients, but you can easily swap them out if you want to make this lentil soup vegan-friendly.

I also love freezing this soup as it freezes beautifully and becomes an easier, quick weeknight meal option.

Craving more lentil recipes? Try my Vegan Lentil Chili, Lentil Couscous Salad with Goat Cheese, Creamy Red Lentil Carrot Soup, or Curried Lentil Vegetable Soup.

Ingredients in French lentil soup:

• Olive oil and butter – This combo is peak flavor for me, but feel free to use olive oil to keep it vegetarian and vegan friendly.
• Carrots, celery, and leeks – Traditionally, you think of onions being used in French soup, but I swapped in leeks because I love their subtle onion flavor. You can 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 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 strong mustard, so don’t worry about overpowering the soup.

How to make French lentil soup

This hearty, healthy lentil soup is so easy to make!

1. In a soup pot, saute your vegetables in butter until soft and fragrant.
2. Add garlic and herbs.
3. Pour in chicken stock and deglaze the pot.
4. Add in lentils, bay leaf, and Dijon mustard.
5. Simmer until the lentils are soft and the soup is hearty.
6. Taste, season with kosher salt and black pepper, and serve with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Making this soup vegan or vegetarian

I love how hearty and rich this soup is, but if you want to make this fully vegetarian and vegan-friendly, swap out the butter for olive oil and the chicken stock for vegetable stock.

What are French lentils?

French lentils are a green lentil variety that is 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 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.

Remove from the freezer and let defrost overnight in the refrigerator.

Reheat your soup on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Storage and leftovers

If you have any leftover French lentil soup, store it in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

To reheat, place in a small saucepot over the stove and reheat over medium heat. Or reheat in the microwave for a few minutes until hot.

More soup recipes

• Are you still craving lentils? Try my Creamy Red Lentil Carrot Soup.
• Want an easy leftover ham soup? Try my Easy Ham and Bean Soup.
• Have too much asparagus on hand? Try my Cream of Roasted Asparagus Soup.
• Love tart lime flavor? Try my Chicken Avocado Cilantro Lime Soup.