Ditalini Lentil Soup (Print View)

Hearty blend of brown lentils and small pasta simmered in a savory tomato broth for a satisfying meal.

# Components:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Lentils and Pasta

06 - 1 cup dried brown lentils, rinsed
07 - 3/4 cup ditalini pasta
08 - 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

→ Tomato Base

09 - 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
10 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste

→ Herbs and Seasoning

11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - 1 bay leaf
14 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Finishing Touches

16 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
17 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion, diced carrots, and diced celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes until vegetables soften.
02 - Incorporate minced garlic and cook for one minute until fragrant.
03 - Add rinsed lentils, diced tomatoes with juice, tomato paste, dried thyme, dried oregano, bay leaf, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir until ingredients are evenly mixed.
04 - Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes until lentils are tender but not mushy.
05 - Stir in ditalini pasta and continue to simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes until both pasta and lentils are fully cooked.
06 - Remove the bay leaf. Adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely filling enough to be dinner, yet takes barely an hour from start to finish.
  • Brown lentils hold their shape beautifully, creating a satisfying texture that makes you feel like you've actually cooked something.
  • The budget never felt like a compromise—this soup tastes intentional and thoughtful, not like a corner-cutting shortcut.
02 -
  • Don't add the pasta until the very end, or it will absorb all the broth and you'll end up with something closer to porridge than soup.
  • Rinsing the lentils actually matters—it removes dust and helps them cook more evenly, which I learned after making this soup once with unrinsed lentils and wondering why half of them were still hard.
03 -
  • Toast the lentils in the dry pot for 2 minutes before adding oil and vegetables; this deepens their flavor in a way that feels like a secret shortcut.
  • If your soup ends up thicker than you want, add more broth a splash at a time until you reach the consistency you prefer—there's no single right answer here.
Return