Tomato Lentil Soup with Manzanilla Olives
This tomato lentil soup is easy to make and a super cozy vegetarian meal. The lentils are cooked in a rich broth with tomatoes, carrots, celery, garlic, and spices. The soup is finished with a little spinach, a splash of cream, and some delicious Manzanilla olives.
This post is sponsored by European Olives.
Tomato Lentil Soup
You're looking at one of our favorite vegetarian soup recipes.
The flavor is rich and dreamy, with a hint of smokiness from the paprika and an umami bomb from the Manzanilla olives.
Tender lentils make this soup hearty enough to call dinner.
We usually like to serve soup with a slice of buttered bread on the side, but this one is so rich and filling that it makes a meal all on its own.
Why we love European olives
The Manzanilla olives we use in this recipe are stuffed with pimientos, buttery soft, and have the most beautiful, delicate flavor.
They're also incredibly versatile and we love snacking on them as much as we love cooking with them. It's a good thing they're so healthy!
Did you know that in Canada, one out of every two olives eaten comes from Spain, including these Manzanilla olives used in this tomato lentil soup recipe?
How to make tomato lentil soup
Making tomato lentil soup is very easy. You'll need to set aside about one hour, but most of that time is hands-off while you let the lentils cook.
- Sauté minced onion, garlic, celery, and carrots until they begin to caramelize.
- Add the spices to the veggies and cook them for a moment to bring out their flavor.
- Add the lentils, stock, and canned diced tomatoes to the pot and simmer until the lentils are nice and soft.
- Now stir in a little cream, some spinach, and the best part, chopped Manzanilla olives.
Full instructions in the recipe card below.
How long does tomato lentil soup last?
This soup keeps well for at least 5 days in your fridge making it ideal for meal-prep.
Make a pot of tomato lentil soup tonight and enjoy the leftovers for lunch this week!
Does this soup recipe freeze well?
Yes, this tomato lentil soup can easily be frozen. Simply let it cool completely before transfrering it to a freezer-safe container.
It will keep well for up to three months in your freezer.
Note: it will thicken and the lentils will become extra soft. Simply add a little more stock when you reheat it.
More recipes using European olives
- Breakfast Strata with Hojiblanca Olives
- White Bean Dip with Hojiblanca Olives from Spain
- Spanish Chicken and Cauliflower Rice with Manzanilla Olives from Spain
- Easy Marinated Olives from Spain
- Stuffed Spanish Pork Chops with Gordal Olives
Popular vegetarian soup recipes
- Coconut Red Lentil Peanut Soup
- Carrot Soup with Coconut and Ginger
- Best Kale Minestrone Soup Recipe
- Cashew Cream of Mushroom Soup
Tomato Lentil Soup with Manzanilla Olives
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Prep Time: 20 mins
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Cook Time: 40 mins
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Total Time: 1 hour
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Yield: 10 cups 1x
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Category: Soup
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Method: Stovetop
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Cuisine: European
Description
This tomato lentil soup is easy to make and a super cozy vegetarian meal. The lentils are cooked in a rich broth with tomatoes, carrots, celery, garlic, and spices. The soup is finished with a little spinach, a splash of cream, and some delicious Manzanilla olives.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, minced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 carrots, minced
- 2 celery stalks minced
- 2 teaspoons EACH: thyme, oregano, and smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper
- 1 cup brown lentils
- 6 cups vegetable stock (can use chicken stock)
- 1 14-ounce can chopped tomatoes
- 3 ounces chopped fresh spinach (or baby spinach leaves)
- 1 cup chopped Manzanilla olives
- ½ cup cream, optional
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and let it cook until it softens, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, carrots, and celery to the pot and let them cook for about 5 minutes. Mix in the thyme, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Add the lentils, stock, and tomatoes to the pot and bring the pot to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 30-40 minutes, or until the lentils are soft.
- Add the spinach, Manzanilla olives, and if using, the cream and stir until the spinach wilts.
Can I use frozen spinach, or should I stick with fresh?
I would stick with fresh. 🙂
This recipe looks great, so I plan to make it. Are the spices called for dried or fresh? Thank you!
I use dried!
Hi Kristen, is this canned lentils or packet ones?
Dried lentils!
Found this on instagram and liked it a lot! It’s definitely a salty soup because of the olives, so I’d almost recommend using a low-sodium broth, or not adding salt with the other spices. Other than that, I really enjoyed it. Healthy(ish, if you add the cream) and hearty!
★★★★★
I followed this recipe exactly as written…my family loved it!!! I will definitely be adding this to our meal rotations.
I make a lot of vegetarian soups, and this is our new favorite! It’s beautifully spiced. And don’t skip the olives—they make the dish!
★★★★★
I would definitely use low sodium stock and tomatoes and leave out the 1 tsp of salt until you can taste it with the olives. I love salt and this was far too salty for me. Otherwise the flavors were great.
I made this recipe today. I saved it and was really looking forward to it. I am very happy I made it. I am a pretty big meat eater, but this recipe – I don’t miss it. I had everything on hand and usually do with the ingredients listed. I am not a fan of olives, so I put in some capers. This soup is great without the cream. I did add some in, but I don’t think I would have missed it. I will definitely be making this again. Thank you for a healthy, easy and affordable recipe. Much appreciated!
Reheated this from frozen today. I can attest it does freeze well. I will be making this again soon. So good!
★★★★★
This looks amazing! Are the thyme and oregano dried or fresh?
I use dried, but fresh would work, too. Fresh herbs are not as potent so you’ll want to use 2 tablespoons of each instead. 🙂
Thanks for the response! We made it tonight and it was delicious! The olives add such a tangy flavor. Kids asked for seconds, which is always a bonus!
★★★★★
looks delish, do you think you could use cashew cream in place of dairy cream?
Yes I think that would work!
Would coconut cream also work? We are dairy free in this house, but gimme ALLLL the olives.
I would suggest using cashew cream instead as I’m not sure the flavor of coconut would work in this recipe. Simply mix 2 tablespoons of cashew butter to ½ cup of water and add that to the pot. It will thicken as it cooks. 🙂
Hi. Can I substitute with black olives instead?
That should work. Just know that manzanilla olives are quite mild so you’ll want to opt for a different mild-flavored black olive. Hojiblancas would be a good choice!