Tomato Lentil Soup with Manzanilla Olives
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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 bit of spinach, a splash of cream, and some delicious Manzanilla olives.
You’re looking at one of my all-time favorite vegetarian soup recipes. It’s the kind of soup I make when I want something cozy and satisfying, but also full of big, interesting flavor.
The broth is rich and dreamy, with just a slight smokiness from paprika and a savory, almost briny depth from the Manzanilla olives. The tender lentils soak up all that goodness and make the soup hearty enough to count as dinner — no sides required.
I almost always serve soup with a slice of buttered bread or garlic bread, but this one is so full and flavorful that I’m perfectly happy with a big bowl on its own. It’s comforting and the kind of recipe I find myself coming back to again and again.
Also, be sure to check out my two other vegetarian lentil soup recipes: coconut red lentil peanut soup, a hearty one-pot meal, and my coconut lentil soup with ginger kale.
Store, freeze, and reheat
Store: This soup keeps well for at least 5 days in your fridge, making it ideal for meal prep. Make a pot of this creamy vegetarian lentil soup tonight and enjoy the leftovers for lunch this week!
Freeze: You can freeze this olive soup for up to three months. Let it cool completely before transferring it to a freezer-safe container. Note: it will thicken, and the lentils will become extra soft. Simply add a little more stock when reheating.
Reheat: I like to reheat this in a pot on the stovetop, but a microwave works well, too.
Tomato Lentil Soup with Olives Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion (minced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 carrots (minced)
- 2 stalks celery (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)
- 14 ounce can diced 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.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 medium onion, 4 cloves garlic, 2 carrots, 2 stalks celery, 2 teaspoons EACH: thyme, oregano, and smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon EACH: 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.1 cup brown lentils, 6 cups vegetable stock, 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
- Add the spinach, Manzanilla olives, and if using, the cream and stir until the spinach wilts.3 ounces chopped fresh spinach, 1 cup chopped Manzanilla olives, ½ cup cream
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Nutrition
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YES! Added parmesan on top! What a perfect meal!
Fabulous recipe. I’m always looking for ways to get plant-based protein and this did the trick. The olives are a special touch. I used just 1/4 cup of half and half instead of the heavy cream and, while not as velvety, was still very good.
Thank you for sharing this easy and delicious recipe. I think this one will go in the regular rotation. Betty
Love the sound of this dish and plan to make it. Fresh or dried herbs?
We use dried herbs in this recipe 🙂
Delicious! Will make this again . Used frozen tomato sauce from last year I needed to use up added extra. Topped with Shredded Parmesan cheese !
Great dinner.
not only does the soup look stunning with its beautiful array of colors, but it tastes so good.
I used french green lentils in place of the brown lentils (it’s what I had on hand) and I also added about 2 Tbs of tomato paste because I felt that the broth was lacking in depth. Otherwise, this was a great soup! I will definitely add to my winter soup rotation.
I have a lot of fresh tomatoes from my garden. Could I use them?
Garden fresh tomatoes would be wonderful in this!
Love this recipe. I have a lot of fresh cherry tomatoes. I would like to use them in this. Maybe I would have to increase the broth! ??
I think fresh cherry tomatoes would be a wonderful addition!
This soup looks so rich and creamy! I can’t wait to try it out and REALLY looking forward to trying a soup with olives!
This is the absolute BEST lentil soup I have ever eaten. I made it last week and am making it again tonight. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Oh my goodness!!! So delicious!!! I added a can of coconut milk, and used frozen spinach heated on the stove top. I made this in my instapot on the “slow cook” setting. It was a family hit!
I love this soup! I replaced a few items such as manzanita olives swapped for mushrooms. I also added a can of coconut milk and added yellow bell peppers to the mix. It’s fantastic!
Oh my gosh! This is SOO good! I made it this past weekend and it’s even better the next day. The only think I changed was using baby kale instead of spinach. Gotta make it – next time with French green lentils.
This is now a weekly recipe at our house. I added kale instead of spinach and I use a plant based creamer instead of regular cream to make it vegan!
Can’t wait to try this. Do the calories per serving include the optional 1/2 cup of cream?
It does!
This is by far one of my favorite recipes to make. Curves many cravings and lasts for two people for a few servings over a grain – rice/couscous.