MIND lentil and vegetable soup
August 8, 2026 · 3 min read
Lentil soup is the cheapest way to put four MIND food groups in one bowl: a legume, a heap of leafy greens, a soffritto of vegetables, all built on olive oil. Brown or green lentils are the ones to reach for here, because they hold their shape through a long simmer instead of collapsing into mush the way red lentils do. The onion, carrot, and celery soften first to lay the base, then the lentils, tomatoes, and broth cook down together until tender. Spinach goes in at the very end so it wilts bright instead of stewing to gray. A pot serves six and keeps for days.
The one detail worth getting right is the lentils themselves. Dried lentils need no soaking, but a quick rinse and a look for stray grit saves the whole batch. Simmer them partly covered so the broth reduces just enough to coat, and pull the pot when they still have a little bite.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 cups dried brown or green lentils, rinsed
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 8 cups vegetable broth
- 4 cups baby spinach
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Steps
- Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until soft. Stir in the garlic, oregano, and thyme and cook 1 minute more, until fragrant.
- Add the lentils, diced tomatoes with their juice, and the broth. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, partly covered, 25 to 30 minutes, until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape.
- Stir in the spinach by the handful and let it wilt, about 2 minutes. Season with the salt, pepper, and vinegar, then taste and adjust. Ladle into bowls and serve.
How it comes together
Makes 6 servings — read left to right; each column combines what's behind it.
PrepRinse the lentils and pick out any stray grit, and dice the onion, carrots, and celery small so they soften evenly.
| 3 tbsp · 42 g olive oil | Soften the aromatics | ||
| 1 oniondiced | |||
| 2 carrotsdiced | |||
| 2 celery stalksdiced | |||
| 4 garlic clovesminced | |||
| 1 tsp dried oregano | |||
| ½ tsp dried thyme | |||
| 2 cups · 400 g dried brown or green lentilsrinsed | Simmer the lentils and tomatoes | ||
| 1 can · 400 g diced tomatoes | |||
| 8 cups · 1920 g vegetable broth | |||
| 4 cups · 120 g baby spinach | Stir in the spinach and finish | ||
| ½ tsp salt | |||
| ¼ tsp black pepper | |||
| 1 tbsp red wine vinegar |
Scaling adjusts quantities only — cooking times and pan sizes may need judgment. Grams are rounded for the kitchen.
Notes and swaps
Green lentils, brown lentils, or French lentils all work; each holds up to the simmer. Red or yellow lentils cook faster and turn creamy, which makes a thicker, more porridge-like soup if that is what you want. Swiss chard, kale, or escarole can stand in for the spinach, though tougher greens need a few extra minutes to soften rather than the quick two-minute wilt. A can of chickpeas stirred in with the lentils adds a second legume and more body.
For a deeper base, drop a parmesan rind into the simmer and fish it out at the end, or stir a spoon of tomato paste in with the garlic. The splash of vinegar at the finish is doing real work, so do not skip it; it lifts the whole pot and keeps a long-simmered soup from tasting flat. A squeeze of lemon does the same job if that is what you have.
The macros here are an estimate for one of six bowls. Tell MIND Diet Companion (coming soon) "lentil and vegetable soup with spinach" and it logs the legume, greens, vegetable, and olive-oil groups the bowl covers, so you can see how the day tracks against the MIND pattern.
FAQ
Do I need to soak the lentils first? No. Brown and green lentils cook straight from dry in about 25 to 30 minutes. A rinse to wash off dust and a quick check for small stones is all they need before they go in the pot.
Why did my lentils turn to mush? Either they were red or yellow lentils, which break down by design, or brown and green lentils simmered too long or at too hard a boil. Keep the heat at a gentle simmer and start checking at 25 minutes; pull them off the heat while they still hold their shape.
Can I make it ahead or freeze it? Yes. It keeps up to four days in the fridge and freezes for three months. Lentils drink up liquid as they sit, so the soup thickens; loosen it with a splash of broth or water when you reheat.
What can I serve alongside? A slice of whole-grain bread or a green salad dressed with olive oil rounds it into a full plate. New to a recipe laid out this way? Here is how to read a recipe at a glance.
Is this soup vegan? As written, yes — it uses vegetable broth and no dairy. Keep it that way by skipping the optional parmesan rind, or grate a little parmesan over each bowl if you eat it.