This lentil soup with smashed walnuts is a simple, one-pot meal that delivers comfort, fresh flavor, and an easy way to enjoy lentils any night of the week.
For more lentil recipes, check out our lentil sweet potato patties, lentils and quinoa skillet with caramelized onions, Mediterranean chopped lentil salad, Mediterranean lentil and orzo.
Why You’ll Love This Lentil Soup with Smashed Walnuts
This lentil soup with smashed walnuts was inspired by a recipe we came across in the book Zaitoun, where the author makes a simple version of shorbat adas, a much-loved lentil soup in the Arabic world. What really caught my attention was the idea of adding crushed nuts on top at the end and I couldn’t stop thinking about it 🥣
So Louise and I took that idea and turned it into a bright, crunchy walnut lemon gremolata with parsley and optional garlic. Honestly, we’ve cooked many lentil recipes on this blog, but this easy lentil soup recipe became one of our favorites almost instantly 🍋
The soup simmers gently in one pot using basic pantry ingredients. We usually make it with dried lentils, but canned ones work too, making it perfect for a quick weeknight dinner 🌿
The result is a healthy lentil soup that feels full-bodied, cozy and comforting, with a topping that adds crunch, freshness, and just enough zing to make it feel special.
P.S. If you’re working on eating more vegetables and legumes without giving up comfort, you might also enjoy our Mediterranean lentil soup, turmeric lentil soup, and creamy red lentil soup.
Ingredients
Full ingredients and substitutions are in the recipe box below.
- Extra virgin olive oil: adds richness and helps soften the vegetables. Substitute regular olive oil or avocado oil.
- Onion: builds a sweet, savory base for this one pot lentil soup. Substitute shallot or leek.
- Carrots: add gentle sweetness and body. Substitute parsnips or sweet potato.
- Celery: adds balance and aroma. Substitute fennel or skip if unavailable.
- Garlic: brings depth and warmth. Substitute garlic powder or a pinch of onion powder.
- Paprika: adds mild smokiness or sweetness. Substitute smoked paprika, mild chili powder, or omit.
- Cumin: gives earthy flavor typical of a Mediterranean lentil soup recipe. Substitute coriander or curry powder.
- Cinnamon (optional): adds subtle warmth. Substitute nutmeg or allspice, or leave it out.
- Brown lentils: hearty and hold their shape as they cook. Substitute green lentils or canned lentils, drained. If using canned lentils, reduce the broth and cooking time by half.
- Vegetable or chicken broth: creates a savory base. Substitute water plus a bouillon cube.
- Spinach: wilts quickly into the soup for color and tenderness. Substitute kale or Swiss chard, but add them earlier and simmer about 10 minutes so they soften properly.
- Walnuts: add crunch and richness to the topping. Substitute almonds, pecans, or hazelnuts.
- Fresh parsley or cilantro: adds freshness. Substitute basil, mint, or dill.
- Lemon zest and juice: brighten the soup and the topping. Substitute lime or a splash of vinegar.
How to Make this Easy Lentil Soup
Step 1: Soften the veggies
Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven on medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring often, until they start to soften.
Step 2: Wake up the spices
Add the grated garlic, paprika, cumin, and cinnamon if using. Stir for 1 minute, just until fragrant. Keep stirring so the garlic doesn’t brown.
Step 3: Simmer the soup
Add the brown lentils, broth, salt, and black pepper. Stir well and bring to a gentle boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 to 45 minutes, until the lentils are tender.
Using canned lentils? This quick lentil soup is easy: use half the broth and simmer about 15 minutes.
Step 4: Make it creamy, then add spinach
Blend a small part of the soup with an immersion blender right in the pot. You want it creamy but still a little chunky. Stir in the spinach and cook 1 minute, just until wilted. Taste and adjust salt.
Step 5: Chop the toppings
While the soup cooks, finely chop the walnuts and parsley and add them to a small bowl. Stir in the grated garlic (if using), extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Keep it coarse for crunch.
Step 6: Serve and finish
Ladle the soup into bowls. Add a spoonful of low-fat Greek yogurt if you like (or Skyr for extra protein). Spoon the smashed walnut mix on top and enjoy with crusty bread for an easy, cozy dinner.
Tips
- Rinse the lentils: Rinse well before cooking to remove dust and help them cook evenly.
- Simmer gently: Keep the heat low for better flavor and a more tender texture.
- Blend just a little: Blend only part of the soup so it stays creamy but still hearty.
- Chop the toppings by hand: Hand-chopping gives the walnuts the best crunch and texture.
- Add spinach last: Stir it in at the end so it stays bright and tender.
- Taste at the end: Lentils absorb salt as they cook, so adjust seasoning right before serving.
- Cooking for mixed diets: Serve yogurt and gremolata on the side so everyone can build their own bowl.
- Adjust when reheating: The soup thickens as it rests. Add a splash of broth or water if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. This soup tastes even better the next day as the flavors settle, making it a great make-ahead option.
Store the soup and the toppings separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently.
Yes. Freeze the soup without the toppings for up to 3 months. Add the topping fresh after reheating.
Absolutely. This keeps it quick and easy. Just reduce both the broth and cooking time by half.
More Easy Dinners to Try
- Mediterranean pinto bean soup
- Chickpea shakshuka
- Chickpea shawarma bowl
- Easy mushroom gnocchi skillet
- Greek baked beans (Gigantes Plaki)
- Cauliflower shawarma bowl
- One pot vegetable orzo
- Greek cauliflower bowl
If you try this Easy Lentil Soup with smashed walnuts please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it turned out in the comments—we love hearing from you.
Easy Lentil Soup With Smashed Walnuts
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 large carrots sliced into discs
- 1 rib celery chopped
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- 1 teaspoon paprika smoked or sweet
- 1 teaspoon cumin ground
- ¼ teaspoon cinammon optional
- 1 cup dried brown lentils sub 3 cups cooked lentils, or 2 cans lentils (15 oz / 400 g each can), rinsed
- 6 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth (reduced-sodium)
- ¾ teaspoon salt or more to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 ounces spinach or more to taste
Walnut Lemon Gremolata
- ⅓ cup walnuts roughly chopped
- 4 tablespoons fresh parsley or cilantro
- 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- ½ lemon zest and juice
- ½ small clove garlic grated – optional
Instructions
- Cook the vegetables: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven on medium heat. Add 1 onion, 1 large carrots, and 1 rib celery (all chopped).Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring often, until slightly soft.
- Add spices and garlic: Add 2 cloves garlic (grated), 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon cumin, and ¼ teaspoon cinammon if using.Stir and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Do not let the garlic brown.
- Add lentils and broth: Add 1 cup dried brown lentils (rinsed), 6 cups vegetable broth, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper.Stir well and bring to a gentle boil.Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 to 45 minutes, until lentils are tender. If using canned lentils, use half the broth and simmer only 15 minutes.
- Blend and add spinach: Use an immersion blender to blend a small part of the soup directly in the pot.This makes it creamy but still chunky. Stir in 4 ounces spinach and cook 1 minute, just until wilted. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Make the topping: While the soup cooks, finely chop ⅓ cup walnuts with a knife. Place them in a small bowl. Finely chop 4 tablespoons fresh parsley and add it to the bowl. Add ½ small clove garlic (if using-grated), 2 tablespoons olive oil, zest and juice from ½ lemon, and a pinch of salt. Stir well. The mixture should be coarse, not smooth.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls. Add a spoonful of yogurt if you like. Spoon the walnut mixture on top and serve warm.
Notes
- Extra virgin olive oil → Regular olive oil or avocado oil
- Onion → Shallot or leek
- Carrots → Parsnips or sweet potato
- Celery → Fennel or skip if unavailable
- Garlic → Garlic powder or a pinch of onion powder
- Paprika → Smoked paprika, mild chili powder, or omit
- Cumin → Ground coriander or curry powder
- Cinnamon (optional) → Nutmeg, allspice, or leave it out
- Brown lentils → Green lentils or canned lentils, drained (use half the broth and cooking time)
- Vegetable or chicken broth → Water plus a bouillon cube
- Spinach → Kale or Swiss chard (add earlier and simmer about 10 minutes)
- Walnuts → Almonds, pecans, or hazelnuts
- Fresh parsley or cilantro → Basil, mint, or dill
- Lemon zest and juice → Lime juice and zest or a splash of vinegar
- Rinse lentils for even cooking
- Simmer gently for better flavor
- Blend a little for creamy texture
- Chop toppings by hand for crunch
- Add spinach last to keep it tender
- Season at the end for balance
- Serve toppings on the side for mixed diets
- Loosen when reheating with a splash of broth
- Store without the toppings in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze it for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Hi! We are Nico & Louise
We're here to share easy, healthy, and delicious recipes 🌿✨.
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Heart warming, original soup. Very delicious especially with the walnut topping. The second time I tried it I added a little coconut milk and it worked well . Thank you for sharing these wonderful recipes.
I am attempting this in the crock pot right now.
My mom taught me to cook HamHocks with about 8 cups water for 4 hours for a wonderful/flavorful broth for lentils and split peas. Mom was a wonderful cook who passed away in 1999…I am now 82 and can’t eat lentils/sp-peas any other way..no way without ham-broth.
Delicious, but I had trouble finding the page again to come post a review, because the title changed…why?
We were out of walnuts, so tried the gremolata with hazelnuts instead and so glad we did. Really enjoyed the soup.
So glad you enjoyed it, Sarah, thanks for sharing.
Hazelnuts sound like a fantastic swap. So, the title was updated to make the recipe easier to find in search on our site, but I understand how that could be confusing—thanks for letting me know.
All the best, Louise
Excellent and so easy. Wonderful rich flavor.
Easily prepared and cooked out from the ingredients largely from my kitchen cupboard. No worries about storage, it was gone in no time. Definitely make this again. Quite zesty compared to regular lentil broth, but I’m lucky to be able to enjoy both
Sounds absolutely delicious can hardly wait to make it. Thank you for sharing
This was a very nice recipe with a light touch of joy definitely a treat for a cold night, thanx for sharing