HAMBURGER LENTIL SOUP
This Hamburger Lentil Soup is a winter favorite! It’s so hearty and savory… perfect for those cold winter days you just want to curl up on the couch with a warm bowl of something tasty. My mom calls it “the best soup ever!” This soup also happens to be gluten-free, high in protein and fiber, and easily made vegan (just leave out the ground beef and Worcestershire).
Did you know? Lentils are a wonderful source of B vitamins, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc. They also offer a lot of protein at 18 grams per 230 calories! (source)
I incorporated 93% lean ground beef in this recipe, but again, you can leave it out for a vegan version! You can also use ground turkey, bison, or beef stew meat.
For the broth, I highly recommend Better Than Bouillon Seasoned Vegetable Base because it adds the best rich, savory flavor. It’s more pricey than dry bouillon cubes, but it has no MSG and a jar lasts a long time! You can usually find it in the soup aisle.
There are many different kinds of lentils out there, but I recommend green or brown lentils for this soup. They’re the easiest to find in stores and also hold their shape without becoming mushy.
I also used organic canned diced tomatoes (no salt added), carrots, celery, onion, and garlic! So yumm 🙂
For spices, I used a combo of dried oregano, basil, black pepper and salt. Kosher salt really enhances the flavor and is my favorite for cooking. The teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce is optional (not vegan)… but it adds just a special “something” to this Hamburger Lentil Soup.
Best of all, you can make this either on the stovetop or in a slow cooker (I used the stovetop because my slow cooker isn’t big enough for a double batch). I’ve included directions for both below! As always, I’d love your comments below if you try this 🙂
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Hamburger Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 1 lb. 93% lean ground beef omit for vegan
- 1-28 oz. can diced tomatoes no salt added
- 3/4 cup dried green or brown lentils rinsed
- 4 cups water
- 3 stalks celery thinly sliced
- 3 medium carrots thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup yellow or white onion diced
- 2 tsp. garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp. vegetable better than bouillon
- 1 tsp. Worcestershire optional, omit for vegan
- 2 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. dried basil
- 1 tsp. kosher salt optional
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 2 medium bay leaves
*See blog post above for substitutions.
Instructions
Stove Top
- In a large saucepan, cook ground beef over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Drain fat.
- Stir in diced tomatoes and remaining ingredients (through bay leaves). Bring to a boil.
- Cover saucepan, reduce heat to medium-medium low and simmer 40-60 minutes until vegetables are tender. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Discard bay leaves before serving or dividing into meal prep containers.
Slow Cooker:
- In a skillet, cook ground beef over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Drain fat.
- Add ground beef to slow cooker along with remaining ingredients (through bay leaves). Stir once to combine.
- Cover and cook on LOW setting for 12 hours or HIGH setting for 6 hours.
- Discard bay leaves before serving or dividing into meal prep containers.
Notes
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