Greek Lentil and Spinach Soup with Lemon

This Greek Lentil and Spinach Soup with Lemon is a hearty, flavorful soup loaded with lentils, spinach, butternut squash and potatoes in a savory vegetable broth. Fresh lemon adds a bright finish to this cozy stovetop soup that’s perfect for chilly fall and winter days.

this recipe!

Try my crockpot beef barley soup and stovetop chicken noodle soup next!

Why You’ll Love This Soup Recipe

• Hearty and satisfying: Lentils, potatoes, butternut squash and spinach make this a substantial soup that works beautifully for lunch or dinner.
• Loaded with flavor: Cumin, turmeric, oregano, garlic and fresh lemon give the simple vegetable broth layers of warm, savory flavor.
• Perfect for a big batch: The recipe makes about 12 servings and leftovers keep for 4 to 5 days, making it great for meal prep, feeding a crowd or enjoying again for lunch.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• 1 pound brown or large green lentils, rinsed and picked over
• 10 cups vegetable broth or water
• 1 jalapeno pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped
• 2 tsp. whole coriander seeds
• 1 and 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. ground turmeric
• 2 and 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 medium potatoes (1 and 1/4 lbs.), scrubbed and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
• 10 ounces baby spinach, chopped
• 3 cups peeled, seeded and diced butternut squash (1/2-inch cubes)
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped (red or yellow)
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. salt
• Ground fresh pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 lemons

Step By Step Instructions

Step One – In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, combine lentils, vegetable broth (or water), jalapeño pepper, coriander seeds, cumin, turmeric, oregano and bay leaves. 

Step Two – Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer, partly covered for 30 minutes. Test the lentils as they should be soft after 30 minutes.

Step Three – Add in the cubed butternut squash.

Step Four – Add in the potatoes

Step Five – Next, add in the fresh or frozen spinach.

Step Six – Cook over low heat another 15-20 minutes. Potato and squash should be soft but not mushy!

Step Seven – Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat olive oil. Cook onion, celery and garlic over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until softened , then add it to the soup.

Step Eight – Add 1/2 cup of water to the skillet to deglaze and add this liquid to the soup. (swirl it around to get all of that good essence and flavour) – YUM!

Step Nine – Add in salt & pepper and taste – add more if desired.

Step Ten – Add in 1/3 cup of lemon juice and stir slowly until combined.

Serve with lemon wedges for each serving. Enjoy!