Ditalini Lentil Brown Soup (Printable)

Savory brown lentils and ditalini pasta combine in a rich tomato broth for a fiber-packed meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Lentils and Pasta

06 - 1 cup dried brown lentils, rinsed
07 - 3/4 cup ditalini pasta
08 - 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

→ Tomato Base

09 - 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
10 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste

→ Herbs and Seasoning

11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - 1 bay leaf
14 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Finishing Touches

16 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
17 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery and sauté for 6 to 8 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add rinsed lentils, diced tomatoes with juice, tomato paste, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.
04 - Pour in vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes until lentils are tender.
05 - Stir in ditalini pasta and simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes until pasta and lentils are cooked through.
06 - Remove bay leaf. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and garnish with parsley and Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It costs less than takeout but tastes like you spent the afternoon cooking with care.
  • The lentils break down just enough to thicken the broth without any cream or flour.
  • You can double the batch and freeze half for nights when cooking feels impossible.
  • Even picky eaters who claim they don't like lentils finish their bowls.
02 -
  • Don't add the pasta too early or it'll turn to mush and soak up all your broth.
  • If you're meal prepping, store the pasta separately and add it when you reheat, otherwise it gets bloated and weird.
  • Taste the lentils before adding the pasta, if they're still crunchy, give them another 5 minutes.
03 -
  • Use a potato masher to gently crush some of the lentils against the side of the pot for an even thicker, creamier texture.
  • If you're out of ditalini, break spaghetti into small pieces or use orzo, both work beautifully.
  • Don't throw out the Parmesan rind, toss it into the pot while the soup simmers for extra umami, then fish it out before serving.
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