Healthy Recipes Nutrient-Focused High-Protein One-Pot Lentil & Vegetable Soup with Parmesan 4.6 (42) 40 Reviews This lentil-vegetable soup is packed with kale and tomatoes for a filling, flavorful main dish. If you have it, the Parmesan cheese rind adds nuttiness and gives the broth some body. If you avoid cheese made with rennet, look for vegetarian Parmesan cheese, which is made without it. By Carolyn Malcoun Carolyn Malcoun See More As EatingWell's Editorial Director, Carolyn Malcoun searches for cool farmers, chefs and other food stories to tell. She has a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin and a culinary arts degree from New England Culinary Institute. She started at EatingWell as an intern in the Test Kitchen in 2005 and joined the editorial team soon after. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Updated on September 28, 2025 Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, is the senior nutrition editor for EatingWell. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Save Rate PRINT Share Active Time: 15 mins Total Time: 40 mins Servings: 6 Nutrition Profile: Gut Healthy Anti-Inflammatory Mediterranean Diet Diabetes-Friendly Nut-Free Healthy Pregnancy Soy-Free High-Fiber Heart-Healthy Vegetarian High-Protein Egg-Free Gluten-Free Jump to Nutrition Facts This hearty soup only requires a single pot, keeping cleanup easy.The soup is rich in fiber from lentils and kale, contributing to digestive health.You can save leftovers in the fridge for up to five days or in the freezer for up to two months. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1/2x 1x 2x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. This recipe was developed and tested at its original yield and has not been tested at other yields. Note that only the ingredient list is scaled, so you may need to make adjustments to ingredient amounts, cooking times and equipment sizes in the recipe steps. Scaling could also impact the nutrition analysis. Original recipe (1X) yields 6 servings 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 3 cups fresh or frozen chopped onion, carrot and celery mix 4 cloves garlic, chopped 4 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth 1 ½ cups green or brown lentils 1 (15-ounce) can unsalted diced tomatoes, undrained 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground pepper ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon parmesan rind (optional) 3 cups packed roughly chopped lacinato kale 1½ tablespoons red-wine vinegar 4 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish Directions Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add 3 cups chopped onion, carrot and celery mix; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 10 minutes. Add 4 cloves garlic; cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in 4 cups broth, 1 ½ cups lentils, 1 can tomatoes, 2 teaspoons thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper and Parmesan rind, if using. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are almost tender, 15 to 25 minutes, adding water as needed to thin to desired consistency. Stir in 3 cups kale. Cook, covered, until the kale is tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove and discard the Parmesan rind, if using. Stir in 1 ½ tablespoons vinegar. Divide the soup among 6 bowls; sprinkle with Parmesan. Garnish with 4 tablespoon parsley, if desired. Antonis Achilleos To make ahead Refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Recipe developed by Paige Grandjean Originally appeared: EatingWell.com, September 2021; updated October 2022 Save Rate Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 306 Calories 7g Fat 45g Carbs 17g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 6 Serving Size about 1 1/2 cups Calories 306 % Daily Value * Total Carbohydrate 45g 16% Dietary Fiber 9g 32% Total Sugars 6g Protein 17g 34% Total Fat 7g 9% Saturated Fat 2g 10% Cholesterol 5mg 2% Vitamin A 6301IU 126% Sodium 446mg 19% Potassium 489mg 10% Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate. * Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.) (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.