Lentil and Tomato Macaroni Soup

This lentil and tomato macaroni soup is a very easy and cheap meal you can put together using basic pantry ingredients.  Hearty, loaded with plant based protein, chili spices and herbs, this soup is the perfect bowl to help get you through the coming winter.

A warm bowl of lentil and tomato macaroni soup topped with vegan cheese and fresh minced parsley.

Why you need to make this lentil and tomato macaroni soup

  • It’s vegan, easy to make, and layered with a lot of spices and herbs.
  • Very hearty thanks to the protein packed lentils and the addition of macaroni.
  • Great for meal prepping! This whole soup makes about 6-8 servings and is great for freezing.
  • Just picture yourself sitting cozy with a warm bowl of this soup in hand, nestled comfortably wrapped with a blanket over your shoulders, pure comfort.

Stirring the lentils together with the spices, onions and bell pepper.

Key Ingredients

  • Lentils: we’re using brown lentils for this recipe, they tend to be a little more firm through the cooking process
  • Macaroni: makes this soup more hearty
  • Garlic: we’re using 6 large cloves of garlic, honestly the more the better
  • Chili Powder: gives a nice peppery, rich, earthy taste
  • Dry Basil, Oregano and Thyme: helps build extra flavors into the tomato based broth
  • Nutritional Yeast: pairs well with the tomatoes to help build more umami flavor

Adding macaroni in to cook in the rich tomato broth.

How to make this lentil and tomato macaroni soup

First, start by cooking your veggies down. Then layer in your garlic and aromatic spices until your dish starts to develop a nice fragrance.

To your pot add in your lentils, tomatoes and vegetable broth and allow to cook for about 15 minutes with a lid on.

Add in your dry macaroni and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until completely cooked through. Adjust seasonings to taste and then serve.

Lentils and macaroni all cooked together and simmering in pot.

Tips for making this soup

  • To really get the most out of all your spices, make sure to follow the order of cooking. Cook your onion and pepper bases and layer in the garlic. Follow that by adding your dry spices and make sure to warm them through to help activate them. And always continuously stir to prevent anything from burning.
  • Before adding in your macaroni, make sure your lentils are cooked through. Typically when I cook smaller lentils, they tend to cook up within a 20 minutes period. Test out a lentil to see if it is mostly cooked through, then add in macaroni. Add additional broth if needed to cook lentils for longer.
  • The longer this soup sits, the thicker it becomes. Consider that when heating up leftovers. When ready to heat up, add a large splash of water or vegetable broth and warm up on the stove top or microwave to loosen up.
  • This soup can be stored up to 5 days in the fridge. It can also be frozen. Freeze into individual containers and place in freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat when ready to use.

A ladle full of macaroni and lentil soup being lifted from the pot to serve.

More Cozy Soup Ideas

Side view of the lentil soup with a spoon tucked in for a bite.

Print
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Lentil and Tomato Macaroni Soup

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
  • Category: Soup
  • Cuisine: American

Description

This lentil and tomato macaroni soup is a very easy and cheap meal you can put together using basic pantry ingredients. 


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tsp olive oil or 2 tbsp vegetable broth
  • 1/2 large onion (diced)
  • 1/2 green bell pepper (diced)
  • 6 large cloves of garlic (minced)
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 2 tsp dry oregano
  • 1 tsp dry thyme
  • 1 tsp dry basil
  • 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
  • 5 cups vegetable broth
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cup brown lentils
  • 1 cup dry macaroni

Instructions

  1. Place a large pot on your stove and heat up to medium heat.
  2. Pour in oil or vegetable broth in the pan and then add your onions and green bell pepper with a pinch of salt and sauté until onion is softened.
  3. To the pot add garlic and sauté for one minute or until fragrant.
  4. Once fragrant, add in chili powder, oregano, thyme, and basil and stir well and allow to sauté with vegetables for about a minute to heat through then add in nutritional yeast.
  5. To the pan add in tomatoes and sauté for 2-3 minutes then add in vegetable broth and lentils.
  6. Stir to combine and then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover with a lid and allow to cook for about 15 minutes.
  7. Add in macaroni and allow to simmer with the soup for 4-5 minutes or until macaroni is fully cooked.
  8. Remove from heat and adjust salt and pepper to your liking before serving.

Did You Try This Recipe?
Then let me know what you thought! Share your creations by tagging me on Instagram with the hashtag #plantbasedrdeats

 Catherine

6 Comments

  1. I randomly found this while looking for soups on your blog and thought, this looks nice and simple for a cold weeknight… Wow! My mind is totally blown by how delicious it is. Especially served with plant-based cheddar. It’s so cheap and easy to make yet unbelievably tasty. I can’t wait to make it for guests!

    1. I know this is super late, but had no idea this was in my inbox. Thank you so much for making this Lauren. Means a lot to hear!

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