French Lentil Soup with Leeks. A brothy French green lentil soup with tender leeks, carrots and thyme, finished with lemon. The formula and timing below are working estimates for a future kitchen trial, not a claim that a batch has been made.
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A brothy lentil soup
French green lentils keep a firmer shape than split red lentils, while leeks soften into the broth with carrot, celery and thyme. Lemon is added at the end for brightness.
This is a working vegetable soup with six provisional bowls; lentil age and final liquid volume need a test.
Wash leeks carefully
Soil can hide between leek layers. Slice the white and light-green parts, wash them thoroughly and drain before they go into the pot.
The lentils are picked over and rinsed. Red split lentils would cook into a different texture and are not a direct swap.
Ingredients for 6 bowls
| Ingredient | Amount | Use |
|---|---|---|
| French green lentils, picked over and rinsed | 1 1/2 cups | Not red split lentils. |
| Leeks, white and light-green parts, sliced and washed | 2 medium leeks | Remove grit between layers. |
| Carrots, diced | 2 medium carrots | Vegetable base. |
| Celery stalks, diced | 2 stalks | Vegetable base. |
| Olive oil | 2 tablespoons | Sauté. |
| Garlic cloves, minced | 2 cloves | Sauté. |
| Low-sodium vegetable broth | 6 cups | Soup liquid. |
| Fresh thyme sprigs | 2 sprigs | Remove before serving. |
| Bay leaf | 1 leaf | Remove before serving. |
| Fine salt | 3/4 teaspoon | Taste at finish. |
| Freshly ground black pepper | 1/4 teaspoon | Finish. |
| Fresh lemon juice | 1 tablespoon | Finish. |
Step-by-step method
- Pick over and rinse 1 1/2 cups French green lentils. Slice the white and light-green parts of two leeks, wash thoroughly to remove trapped grit, then drain. Dice two carrots and two celery stalks.
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot. Cook leeks, carrots and celery about eight to ten minutes until softened but not browned deeply; add two minced garlic cloves for the final minute.
- Add lentils, 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, two thyme sprigs and one bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer; cover partially and cook approximately 30–35 minutes until lentils are tender but hold their shape. Add a measured amount of extra water only if a test shows the pot dries too quickly.
- Remove thyme stems and bay leaf. Stir in 3/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and 1 tbsp lemon juice, then taste. Divide into six provisional bowls, recording actual lentil tenderness, liquid absorption and final volume in a kitchen trial.
Sauté and simmer
Soften leeks with carrots and celery before adding garlic. Then add lentils, vegetable broth, thyme and a bay leaf and simmer gently until lentils are tender but distinct.
The thirty-to-thirty-five-minute simmer is an estimate. Rancho Gordo has a French-lentil/leek reference but does not validate this broth ratio.
Season last
Remove woody thyme stems and the bay leaf. Add measured salt and pepper and a tablespoon of lemon juice, then taste before adjusting.
If a test batch becomes too thick, measure any additional liquid rather than publishing an unspecified 'splash' that changes yield.
Serving and overlap
Ladle into six bowls and serve bread separately if desired. The established Chefly sausage-lentil soup includes meat and a Parmesan rind, unlike this leek-led vegetable version.
No exact refrigerated storage life or freezing quality has been tested. The site should still review whether two lentil soup URLs serve distinct intent.
Lentil soup questions
Which lentils are specified?
Whole French green lentils, not red split lentils.
Is sausage in this version?
No. This is a vegetable-broth and leek soup.
When does lemon go in?
After simmering, once the herb stems and bay leaf are removed.
Further reading and related Chefly recipes: Rancho Gordo's French lentil soup with leeks. These are relevant references and other dishes, not evidence that this proposed formula was tested.
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French Lentil Soup with Leeks. Category: Soups. 6 bowls. Prep approximately 20 minutes; cooking approximately 45 minutes; additional cooling/chilling approximately 0 minutes; total approximately 65 minutes excluding preheat. Not kitchen-tested; nutrition not calculated.
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups French green lentils, picked over and rinsed; 2 medium leeks Leeks, white and light-green parts, sliced and washed; 2 medium carrots Carrots, diced; 2 stalks Celery stalks, diced; 2 tablespoons Olive oil; 2 cloves Garlic cloves, minced; 6 cups Low-sodium vegetable broth; 2 sprigs Fresh thyme sprigs; 1 leaf Bay leaf; 3/4 teaspoon Fine salt; 1/4 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper; 1 tablespoon Fresh lemon juice.
Instructions: Pick over and rinse 1 1/2 cups French green lentils. Slice the white and light-green parts of two leeks, wash thoroughly to remove trapped grit, then drain. Dice two carrots and two celery stalks. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot. Cook leeks, carrots and celery about eight to ten minutes until softened but not browned deeply; add two minced garlic cloves for the final minute. Add lentils, 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, two thyme sprigs and one bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer; cover partially and cook approximately 30–35 minutes until lentils are tender but hold their shape. Add a measured amount of extra water only if a test shows the pot dries too quickly. Remove thyme stems and bay leaf. Stir in 3/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and 1 tbsp lemon juice, then taste. Divide into six provisional bowls, recording actual lentil tenderness, liquid absorption and final volume in a kitchen trial.
Allergens: Check packaged broth and lentils for allergens and cross-contact. Review packaged ingredients and cross-contact before serving.
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French Lentil Soup with Leeks
- Total Time: 65 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Six bowls of brothy French green lentils with leeks and vegetables.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups French green lentils, picked over and rinsed
- 2 medium leeks Leeks, white and light-green parts, sliced and washed
- 2 medium carrots Carrots, diced
- 2 stalks Celery stalks, diced
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 2 cloves Garlic cloves, minced
- 6 cups Low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 sprigs Fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 leaf Bay leaf
- 3/4 teaspoon Fine salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Pick over and rinse 1 1/2 cups French green lentils. Slice the white and light-green parts of two leeks, wash thoroughly to remove trapped grit, then drain. Dice two carrots and two celery stalks.
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot. Cook leeks, carrots and celery about eight to ten minutes until softened but not browned deeply; add two minced garlic cloves for the final minute.
- Add lentils, 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, two thyme sprigs and one bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer; cover partially and cook approximately 30–35 minutes until lentils are tender but hold their shape. Add a measured amount of extra water only if a test shows the pot dries too quickly.
- Remove thyme stems and bay leaf. Stir in 3/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and 1 tbsp lemon juice, then taste. Divide into six provisional bowls, recording actual lentil tenderness, liquid absorption and final volume in a kitchen trial.
Notes
Recipe-development draft; not kitchen-tested. Timing and yield are estimates. Nutrition has not been calculated.
Untested estimate: about ten minutes sauté and 30–35 minutes simmer; lentil age changes tenderness.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Soups
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Approximately one and a quarter cups, pending measured pot volume