Beef Lentil Soup

Total Time Prep: 15 min. Cook: 70 min.
Yield 6 servings
Contest Winner
Test Kitchen Approved
This beef lentil soup combines tender ground beef, nutritious lentils, and fresh vegetables in a hearty broth, making it a comforting one-pot meal all year long.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
  • 1 can (46 ounces) tomato or V8 juice
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 cup dried lentils, rinsed
  • 2 cups chopped cabbage
  • 1 cup sliced carrots
  • 1 cup sliced celery
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup diced green pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed

Directions

  1. In a large stockpot, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink, 5-7 minutes; crumble meat; drain. Add the tomato juice, water, lentils, cabbage, carrots, celery, onion, green pepper, pepper, thyme and bay leaf.
  2. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until the lentils and vegetables are tender. Add spinach and heat through. Remove bay leaf.

Nutrition Facts

1 cup: 314 calories, 8g fat (3g saturated fat), 47mg cholesterol, 661mg sodium, 37g carbohydrate (10g sugars, 8g fiber), 27g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 lean meat, 2 vegetable, 1-1/2 starch.

You can prepare this soup as the main course in a hearty lunch or dinner. On cold winter evenings here in New England, I've often enjoyed sipping a steaming mugful in front of our fireplacel. —Guy Turnbull, Arlington, Massachusetts
Recipe Creator

© 2025 RDA Enthusiast Brands, LLC