This recipe for Mushroom Lentil Soup with Fennel and Sage is earthy, hearty and richly spiced. Delicious and vegan! Video. See our 25 Cozy Vegetarian Soup Recipes.
We feel like separate water droplets but we are also ocean.
Jane Hirschfield
This Mushroom Lentil Soup is chock full of mushrooms giving it so much texture and depth. The combination of herbs and spices creates flavors reminiscent of Italian sausage -though this stew is completely vegan!
Earthy-flavored brown lentils boost protein and substance. The onions are lightly caramelized giving rich depth. Fennel bulb and fresh sage add delicious savory goodness. Using this flavorful vegetable broth will heighten this soup even more.
Most of the effort here is in the chopping, after that it is stirring and simmering. I find a lot of comfort in a pot of soup simmering on the stove. Just breathing in the fragrant aroma feels nourishing!
Mushroom Lentil Soup | Video
Table of Contents
Ingredients in Mushroom Lentil Soup
Mushroom Lentil Soup Ingredient notes
- fennel bulb– this adds a freshness and such good flavor.
- fresh sage– try to use fresh if available! Dried sage loses flavor fast.
- red pepper flakes-use to taste, gives a nice bite.
- ground anise seeds (or use ground fennel seeds)- just a hint really is delicious.
- mushrooms– cremini mushrooms (or a mix with shiitake, oysters, chanterelles, lions mane).
- dried brown lentils– sure you can use other lentils. Adjust cooking times accordingly.
- vegetable broth– flavorful broth makes a big difference!
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
This interesting blend of herbs and spices creates an amazing synergy of flavor providing a little spice and deep complex richness to this vegan stew.
How to make Mushroom Lentil Stew
Step one
The onions are sliced and chopped first and added to the soup pot. Slicing them thin will help them caramelize more thoroughly.
Step two
We are going for deep flavor here and start by sautéing the onions in olive oil for about 20 minutes. They will start to caramelize and brown lightly and smell heavenly. Meanwhile prep the rest of the vegetables.
Step three
Chop fennel, celery and garlic. Chop mushrooms roughly in small chunks. Gather spices.
Step four
To the sautéed onions add the chopped fennel, celery, garlic, and chopped mushrooms.
Mix in fresh sage, red pepper flakes, anise, black pepper, smoked paprika, oregano, and salt.
Step five
Saute for another 15 minutes. Stirring frequently until veggies soften and mushrooms wilt. Add a little more olive oil if needed to keep from sticking to the pot.
Step six
Add lentils and vegetable broth.
Simmer 30 minutes, with lid vented, until lentils are cooked through.
Ways to elevate
- use homemade veggie broth
- use a variety of fresh mushrooms
- make sure your onions cook until softened and start to caramelize.
Variations On Lentil Mushroom Soup
- add 1 cup carrots and potato chunks in to cook with the lentils
- add 1/2 cup cooked barley
- serve over mashed potatoes!
Mushroom Lentil Soup FAQS
You do not have to soak the lentils, though soaking for a couple of hours will help them cook faster and can make them easier to digest.
The lentils will break down if cooked for over an hour. Sometimes this consistency is preferred. If you want your lentils whole but soft, start checking them after cooking for 1/2 hour and cook to your desired preference.
Full of macronutrients as well as anti-inflammatory, rich in antioxidants, high in d and b vitamins that are essential for cell growth and formation. Just a few of the benefits include: boosting your immune system, skin repair, better cognitive function, increasing white blood cells, and cardiovascular health.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH MUSHROOM LENTIL SOUP
- Cauliflower Rice!
- Savory Leek Bread
- Easy Sourdough Bread
- Sourdough Biscuits
- Cheddar Scones with Caramelized Onions
Hope you enjoy!
More Lentil Soups You May Enjoy
- Red Lentil Soup
- Mushroom Lentil Soup
- Lentil Soup with Garam Masala
- Lentil Bolognese
- Indian Coconut Lentil Curry
- Middle Eastern Lentil Soup
- Mulligatawny (Curried Indian Soup)
Love this recipe? Please let us know in the comments and leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below the recipe card.
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Mushroom Lentil Soup
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 cups
- Category: Stew, soup, vegan
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: mediteranean
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This recipe for Mushroom Lentil Stew with Fennel and Sage is earthy, hearty and richly spiced. So satisfying and vegan!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 yellow onions, about 2 cups chopped small
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 fennel bulb, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional-adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon ground anise seeds (or use ground fennel)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon sea salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, (Greek or Italian)
- 1 lb cremini mushrooms (or a mix with shiitake, oysters, chanterelles, lions mane etc.)
- 1/2 cup dried brown lentils
- 2 tablespoons fresh sage, minced (or 2 teaspoons dried)
- 4 – 6 cups vegetable broth (see notes)
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat oil and saute onions letting them cook on low for 20 minutes while you prep the vegetables. They should be caramelized and lightly browned.
- Add the chopped fennel, celery, garlic, mushrooms, sage, red pepper flakes, anise, pepper, smoked paprika, oregano, and salt. Saute another 15 minutes. Stir frequently until veggies soften and mushrooms wilt. Add a little more olive oil if needed to keep from sticking to the pot.
- Add lentils and 4 cups vegetable broth.
- Simmer partly covered for 30 minutes, until lentils are soft and tender. If needed add more broth to desired consistency.
- Season with salt and pepper if needed.
Notes
Soup can be kept up to four days in the fridge- a nourishing meal to have on hand.
Adjust salt to taste depending on the type of salt you use and the saltiness of the broth you use.
If you prefer a thicker soup, use just 4 cups of broth. If you prefer a more brothy soup, add up to an additional two cups to achieve the desired consistency.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 142
- Sugar: 3.8 g
- Sodium: 389.1 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 18.4 g
- Fiber: 3.3 g
- Protein: 8.9 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Yum! Love the depth of flavor… will definitely make this again.
Thank you!
Great to hear Pam! Thanks for taking time to let us know.
SO good! Lovely flavors and textures. I used a mix of cremini and shiitake mushrooms and added Aleppo pepper in place of red pepper flakes.
Sounds perfect Karen! Thanks for the helpful review.
This is a delicious recipe! I ground fennel seeds (instead of anise) and added medium-dry sherry. And used 6 cups of broth to make it more of a soup. Love it!
Perfect Katie! Thanks for your helpful review!
We love this lentil soup!
Great to hear Evan- it is a good one!
Wonderful! The fennel, anise and sage made for a much more complex flavor than other lentil soup recipes I have made (and loved). Thank you!
Glad you gave it a try and enjoyed Anthony!
The flavors are lovely together, warm and earthy. It’s missing acid and fat though, maybe red wine vin? Toasted and oil helped with the fat.
Thanks Rachel and glad you made it to your taste!
I am in the UK. I don’t see red pepper flakes in my supermarket. Are they the same as crushed chilli flakes?
Yes the same!
Tonia, thank you for another amazing recipe! This one is truly delicious, I was blown away when I tasted it! I made it just as written but next time, I may up the lentils to 3/4 or 1 cup instead of a half. I used 6 cups of vegetable broth. Thanks again!
So happy you enjoyed Celine! Thanks for taking the time to review.
Tonia, Thank you for the FAQs, especially the one about benefits of eating mushrooms. They sure are packed full of benefits!!! Can’t wait to try this Mushroom Lentil Soup! Need to shop for the mushrooms! Will Baby Button Mushrooms fit the bill?
Sure Sue you can use button mushrooms. I am glad you found this helpful!
Delicious! Used all Shiitake mushrooms, 5cups of broth and added 3tbs of tomato paste. Thank you for all your yummy recipes week after week!
Yum shiitakes! Glad you enjoyed.
Another excellent recipe! Very tasty and satisfying! Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed this one Denise!
Wonderful! Made as is except I had black caviar lentils on hand so subbed those, and added a little sherry to vegetables about 10 minutes before adding broth. Meat and potatoes husband even liked it!
Great to hear Nancy!
Excellent Lentil soup that could be served easily in a restaurant. I stumbled on this and turned out perfect. Even our kids loved it. Used black lentils and 6 cups of broth. The chopped fennel bulb and anise work great together.
Thanks for letting us know Doug, so glad you enjoyed!
This is the tastiest and loveliest stew ever. I’m sharing with all my friends and will share with the gentleman who sold me the mushrooms at the farmer’s market. I’m on my last bowl and I don’t want it to end. Thank you for sharing this beautiful recipe!
This is so nice to hear Ashley!
A fantastic and comforting soup for a freezing winter weekend! I did add carrots that needed to be used up and put in a parmesan rind. I had some wild mountain dried sage on the stem from Greece so I used that. I served it with a rustic buttermilk brown Irish bread. Thank you!
Oh wow! Sounds amazing Michelle.
I have just come across this site and this was the first recipe I’ve tried and it didn’t disappoint.A lovely recipe that I will make again.I used a tin of brown lentils instead of the dried .
Great to hear this Helen!
Delicious!
This was delicious. Great flavor profile, but not quite hearty enough for my taste as recovering carnivore. I bulked it up with a side of toasted Israeli couscous to keep it vegan. My beau added a little parmesan. Yummy, clean eating.
Glad you made it work for you Kathey!
This is a killer soup!! It’s going to my golden selection. Soooo delicious. Thank you!
Nice Gunita! Great to hear.
This is so good. Thank you for this amazing recipe.Monique
Thanks Monique!
this note has a spelling error but it also confuses me since the recipe calls for 4 cups: “If you prefer a thicker stoup use 4 cups of broth adding more if needed for desired consistency.” Regardless, I can’t wait to make this! (I pretty much make all your recipes.)
Ok thanks Lisa! I adjusted it to be more clear. The recipe calls for 4-6 cups of broth, depending on your preference for thicker or more brothy consistancy.