Beef Lentil Soup Beef Mince Recipe for a Hearty and Healthy Dinner

Beef & Lentil Soup

Some soups ask you to babysit the pot for an entire afternoon. This one does not. Beef & Lentil Soup is a complete dinner in one pot, built on a pound of ground beef, a heap of vegetables and a generous spoonful of Moroccan inspired spice.

It is adapted from a much loved lentil soup recipe, with beef mince added so the bowl eats like a full meal instead of a side dish. Prep takes about 10 minutes, the pot simmers for around 30 minutes, and you end up with 6 generous servings. Wednesday night dinner, covered.

New beef mince recipe idea: Beef & Lentil Soup!

Here is what I love about beef mince. It is cheap, it is convenient, and it usually lands in the same three dinners on repeat. Lentil soup is a completely different lane for it, and it costs almost nothing to try.

The magic is in the browning. The ground beef goes into the pot with a couple of tablespoons of the spice mix, and that short sizzle does real work.

The spices bloom against the meat, flavor clings to every crumble, and then it seeps into the broth while the soup simmers. Lentil soups have a reputation for tasting a little flat. This version fixes that in one step.

You also have lentils, tomatoes and plenty of vegetables pulling their own weight, so a single pound of beef stretches across 6 bowls without anyone feeling shortchanged. Low effort, big payoff, and a pot that smells like somebody in the house knows exactly what they are doing.

Moroccan spices are the base here. If that is not the mood you are in, the same pot works with a curry profile, Greek seasoning, Italian herbs or a Mexican blend, and the recipe notes walk through each direction.

I made the curry version on a cold Sunday and the leftovers vanished faster than the original. Yessss, that ticks a lot of boxes for me.

What goes in Beef & Lentil Soup

Before you shop, know that this is a forgiving pot of soup. The spice mix sets the direction, and everything else bends to what you have on hand. Here is what you need.

My Moroccan spice mix

• 2 1/2 tbsp Moroccan spice mix, store bought
• 1 tsp allspice
• 2 tsp cumin powder
• 2 tsp paprika
• 3/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt

The soup

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped (brown, white or yellow)
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 500 g / 1 lb beef mince (ground beef)
• 1 1/4 cups dried lentils, or 2 cans, drained
• 2 carrots, cut into 1 cm (about 1/3 inch) dice
• 2 celery stalks, chopped into 1 cm pieces
• 2 small zucchinis (or 1 large), cut into 1 cm dice
• 100 g / 4 oz green beans, trimmed and cut into 1.5 cm (about 1/2 inch) pieces
• 800 g / 28 oz crushed canned tomato
• 4 cups (about 1 liter) beef stock, low sodium
• 3 cups water

To serve

• Yogurt, plain or Greek
• 1/4 cup coriander or cilantro leaves, or sliced green onions

Ground beef. Lean beef works fine, but fattier beef gives you more flavor, because fat carries spice. Any ground meat can take its place, so pork, chicken, turkey or lamb are all fair game.

If you swap in a whiter meat like chicken or turkey, push the spice mix a little harder, since there is less fat to carry that flavor through the broth.

Lentils. Dried lentils are the better choice. They bring more flavor and they thicken the broth as they cook, which is exactly what you want from a soup that has to stand on its own as dinner. Canned lentils work in a pinch, and chickpeas or beans are solid substitutes when the pantry is running thin.

Onion and garlic. This is the flavor base, and it is not optional. Cook them until the edges go golden before anything else goes into the pot.

The spices. Start conservatively. Add the spice mix bit by bit and taste as you go, because you can always add more but you cannot take it back out. The base recipe uses a store bought Moroccan spice mix, then builds on it with allspice, cumin powder, paprika, black pepper and salt.

Tomato. Canned crushed tomato gives the soup body and a little sweetness. Tomato passata, US tomato sauce, or a tomato paste substitute all work here if that is what you have in the cupboard.

Stock. Liquid beef stock is the better choice, and low sodium gives you control over the seasoning. Vegetable or chicken stock works just as well. If you are working with bouillon cubes or powder, sauté the onion, celery and carrots slowly for longer at the start, so you build a proper soffrito base before the liquid goes in.

Vegetables. Plan on 6 to 8 cups of vegetables that cook well in soup broth. Hardy ones like carrots and celery go in at the start, because they can handle the full 25 minute simmer. Delicate ones like green beans and zucchini go in later so they stay tender instead of collapsing.

Dice it all. Cut everything into small, even pieces, around 1 cm (about 1/3 inch). This matters more than it sounds. Small dice means every spoonful has a bit of everything in it, meat, lentil and vegetable together, which is the whole point of a soup like this.

How to make Beef Lentil Soup

Prep is 10 minutes, cook time is about 30 minutes, and the whole thing comes together in one pot on the stovetop. It serves 6.

1. Mix the spices in a small bowl.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Cook the onion and garlic for 3 minutes until golden on the edges.
3. Turn the heat up to high, add the beef and cook until it is no longer red, breaking it up as you go. Add 2 tablespoons of the spice mix and cook for a further 2 minutes. It will smell fantastic.
4. Add the carrot and celery and stir for 1 minute. If you are using your own vegetable mix, this is the step for anything that can hold up to the full 25 minute simmer.
5. Add the water, beef stock, canned tomato, lentils and the remaining spice mix. Give it a stir, bring it to a simmer, then put the lid on and reduce the heat to medium low so it simmers gently. The lentils take 25 to 30 minutes to soften. Very old lentils can take 5 to 10 minutes longer.
6. Simmer for 15 minutes, then add the zucchini and green beans.
7. Simmer 10 minutes longer, or until the lentils are soft, so about 25 minutes of simmering in total.
8. Taste and add more salt if you want it. Ladle into bowls and serve with yogurt and coriander.

A few things worth knowing. The spice mix is split on purpose. Part of it goes onto the beef, where it browns and concentrates, and the rest goes into the liquid. Most of that flavor stays right on the meat, so taste the beef as it cooks and adjust before you commit the whole bowl.

The broth thickens on its own, with no cornstarch and no roux. Lentil starch does part of the work, and the crushed tomato breaks down during the simmer and adds the rest. That is why the finished soup coats a spoon without feeling heavy.

For the Moroccan version, finish each bowl with a dollop of plain or Greek yogurt and a scatter of coriander or cilantro leaves, or sliced green onions if you are not a cilantro person.

That cool, creamy contrast against the warm spice is the part that sends people back for a second bowl. If you go with one of the other spice directions, the recipe card lists the matching finishes for each one.

Leftovers are excellent here, and honestly they taste even better on day two once everything has had time to settle. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water or stock if the soup has thickened up in the fridge.

Why I love this Beef & Lentil Soup

This is the soup I make when the fridge has odds and ends and I do not want to think too hard about dinner.

• It is quick. About 10 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of simmering.
• It cleans out the fridge. Any vegetable that cooks well in broth can go in.
• No meat chopping. Ground beef goes in as it comes out of the package.
• The spice level is yours. Add and taste as you go, and the base recipe sits at a moderate level of spice.
• It is economical. One pound of beef plus lentils and vegetables feeds 6 people.
• It freezes perfectly and keeps for days in the fridge.
• It is a complete meal. Meat, starch and vegetables in one pot, so no separate side dish is needed.

For a potluck or a church supper, this is the kind of soup that travels well in a slow cooker on the warm setting, and it holds for a couple of hours without turning to mush. I have taken it to more than one gathering and come home with an empty pot and three requests for the recipe.

Here is the nutrition per serving, excluding the toppings.

One pot, one pound of beef, 6 bowls, and a spice mix you can steer in almost any direction you like.

Life of Dozer

Dozer always gets the last bite licked out of the pot. Every single time.

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Beef & Lentil Soup with vegetables

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Beef & Lentil Soup Some soups ask you to babysit the pot for an entire afternoon. This one does not.

• Total Time: 40 min
• Yield: 6 1x

Ingredients

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My Moroccan Spice Mix (or change it up! Note 1)
2 1/2 tbsp Moroccan spice mix (store-bought)
1 tsp allspice
2 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp paprika
3/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Soup
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 onion onion, finely chopped (brown, white, or yellow)
500 g beef mince, ground beef
1 1/4 cups dried lentils
2 carrots, cut into 1cm / 1/3” dice
2 celery stalks, chopped into 1cm / 1/3” pieces
2 zucchinis, (small, or 1 large) cut into 1cm / 1/3” dice
100 g green beans, trimmed, cut into 1.5cm / 1/2” pieces
800 g crushed canned tomato
4 cups beef stock, low sodium
3 cups water

Serving
Yogurt, plain or Greek
1/4 cup Coriander/cilantro leaves, or sliced green onions

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Instructions

1-Mix spices in a small bowl: Mix spices in a small bowl.
2-Heat oil in a large pot over: Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Cook onion and garlic for 3 minutes until golden on the edges.
3-Turn heat up to high, add beef: Turn heat up to high, add beef and cook until it’s no longer red, breaking it up as you go. Add 2 tablespoons of the Spice Mix and cook it for a further 2 minutes.
4-Add carrot and celery, then stir for: Add carrot and celery, then stir for 1 minute. (If using your own veg mix, add the veg in this step that will hold up to full 25 min simmer time)
5-Add water, beef stock, canned tomato, lentils: Add water, beef stock, canned tomato, lentils and remaining Spice Mix too. Give it a stir, bring to simmer, then place lid on and reduce to medium low so it’s simmering gently. Lentils will take 25 – 30 minutes to cook until soft. Very old lentils can take 5 – 10 minutes longer.
6-Simmer 15 minutes then add zucchini &: Simmer 15 minutes then add zucchini & green beans.
7-Simmer 10 minutes longer or until lentils: Simmer 10 minutes longer or until lentils are soft (ie. 25 minutes total).
8-Taste and add more salt if desired: Taste and add more salt if desired. Ladle into bowls and serve with yogurt and coriander.

Last Step:

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• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 30 min
• Method: stovetop

Nutrition

• Calories: 401cal
• Sugar: 11g
• Sodium: 748mg
• Fat: 12g
• Saturated Fat: 4g
• Carbohydrates: 42g
• Fiber: 17g
• Protein: 34g
• Cholesterol: 54mg