High-Protein Butternut Lentil Soup

A creamy, nourishing soup made with red lentils, sweet butternut squash, savory aromatics, and Greek yogurt. Partial blending creates a smooth texture while leaving hearty bites throughout.

Prep: 15 min · Cook: 30 min · Yield: 6 · Method: Stovetop

Ingredients

• 2 cups red lentils
• 4 cups, diced butternut squash
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup greek yogurt
• 1 unit lemon

Cooking instructions

1. Rinse the lentils under cool water and drain. Chop the onion, mince the garlic, and dice the squash into bite-size pieces. (about 10 min)
2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper; cook for 30 seconds. (about 5 min) — Medium heat
3. Stir in the lentils, squash, and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover partially and cook until the lentils and squash are very tender, about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. (about 25 min) — Gentle simmer
4. Remove the pot from the heat. Use an immersion blender to blend about half the soup, or carefully transfer half to a blender and return it to the pot. Leave some squash and lentils whole for texture. (about 3 min)
5. Let the soup cool for 2 minutes, then stir in the Greek yogurt until smooth. Do not boil after adding the yogurt. Stir in the juice of half the lemon, taste, and adjust salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed. (about 3 min)
6. Ladle into bowls and serve warm, with the remaining lemon cut into wedges if desired. (about 2 min)