Our family is continuing our efforts to eat more vegetarian meals each week and this Taco Lentil Soup recipe has been a perfect weeknight dish to help us with that goal. A few things I love about this recipe: 1) it’s easy to make and is a one-pot meal for quick clean up, 2) it’s full of pantry staples like dry lentils, canned beans, salsa and taco spices so I can make it when there’s not much in the fridge, and 3) the recipe is great for making ahead of time and reheats well for leftovers.
The lentils get kicked up with flavor from a bit of taco seasoning (I really like the Siete brand), and jarred salsa. I used a mild salsa to make it more family-friendly, but use a hotter salsa if you like to kick up the heat! And my favorite part of the dish is getting to add on all of the tasty taco toppings, like sliced avocados, spicy jalapeños, and sharp cheddar cheese. Get the full recipe below! 
- Olive Oil
- ½ Yellow Onion, diced
- ½ Red or Orange Bell Pepper, diced
- 2-3 Cloves of Garlic, minced
- 1 Cup of Green Lentils
- 1.5 Tbsp Taco Seasoning (I like Siete brand, or a low-sodium variety)
- 2 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
- 4-5 Cups of Chicken Broth
- 1 Cup of Salsa
- 1 Cup of Corn (fire-roasted corn adds more flavor)
- 1-15 oz Can of Red Kidney Beans
- Black Pepper
- Taco toppings and tortilla chips for serving (Avocados, cheese, sour cream, red onion, etc.)
- Drizzle olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and cook diced onion and bell pepper for 4-5 minutes until softened; then add in garlic, sauté for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Add green lentils, taco seasoning, tomato paste and 4 cups of chicken broth to the pot; stir to combine and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer the mixture for 20 minutes, until the lentils are just about cooked through.
- Stir in salsa, corn, and beans to the soup, and an additional cup of broth if the mixture looks too thick. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- Season to taste with black pepper, and serve with your desired taco toppings and tortilla chips on the side.
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