Here’s a different beef mince recipe idea for you – a hearty Beef & Lentil Soup with vegetables! Adapted from my Best Ever Lentil Soup with the addition of ground beef and Moroccan-inspired spicing for extra tastiness, lentil soups can be so boring … but not this one!
Healthy, hearty, economical and a complete dinner made in one pot. Yessss…..
New beef mince recipe idea: Beef & Lentil Soup!
This is a hearty lentil soup loaded up with lots of vegetables and the convenience of ground beef for the meat! Why don’t we use beef mince in soup more often? It’s so handy and economical, it soaks up flavour and makes this one-pot hearty meal a very low-effort endeavour.
My sort of Wednesday night dinner!
I like to brown the beef using spices to incorporate flavour into it which then seeps into the soup broth. So this is a whole lot tastier than the usual lentil soups that have a bad reputation for being bland and boring……😇
I like to add a sprinkling of Moroccan flavours in this to add interest. But there’s so many possibilities using whatever you’ve got! Curry, Greek, Italian, Mexican… I’ve suggested some in the recipe notes!
What goes in Beef & Lentil Soup
Here’s what you need to make this:
Beef – Ground beef / beef mince. Same thing, different name, depending on where you are in the world! Use lean beef if you prefer, though the fattier it is, the better beef flavour you will get (because fat is actually where most of the flavour is with any meat). Substitute with any other ground meat – pork, chicken, turkey, even lamb. All you will need to do is adjust the spice quantities a bit – the whiter the meat, the more spice you will need (because the meat flavour is more neutral in mince form because the meat doesn’t brown like when searing, for example, a whole chicken breast);
Lentils – Dried lentils works really well here because you get a bit of extra flavour and thickening of the broth. But canned will work just fine too. Substitute: Chickpeas or beans!
You can use canned lentils if you want, but dried lentils taste better plus they thicken the soup broth a bit.
Onion & garlic – Essential and standard flavour bases for the soup;
Moroccan spices – This is where you can add any flavour you want! And it’s really easy to figure out how much to use. Start conservatively, add it bit by bit and taste, and keep adding as needed until it tastes right to you. I kept the base recipe simple by using store bought Moroccan spice mix as my main flavour, then spruced it up with a bit of extra spices. See recipe notes for a list of suggestions – go global!
Canned crushed tomato – or tomato passata, what’s called tomato sauce in the US (it’s tomato passata + a touch of flavour) or even my tomato paste substitute for canned tomato, click here for the recipe;
Beef stock/broth – For big hearty beef flavour. However vegetable or chicken stock/broth will work a treat here. For soups, I do recommend buying stock in liquid form rather than using cubes or powder because the flavour is cleaner and more natural. If you only have bouillon cubes or powder, that will work fine but sauté the onion, celery and carrots slowly for longer. This will form a terrific soffrito flavour base to compensate. Directions are in the recipe;
Vegetables! Use 6 – 8 cups of anything you want that cooks well in soup broth! I’ve included an extensive list in the recipe notes. I typically firstly add vegetables that can hold up to a 25-minute simmer at the beginning (eg. carrots, celery), then vegetables I want to stay greener and/or not turn into mush towards the end (eg. beans, zucchini). It also depends how big you cut them – I’ve diced them so you get a bit of everything in each spoonful.
How to make Beef Lentil Soup
And here’s how to make it:
Mix the spices in a bowl first – We’re going to use some to brown the beef, and some to flavour the soup broth;
Cook onion, beef – Sauté the onion and garlic (essential flavour base!) then brown the beef, breaking it up as you go (flat edge wooden spatula makes short work of this);
Brown beef with spices – Add some of the spices and cook it with the beef. Here we add a ton of extra flavour into this soup, so cook off those spices well! Have a nibble and make sure it’s tasty, then tweak as needed. Some of the flavour will seep into the soup, but most stays on the beef;
Add everything else – Add the vegetables that can sustain a 25 minute simmer along with all the broth ingredients (tomato, beef stock, water, remaining spices) and give it big stir;
Simmer for 25 – 30 minutes for the lentils to soften and tomato to break down so it thickens the sauce. TIP: Older dried lentils take longer to cook, so really old ones might take 35 minutes. Add the faster-cooking vegetables partway through, and based on how long they take to cook. I added the diced zucchini and green beans after 15 minutes – so they cooked for 10 minutes. This was more than sufficient to cook them through until soft and to soak up broth flavour; and
Serve! Because I went for a Moroccan flavour for the base recipe, I finished with a dollop of yogurt and some fresh coriander. I will pop a list of suggested finishes for other spice mix combinations in the recipe card.
The soup broth is thickened by the starch from the lentils and the crushed tomatoes that are simmered so they break down.
Why I love this Beef & Lentil Soup
This is a soup that ticks a lot of boxes for me:
✔️ Quick to make using any vegetables I have (great fridge clean-out dish!) and no chopping meat;
✔️ You can give it kapow! flavours by really dialling up the spices as much as you like. It’s easy to figure: Just add and taste, add and taste! As written it is just nicely spiced to give it a bit of interest, but intentionally not in-your-face spicing (I save my real spice bombing for curries);
✔️ It’s very economical and versatile. Change up the spices to whatever you’re feeling like today!
✔️ Freezes 100% perfectly and keeps for days in the fridge; and
✔️ It’s a complete, healthy meal in one pot: Meat, starch and lots of vegetables. No need to make a separate side!
Hope you enjoy! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Beef & Lentil Soup with vegetables
Ingredients
My Moroccan Spice Mix (or change it up! Note 1):
- 2 1/2 tbsp Moroccan spice mix (store-bought) , any brand is fine, I used this one
- 1 tsp allspice (mixed spice will work too)
- 2 tsp cumin powder
- 2 tsp paprika
- 3/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt (Note 2)
Soup:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves , finely chopped
- 1 onion , finely chopped (brown, white, or yellow)
- 500g / 1lb beef mince (ground beef) (I use lean)
- 1 1/4 cups dried lentils (or 2 cans, drained, Note 3)
- 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
- 100g / 4 oz green beans *, trimmed, cut into 1.5cm / 1/2” pieces
- 800g / 28 oz crushed canned tomato
- 4 cups / 1 litre beef stock , low sodium (Note 4)
- 3 cups water
Serving:
- Yogurt (plain or Greek)
- 1/4 cup Coriander/cilantro leaves, or sliced green onions
Instructions
- Mix spices in a small bowl.
- Saute onion & garlic: Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Cook onion and garlic for 3 minutes until golden on the edges.
- Brown & spice 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 – it will smell so good!
- Carrot & celery: 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)
- Make broth: 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.
- Simmer 15 minutes then add zucchini & green beans.
- Simmer 10 minutes longer or until lentils are soft (ie. 25 minutes total).
- Serve! Taste and add more salt if desired. Ladle into bowls and serve with yogurt and coriander.
Recipe Notes:
1. Spice mix – Lots of possibilities here. It’s easy to judge quantity by adding bit by bit and tasting as you go! I’ve used a handy simple Moroccan Spice Mix option to give this a flavour boost with minimal effort. But some other suggestions:
- Mexican – You can totally cheat and use a packet of taco seasoning (1 pack is the perfect amount) or use the Homemade Taco Seasoning recipe in this Taco Soup. Serve with dollop of sour cream and shredded cheese, corn chips or warm tortillas for dunking. SO GOOD!
- Indian – Use a good dose of your favourite curry powder (packet, or mix up as you like) with a touch of Garam Masala for extra authentic flavour! I would use at least 1 tbsp curry in the beef + 1 tsp Garam Masala, then the same in the broth. Add chilli powder or cayenne for heat! Serve with yogurt and coriander/cilantro;
- Greek style – Double the garlic, add 1 tbsp oregano leaves and 2 teaspoons ground fennel seeds into the beef. Follow recipe as written, finish with the zest of 1 lemon + lemon juice to taste. Flatbread for dunking!
- Italian – Add 2 – 3 teaspoons of Italian herb mix into the beef, plus a teaspoon more into the broth, plus a pinch of chilli flakes. Stir in 1/2 cup of grated parmesan and finish with a sprinkling of extra parmesan. Serve with crusty bread. SO GOOD!
- Cajun – Use a good Cajun spice mix! Add a tablespoon into the beef, then add more to taste into the broth – just taste and simmer.
- Middle Eastern Shawarma-flavour – Make it from scratch yourself using the spice mix in this Lamb Shawarma Chickpea Soup recipe.
- Sauté the onion, celery and carrots together on medium low for 8 minutes – this will form a terrific soffrito flavour base to compensate;
- Use 4 cubes or 4 teaspoons powder and 1 litre / 4 cups water (in place of beef stock).
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
He always gets the last bite lick:
Twambie says
Hey Nagi,
Wonderful looking recipe,
Was just wondering what you think of adding bell peppers at the end like you would spinach.
alimak says
this is epic – I added cayenne pepper to get some zing happening. Very yummy with crusty sourdough and best quality butter!!!
Thanks Nagi x
Nagi says
Sounds like you nailed it Alimak!! N x
Stephen Hills says
An excellent Soup dish , I followed your recipe and all the ingrediencies. Very tasty, added on the side a Grain Bread with garlic butter and parsley, very hearty. the wife loved it too.
Ken Neumann says
Excellent soup. I’m not sure what a Moroccan spice blend is but I substituted it with ras el Hanout, a North African blend, and added a bit of honey to round out the flavor. This will become a staple.
Nagi says
Sounds perfect Ken!! N x
Jeffery Gainer says
This is such an easy and comforting dish for mid-autumn. Extra celery and carrots for the vegetables, but thinking back, a bit of parsnip would have added a bit of woody sweetness. I did make a significant substitution: I used some vegetable broth and several ounces of broth left over from the last time I made Irish Beef and Guinness Stew.
I opted for the “Greek” version, and admittedly was a bit shocked by the quantity of spices in the prep bowl. But no worries: the lentils were spicy, but not overly so. I had some flatbread on hand and warmed it on the flattop. We enjoyed these delightful, spicy lentils with labneh (strained Greek yogurt). And the best part? There is more to enjoy in a few days!
Donna says
I made this last night. I found a recipe for a Moroccan spice mix (Ras El Hanout) on https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/ras-el-hanout-101070. I was worried about how much spice was used in this recipe, but the results were incredible! This soup was so good that I had to immediately share it with neighbors. Oh rats – I guess that means I’ll have to make it again 🙂 Now I’m ready to try more recipes with this flavor profile. Thanks, Nagi!
Jeffery Gainer says
The quantity of spices did look huge, didn’t it? But the level of spice was just right!
We have a snowstorm coming in a few days, so this will be a winter weather appropriate dinner, this time with Moroccan spices.
Donna says
This was my first foray into Moroccan flavors. Since I do not like bland food, I was definitely NOT disappointed – just surprised!
Steph says
Hi Nagi. I made this delicious soup recently and we ate it for a main meal on the first day. On the second day, a friend popped in for a surprise visit and I served it again for lunch, with some bread. Both times it was just perfect! Thank you 🙂
Helen says
I love your Lamb Shawarma Chickpea Soup so can’t wait to try this recipe 😊
Nagi says
Love to know what you think if you try it Helen! N x
Maxine Peebles says
Will try this recipe tomorrow, I love home made soup, And enjoy every picture of Dozer.
Leslie says
Made the Beef and Lentil soup, but substituted giant couscous instead of lentils. added some cauliflower with your veggies. Fantastic. Got to use my Moroccan spice mix I bought in Grenada Spain earlier this year before lockdown.
Nagi says
Sounds perfect Leslie!! N x
Mimi says
Just to confirm, if I choose the Italian spice option you have listed, I don’t add the allspice, cumin, or paprika to the mix, correct?
Nagi says
That’s correct Mimi, you can use the spice mix in the ingredients list or mix it up and use one of the other mixes listed in the notes. N x
Michelle says
Mmmm! Can’t wait to give this a try!
If you were to make up your own Moroccan Spice Blend, how would do that?
Thanks!!
Lillian Simms says
I really want to make this tonight but what spices go into your Moroccan spice mix?
Dawn says
Appeared in my email in box this morning, did it for supper tonight..delicious, quick and easy. I did alter it slightly my using a chunky frozen veg mix, and left out the 2 cups of water, and ended up with a Moroccan beef stew and it worked.
Warms you from the inside out..oh yes and it’s a Wednesday too 😄
Nagi says
Perfect Dawn, that’s awesome!! N x
arlen says
FIRST SNOW OF THE SEASON HERE ON GEORGIAN BAY
TONIGHT FIRST HEARTY WARMING
SOUP OFWINTER. PERFECT!!
USING RAS AL HANOUTE
36 SPICE BLEND FROM
CASABLANCA
Nagi says
This will be perfect to warm you up Arlen!! N x
Dianne says
Hi, Nagi. It seems to me to be harder and harder to “heart” one of your newly highlighted recipes. Ive looked the entire length of today’s Beef &Lentil Soup and cant find any way to save the recipe to my personal list of your fabulous recipes.. Second time this has happened. Is it just me, or are the ads on the right hand side crowding out my ability to save? (Other than that, I love your site and your recipes!!)
Nagi says
Hi Dianne, sorry you’re having issues, the heart is always on the bottom right of the screen. What are you using to view the website? N x
Veronica says
That looks amazing – proper comfort food – just right for the cold UK winter!
Nagi says
Yes exactly Veronica, I hope you try it and love it!! N x
Lea says
Hello
As a Moroccan, there is a lot of twist… we don’t put at all meat ( vegan dish) and we only add carrots and definitely not yogurt… but the best thing about not being Moroccan is you can mix things and turn out very good … I’m a big fan of your recipes 👍
I will try your version especially in this winter and the lockdown 😊
Nagi says
Hi Lea, it’s Moroccan inspired with the seasoning. I’d love to know what you think if you try it though! N x
paul edwards says
How good does that soup look !!!!!!!!!!!!?
My wife was looking and will make it for me. 🙂
Have you got an expensive camera ? Your pics are always super sharp !
Nagi says
It’s soooo tasty Paul, you should make it for your wife!! 😂 I do have an extensive set up here – I want to capture the best pictures! N x
Tammi says
Hi, I would love to know what the ingredients are in your Moroccan spice mix as I have found several mix recipes and am amazed at how different the ingredients are. Your recipes are always super tasty! Thank you