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This one-pot lentil Swiss chard soup with orange zest is a delicious plant-based meal! It’s easy to make, full of vibrant flavor, and oh-so-satisfying.

Close-up of Lentil Swiss Chard Soup with Orange Zest in a white bowl

Lentils are a popular ingredient in vegetarian cooking. They’re high in protein and great for hearty soups or stews.

What I love about this recipe for lentil Swiss chard soup with orange zest is the vibrant freshness you get from the citrus! Lentils have a mildly earthy, nutty flavor, so that pop of bright orange really adds so much.

And with the nutritional boost from the greens, this soup turns into a power-house meal that’s great to enjoy on a chilly day!

How to make lentil Swiss chard soup with orange zest

This one-pot soup is easy to prep and packed with delicious flavor.

Step 1: Rinse the lentils in a fine-mesh sieve.

Step 2: Slice the leaves from the Swiss chard, then slice the stalk into 1/4-inch pieces. Roll the leaves tightly, slice, then finely chop them.

Step 3: In a soup pot, add the olive oil. Once hot, add the onion and garlic, then sauté until translucent.

Step 4: Add the lentils, stock, thyme, minced orange rind, Swiss chard stalk (reserve the leaves), salt, and pepper to taste. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.

Step 5: Add the Swiss chard leaves and grated carrot, then simmer for another 5 minutes.

Step 6: Ladle into four serving bowls, sprinkle with the orange zest, and grate fresh Parmesan on top.

I like to keep a hunk of Parmesan on a small plate with a grater next to me so I can add a little more cheese as I eat!

Variations for this recipe

When calculating the nutritional information for this soup, I factored in using vegetable stock and adding a ½ tablespoon of Parmesan cheese per serving.

Watching your sodium intake? You can cut back or eliminate the added salt and use less Parmesan cheese on your soup. To reduce the fat, sauté the onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons of olive oil instead of 3.

For a vegan-friendly meal, use vegetable stock and skip the Parmesan. You could also use vegan faux-Parmesan instead.

Lentils are a higher-carb food, so it’s difficult to reduce the carbs in this recipe with them as the main ingredient. If you’re watching your carbs, I would recommend enjoying this soup as a side rather than a whole meal.

Storage

If you don’t eat all of this tasty soup in one sitting, it will be great to enjoy later! Simply store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

I recommend waiting to add the orange zest and Parmesan until you’re ready to eat. But if you already added them and can’t finish your serving, it’s not a big deal.

Other vegetarian soup recipes

Who says you need meat for a hearty and filling soup? Not me! If you’re looking for some delicious plant-based options, here are a few of my favorite recipes I know you’ll love:

You can also take a look at this roundup of low-carb soup recipes for more inspiration.

When you’ve tried this soup, please don’t forget to let me know how you liked it and rate the recipe in the comments below!

Lentil Swiss Chard Soup with Orange Zest

5 from 1 vote
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This one-pot lentil Swiss chard soup with orange zest is a delicious plant-based meal! It's easy to make, full of vibrant flavor, and oh-so-satisfying.
Author: Diabetic Foodie
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients 

  • cups lentils du Puy
  • 1 stalk Swiss chard, (washed and patted dry)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, (extra virgin)
  • 1 small onion, (diced)
  • 4 cloves garlic, (finely chopped)
  • 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme, (leaves only)
  • 2 strips orange rind, (finely minced)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 medium carrot, (grated)
  • zest of 1/2 an orange
  • 1 small hunk Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Rinse the lentils in a fine-mesh sieve.
    1¼ cups lentils du Puy
  • Slice the leaves from the Swiss chard, then slice the stalk into 1/4-inch pieces. Roll the leaves tightly, slice, then finely chop them.
    1 stalk Swiss chard
  • In a soup pot, add the olive oil. Once hot, add the onion and garlic, then sauté until translucent.
    3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 small onion, 4 cloves garlic
  • Add the lentils, stock, thyme, minced orange rind, Swiss chard stalk (reserve the leaves), salt, and pepper to taste. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.
    6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, 1 sprig fresh thyme, 2 strips orange rind, 1 teaspoon salt, Freshly ground black pepper
  • Add the Swiss chard leaves and grated carrot, then simmer for another 5 minutes.
    1 medium carrot
  • Ladle into four serving bowls, sprinkle with the orange zest, and grate fresh Parmesan on top.
    1 small hunk Parmesan cheese, zest of 1/2 an orange

Notes

This recipe is for 4 servings of lentil soup.
The nutritional information was calculated using low-sodium vegetable stock and 1/2 tablespoon of Parmesan cheese per serving.
To reduce the sodium, cut back or eliminate the added salt and/or use less Parmesan cheese.
To reduce the fat, sauté the onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons of olive oil instead of 3.
For a vegan-friendly meal, skip the Parmesan.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Nutrition Info Per Serving

Nutrition Facts
Lentil Swiss Chard Soup with Orange Zest
Serving Size
 
1 bowl
Amount per Serving
Calories
388
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
13
g
20
%
Saturated Fat
 
2
g
10
%
Trans Fat
 
0
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
0
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
0
g
Cholesterol
 
2
mg
1
%
Sodium
 
735
mg
31
%
Potassium
 
0
mg
0
%
Carbohydrates
 
46
g
15
%
Fiber
 
4
g
16
%
Sugar
 
6
g
7
%
Protein
 
17
g
34
%
Vitamin A
 
0
IU
0
%
Vitamin C
 
0
mg
0
%
Calcium
 
0
mg
0
%
Iron
 
0
mg
0
%
Net carbs
 
42
g
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.