Carrot and Lentil Soup: High Protein

This Carrot and Lentil Soup with green lentils, lean ground chicken, and blended cottage cheese is high-protein and supports steady blood sugar. We've added blended cottage cheese to create a creamy, silky texture that's both satisfying and delicious!

Why This Recipe is Blood Sugar Friendly

Like all our recipes at Buena Wellness, this soup is designed to support insulin sensitivity and stable blood sugar by combining protein, fiber, and low-glycemic carbohydrates in one balanced meal. Lean ground chicken, cottage cheese, and lentils provide high-quality protein. Both the lentils and vegetables contribute fiber that slows digestion and helps prevent blood sugar spikes. Overall, this soup has a good protein-to-carb ratio, which is ideal for keeping blood sugar levels balanced.

Ingredients for Carrot and Lentil Soup

• Lean Ground Chicken - Lean meat proteins support muscle health, keep you full longer, and support post-meal blood sugar stability.
• Green Lentils – A fiber-rich, low-glycemic carb that helps slow down the absorption of glucose and supports gut and metabolic health. And, just ¼ cup (cooked) lentils provides an extra 4 grams of protein.
• Cottage Cheese – Blended cottage cheese adds creaminess and extra protein.
• Carrots, Celery, and Onion – Most great soups start with a mirepoix of carrots, celery, and onion to add a base layer of flavor.
• Spinach – A non-starchy leafy green that provides a little fiber and is rich in vitamins, minerals and protective plant compounds. One is carotenoids, which are important for eye health.
• Bone Broth – We recommend bone broth over regular chicken broth for extra protein and nutrient density.
• Lemon Juice – While optional, we recommend trying the soup with a dash of lemon, which adds a nice layer of acidity and depth.
• Scallions - We love a little crunch and texture in our soups, so we highly recommend you try this garnish.

Ingredient Swaps For Carrot and Lentil Soup

• Use ground turkey or crumbled high-protein tofu instead of chicken.
• Swap spinach for kale, Swiss chard, or collard greens.
• Use beef bone broth for a richer flavor.
• Add extra water or broth for a thinner consistency.

Why Cottage Cheese Works Here

Cottage cheese adds creaminess and protein. This helps reduce the overall glycemic load of the soup while keeping you full longer. This is a smart option if you're managing pre-diabetes, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, or just want to make healthy choices for weight management.

Quick Cooking Overview

Find more detailed cooking instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.

1. In a dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat the oil and cook the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic; sauté until softened.
2. Stir in cumin, thyme, and tomato paste.
3. Add the ground chicken and cook through.
4. Add lentils, chicken bone broth, and water; bring to a boil, then simmer until lentils are tender.
5. Blend 1-2 cups of the soup with the cottage cheese until smooth.
6. Add the spinach and then the blended mixture back into the pot, and add the optional lemon juice.
7. Serve with chopped scallions.

Serving Suggestions For Carrot and Lentil Soup

• Serve as a complete meal on its own.
• Pair with a simple side salad or our recipe of roasted vegetables like broccoli or cauliflower.
• Portion out for meal-prep to make healthy lunches a breeze.

Common Questions

Lastly, if you make this recipe, we’d love for you to leave a rating and share a comment below. Your feedback helps our community and supports others looking for blood sugar-friendly, nourishing recipes. And, if you love soups, you'll also enjoy our Chicken Potato Soup Recipe.

Recipe

Carrot and Lentil Soup: High Protein

This Carrot and Lentil Soup with green lentils, lean ground chicken, and blended cottage cheese is high-protein and supports steady blood sugar.

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: high-protein

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 367kcal

Equipment

• 1 mini blender
• 1 Dutch Oven

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ large onion diced
• 3 carrots diced (about 2 cups)
• 3 celery stalks diced (about 1 cup)
• 3 cloves garlic minced or crushed
• 1 lb lean ground chicken
• 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt see notes
• black pepper to taste
• 2 teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 cup dry green lentils rinsed
• 4 cups chicken bone broth
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups low-fat cottage cheese blended
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach
• Juice of ½ lemon optional
• 2 tablespoon scallions sliced, optional

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

• In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat.
  2 tbsp olive oil
• Add onions, carrots, and celery, and sauté until soft and transluscent (4 minutes).
  ½ large onion, 3 carrots, 3 celery stalks
• Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
  3 cloves garlic
• Add the ground chicken, salt, and pepper, and cook until browned (4 minutes).
  1 lb lean ground chicken, 1 tbsp Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, black pepper
• Stir in cumin and thyme and sauté one minute until fragrant.
  2 tsp cumin, ½ tsp dried thyme
• Add the tomato paste and stir to coat.
  2 tbsp tomato paste
• Add, broth, lentils, and water; bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until lentils are tender (25-30 minutes).
  1 cup dry green lentils, 4 cups chicken bone broth, 2 cups water
• Blend two cups of the soup with cottage cheese until smooth.
  2 cups low-fat cottage cheese
• Return to pot, add spinach to wilt, adjust seasonings, and serve.
  2 cups fresh baby spinach
• Add lemon juice (if using).
  Juice of ½ lemon
• Serve into bowls and garnish with scallions or cilantro.
  2 tbsp scallions

Notes

*Not all salt is equal. We test all our recipes with Diamond Crystal Kosher salt, (affiliate link). The flaky crystals dissolve more readily than regular table salt or other kosher salts, making it easier to use. Note that Diamond Crystal Kosher salt is about half as salty as most other salts, so adjust accordingly when substituting!

Nutrition

Calories: 367kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 491mg | Potassium: 1015mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 6199IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 4mg