Donβt settle for bland Lentil Soup!Β Make it right and youβll have everyone begging for secondsβ¦.and thirdsβ¦ This lentil recipe is one of the best nourishing, simple dishes you can make with dried lentils thatβs 100% delicious. Use green lentils, red lentils, brown lentils or a lentil soup mix.
All it takes is a hint of spice flavourings, bay leaves and finishing it off with a touch of lemon to elevate this soup. Itβs an easy recipe that delivers terrific results, a 5 star reader favourite with hundreds of feedback from readers!
Want to addΒ some protein? Try this Beef & Lentil Soup!
Lentil Soup
Lentil soup is quite possibly the least sexy sounding soup on the planet.
At least, in my world. Regular readers know that Iβm all about big flavours. Spicy, herby, curries β kapow, kapow, kapow!
But you know what? A well made Lentil Soup recipe is canβt-stop-eating-it good. Youβll go back for seconds and thirds, then youβll be taking big tubs of it to work for lunch and happily have it for dinner again.
And β Iβm going to say it (*head swell*) β plenty of readers have said this is theΒ best lentil soup theyβve ever had!
A well made Lentil Soup recipe is canβt-stop-eating-it good.
Is lentil soup good for you?
If youβre wondering if lentil soup is good for you, the answer isΒ yes!Β Lentils areΒ nutritious, rich in minerals, protein, low in fat, high in fibre (digestive health). They are a terrific vegetarianΒ source of proteinΒ with 25% of the calories in lentils attributable to protein.
Lentils are a carbohydrate, but itβs slow burning which means it keeps you fuller for longer.Β Studies also suggest that lentils are good for heart health.
The added benefit is thatΒ they are low in calories with 116 calories in 1 cup of cooked lentils (which is roughly the amount per serving of this lentil soup).
What does lentil soup taste like?
It tastes savoury and has a flavour boost from a hint of spices. Thereβs an undertone of natural sweetness from the soffritoΒ flavour base of onion, carrot and celery. My favourite part is the texture! Itβs thick and comforting, and just made for dunking in hot crusty bread!
What goes in Lentil Soup
Hereβs what goes in my lentil soup. Nothing fancy, just everyday ingredients.
So what makes this Lentil Soup so good?
A touch of spices.
Cooking the onion, carrot and celery slowly so they sweeten and make a beautiful flavour base.
Lemon βΒ The βsecretβ ingredient.Β Yes really. Little tip I picked up from Ina Garten. Just a bit of zest and squeeze of fresh lemon makes all the difference which takes it from really good to great!
Do you cook lentils before adding to soup?
Nope! Dried lentils cook in 35 minutesΒ in the soup, and thereβs no need to soak them either!
What type of lentils are best for lentil soup?
Dried lentils are best for lentil soup. You can use most types of lentils for this recipe β brown, green, red or yellow, though it will affectΒ the colour of the soup. Iβve used green lentils, pictured below.
The only type of lentil I do not recommend isΒ Puy Lentils (little black French lentils) because they hold their shape and donβt soften like other lentils.
Can you used canned cooked lentils?
Yes you sure can, and directions are provided in the recipe notes. But itβs better made with dried lentils because of the texture in the soup, thereβs only 10 minutes difference in cook time and itβs more economical!
How to make Lentil Soup from scratch
SautΓ© your onion, garlic, carrots and celery overΒ over low heat for almost 10 minutes. Take your time here βΒ the lower the heat, the longer you take, the more these will transform to create an incredible flavour base for the soup!
Add everything else other than the lemon;
Simmer 35 minutes until lentils are soft; and
Finish with a dusting of zest and spritz of lemon.
A hint of lemon earthiness from the zest and touch of freshness from the juice just jazzes up the soup and takes it to that next level!
Youβll find that the lentils mostly breakdown and naturally thicken the soup. But what I like to do to get a really luscious creamy texture is to give the soup aΒ quick whizz with a blender stick (or transfer a couple of cups to the blender) to puree SOME but not all the lentils.
That way you get the benefit of both worlds β creamy soup with soft bits of lentils. YES!
How to store lentil soup
Lentil Soup will easily keep for 5 days in the fridge, making it ideal for cooking on the weekend and serving throughout the week. And it also freezes 100% perfectly for 3 months β even longer!
Every time I make this, I always wonder why I donβt make it more often. Itβs healthy, filling, super economical, freezes perfectly, versatile and itβsΒ seriously good.
Serving this with some sort of warm crusty bread for dunking is not optional.Β ItβsΒ an essential part of the Lentil Soup experience.
But itΒ is optional whether you slather said bread with butter, or grill it with cheese! Β Here are a few options β including making your ownΒ ultra easy homemade bread with NO YEAST:
β Nagi xx
Watch How To Make It
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Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped (white, brown, yellow)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large carrot , chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
- 2 celery ribs , chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
- 2 cups / 400g dried lentils , green or brown, rinsed (Note 1)
- 400g / 14 oz crushed tomato
- 1.5 litres / 1.5 quarts (6 cups) vegetable or chicken stock / broth, low sodium
- 1/2 tsp each cumin and coriander powder
- 1 1/2 tsp paprika powder
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1 lemon (zest + juice)
- 1/4 tsp salt and pepper, each
To Serve
- Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
- Warm bread, to serve
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and onion, cook for 2 minutes.
- Add celery and carrot. Cook for 7 β 10 minutes or until softened and the onion is sweet. Donβt rush this step, it is key to the flavour base of the soup.
- Add all remaining ingredients except the lemon and salt. Stir.Β
- Increase heat and bring to simmer. Scoop scum on the surface off and discard (do this again during cooking if required). Place lid on and turn heat down to medium low. Simmer for 35 β 40 minutes or until lentils are soft.
- Remove bay leaves.
- Thicken Soup: Using a stick blender, do 2 or 3 quick whizzes to thicken the soup (see video below). Or transfer 2 cups to a blender, let it cool slightly, then hold lid with tea towel and blend then transfer back into pot.
- Add a touch of water if you want to adjust soup consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Grate over the zest of the lemon then add a squeeze of lemon juice just before serving. Garnish with parsley if desired and serve with warm crusty bread slathered liberally with butter!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Recipe originally published March 2017, spruced up with new pics, new video and fresh new writing. Absolutely no change to recipe β itβs been a firm reader favourite from day 1, so IΒ wouldnβt dare touch it!
More totally delicious lentil recipes:
Sexy Lentil Salad β try it, then youβll get the nameβ¦.
Dal β Indian lentil curry. The highest and best use of lentils, full stop!
Coconut Lentil Curry β outrageously addictive, andΒ easyΒ (I make this for a curry fix when I donβt have time for dal)
Mejadra (Middle Eastern Spiced Lentil Rice) β so good you can eat it plain, seriously!
Browse all Beans and Lentil recipes
Life of Dozer
He contributes less than nothing to this household, he actually contributesΒ negative.Β Dropping fur everywhere, shaking vigorously so it flies everywhere along with an inordinate amountΒ of sand, constantly sprawling out in my path so Iβm forced to step over him (remember, Iβm vertically challenged = giant steps).
Giant π© all over the backyard. Barks furiously at tree branches swaying in the breeze but I swear, he would happily show a robber where my jewellery box is in exchange for a pat.
Useless!!! (And yet we love them so much, donβt we? π)
PS Another example of his uselessness β he spends 22 hours a day doing this. The other 2 hours are spent a) eating b) hoping to eat c) playing.
10/10 can recommend. Subbed bacon fat for olive oil but otherwise didnβt make any changes and oh good heck, this recipe is a big winner.
If you think lentil soup is bland and boring, think again. This is flavoursome and comforting. I lovely non-meat meal to warm the cockles of your heart.
advent 1 β yummy yummy yummy
Being totally honest, this recipe is a start. Just add 2-3x the amount of cumin and coriander called for. That will help a lot. I even sprinkled in a little chipotle powder and then it was perfect.
I love lentils. These lentils really do taste amazing and so full of flavour. My kids eat it too.
Love so many of your recipes Nagi, but was sceptical about this one. How good could a lentil soup could be? Given your stamp of approval Nagi, I had to give it a go. OMG, this is such a winner, hearty, healthy and super tasty which is what I always get with your recipes. Itβs made it into the recipe folder with 200+ of your other recipes!
This soup is beautiful and delicious. Thank you. Was out of carrots so used a sweet potato. Still delicious!
Wow! I just made it and boy is it delicious!
This soup is so delicious! I love the fact that delicious can be healthy as you have proven by the creation of this recipe.
I love lentil soup and make it often so was excited to try this recipe since I love all your recipes Nagi. Taste testing throughout and I was really happy with the flavours until I added the lemon juice and rind at the end. My lemon must have been too big as the lemon now dominates all the other flavours. Can I do anything with all the leftovers to fix this?
Was very promising until the lemon. Waaaaaay too much, almost inedible.
Long time follower and admirer but a lazy cook. I finally got around to cooking this beautiful soup. I found myself in a beautiful isolated airbnb on my own by the lake and with me I brought some dry lentils and onions and carrots. Luckily the airbnb came with spices and a batch of bacon that I glady added for extra flavour π₯. So even without garlic (I used 2 onions instead of 1) and without celery or bay leafs, but with the addition of bacon when simmering this came out so delicious and cosy. I simmered suuuper long and then put it all into the pressure cooker afterwards for a quick 30mins finish, yummy!!! I soaked the dried lentils in hot water for about 4 to 5 hours prior to use, as my stomach doesnβt agree with them otherwise. Itβs also enough for me to eat twice a day for about 4 to 5 days yey! Luckily itβs that good, soothing and comforting. It tastes better the second day and even better the 3rd day (or maybe im just getting use to it π). So what I now have is a beautiful peaceful lake view, one hearty home made soup and 2 happy doggos (or maybe not happy when Iβm eating this soup as they canβt share it coz of the onion). I better find a recipe us 3 (πΆπΆπ©) can all share from you. So grateful for all the inspiration you provide to those like me who are not into cooking but want to be!π I will keep learning and cooking more from you Nagi! βΊοΈπ«Ά
Thank you for your recipe! I made it this evening, and it is delicious!!! I will be making this on repeat.
Long time follower and admirer but a lazy cook. I finally got around to doing one of your recipes and its this beautiful soup. I found myself in a beautiful isolated airbnb on my own by the lake and I had some lentils and onion and carrot with me. Luckily the airbnb came with spices and a batch of bacon that I glady added for extra flavour π₯. So even without garlic (I used 2 onions instead of 1) and without celery or bay leafs, but with the addition of bacon on the onion when simmering this came out delicious. I simmered suuuper long and then put it all into the pressure cooker afterwards yummy!!! I soaked the dried lentils in hot water for about 4 to 5 hours before use as my stomach doesnβt agree with then otherwise. Itβs also enough for me t0 eat twice a day for about 5 days yey! Luckily itβs that good, soothing and comforting. It tastes better the second day and even better the 3rd day (or maybe im just getting use to it π). So what I now have is a beautiful peaceful lake view, one hearty home made soup and 2 happy doggos (or maybe not happy when Iβm eating this soup as they canβt share it coz of the onion). I better find a recipe us 3 (πΆπΆπ©) can all share from you. Hehe so grateful for all the inspiration you provide to those like me who are not into cooking but want to be!π I will keep learning and cooking more from you Nagi! βΊοΈπ«Ά
Oh my! Delicious. Whipped up with my cupboard staples. Didnβt have any coriander. So put in some Mediterranean spice mix which included coriander and it tasted great. My 2 y/o loved it.
Hear me out. I used red lentils and this turned out amazing. They cook faster so make sure veggies cooked a bit before but it turned out creamy and delicious π
This is THE best lentil soup Iβve ever had! I tweaked the recipe a little to better suit our tastes, but isnβt that the beauty of cooking? I left out the crushed tomatoes and, instead, added cubed potatoes. I made sure to boil the potatoes separately for several minutes prior to adding to the soup in order to insure they were soft. I also added a bit more broth to make up for lost moisture from the tomatoes.
I first cooked this on Oct. 28th. It is now November 11th and cooked a third pot last night. Three huge pots in only two weeks because the whole family loves it so much!
I also served with yeast rolls or sourdough bread. This is a perfect meal for a cold Fall day. This will 100% be one of my goto recipes in the future.
It is super quick and easy, cheap, healthy and DELICIOUS.
Delicious! I used bone broth and added a can of coconut milk at the end to make it creamy. That lemon is a game changer!
Tastes great, I added a little smoked ham and it worked great with the recipe
By far the best lentil soup I have ever made. DO NOT SKIP THE LEMON AND LEMON ZEST. It add u believable flavor to this soup.
This recipe has quickly become a family favorite! Itβs a sure fire way to cook a healthy meal I know my kids will gobble up. Itβs really good as is, but I tweak it just a tad. I add more carrot and celery than is called for because I like it a little chunkier. I also use fire roasted tomatoes and smoked paprika for a little extra flavor boost. Thank you so much for this!
Forgot to include my rating on my previous comment, is 5 stars the highest?! Love this recipe