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.
So delicious! Iβm making this again tonight. Great vegan soup for a cold winter evening like this! And the toast topped with Earth Balance really topsnit off!
Love hearing that Karmen! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed it! N xx
Awesome, five stars!
ππ»
Can I put fresh cilantro instead of powder? I donβt have the powder.
You sure can! Double the amount π N x
This was a really good soup. I didnβt convert to the instapot. Added an additional 1 cup broth and set for 30 minutes low pressure. Doubled the seasonings and a pinch of cayenne (I really like seasoning). Thanks for the share.
^DID
Thatβs so great to hear Tabby! Thank you for taking the time to let me know! N x
Thanks ! absolutely loved this recipe. The lemon was a great idea ! I added finely diced red onion and avocado on top before serving. ******
How much does this make?
Thank you so much for this recipe β‘ The perfect vegan comfort food for winter! Greetings from Finland π
Just made this soup! Delicious! I put in a little more cumin, coriander and paprika because we like our flavours punched up a bit, but the texture and taste was perfect. Will definitely make again! Thank you
Oh thatβs a keeper (-:
Ever thrown all ingredients in to a crockpot??
Please donβt! Not for this! N x
This soup was delicious. You are right, it tastes wonderful with a squeeze of lemon and crusty bread.
Thank you.
I love hearing that Roxanne!! Thanks for letting me know β N x β€οΈ
This soup is so rich in flavor, amazing!!! I prepared it for the first time and my family couldnβt stop asking for more! Thank you so much for sharing!
I love hearing that Zita!! Thanks for letting me know β N x β€οΈ
I made this today and it was amazing!! 5 stars for sure.
Iβm so pleased to hear that Jenny!! Thanks for sharing that! N xx
Made this today on a brutally cold day. Didnβt change a thing, used homemade chicken stock, fantastic! My husband declared that it was the best lentil soup ever! (And Iβve made quite a few in our 29 years of marriage). I would add..donβt forget to remove bay leaves before blitzing with hand blender. I kept reminding myself and still forgot. Luckily they were found intact.
Iβm so pleased to hear that Lola!! Thanks for sharing that! N xx
This was absolutely delicious, so much better then any lentil soup Iβve had before. Itβs going in my favorite receipes. Thanks for sharing it!
So pleased to hear that Beata! Thanks for letting me know β N x β€οΈ
Merri
I agree, this was so good! I didnβt have any coriander so I added thyme instead and it came out just fine. Iβm making this again, for sure. Five stars.
I love hearing that Merri!! Thanks for letting me know β N x β€οΈ
Hands-down, the best lentil soup Iβve ever had!! I made it exactly by the recipe and wouldnβt change a thing!! So, so good & flavorful! I think the freshly-squeezed lemon & zest really bring out the flavors. Delicious!!! I give it 10 stars!
So pleased to hear that Gail! Thanks for letting me know β N x β€οΈ
I grew up with Lentil soup but it had bacon and sausage in it so I was a little skeptical about this recipe. The spice mix was very different but I decided to try it and I did it exactly the way you suggested. It is delicious! My husband and I both loved it and I will be making this again. Thank you.
So pleased to hear that Sibylle! Thanks for letting me know β N x β€οΈ
Iβve been looking for some game changers for myself and my family, something to help me work some ingredients into the mix that I have either avoided or never tried. In the case of lentils, itβs both! This recipe looks right up my alley. A ton of flavors and things we enjoy with a dose of a new, healthy food. Iβm super excited to try this (along with many others I have found here!) Thanks for sharing!
Making this tomorrow for xmas eve! Curious, if I make it early in the day and reheat on the stove later will it still be good? Looking forward to making it!
Gosh yes! It is great for days afterwards!
Hi! Super excited about the soup, making it now. Curious why not the salt until the end?