Don’t settle for bland Lentil Soup! Make it right and you’ll have everyone begging for seconds….and thirds… This lentil recipe is one of the best nourishing, simple dishes you can make with dried lentils that’s 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. It’s an easy recipe that delivers terrific results, a 5 star reader favourite with hundreds of feedback from readers!
Want to add 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 I’m all about big flavours. Spicy, herby, curries – kapow, kapow, kapow!
But you know what? A well made Lentil Soup recipe is can’t-stop-eating-it good. You’ll go back for seconds and thirds, then you’ll be taking big tubs of it to work for lunch and happily have it for dinner again.
And – I’m going to say it (*head swell*) – plenty of readers have said this is the best lentil soup they’ve ever had!
A well made Lentil Soup recipe is can’t-stop-eating-it good.
Is lentil soup good for you?
If you’re wondering if lentil soup is good for you, the answer is yes! Lentils are nutritious, rich in minerals, protein, low in fat, high in fibre (digestive health). They are a terrific vegetarian source of protein with 25% of the calories in lentils attributable to protein.
Lentils are a carbohydrate, but it’s slow burning which means it keeps you fuller for longer. Studies also suggest that lentils are good for heart health.
The added benefit is that 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. There’s an undertone of natural sweetness from the soffrito flavour base of onion, carrot and celery. My favourite part is the texture! It’s thick and comforting, and just made for dunking in hot crusty bread!
What goes in Lentil Soup
Here’s 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 – The “secret” ingredient. 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 minutes in the soup, and there’s 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 – brown, green, red or yellow, though it will affect the colour of the soup. I’ve used green lentils, pictured below.
The only type of lentil I do not recommend is Puy Lentils (little black French lentils) because they hold their shape and don’t soften like other lentils.
Can you used canned cooked lentils?
Yes you sure can, and directions are provided in the recipe notes. But it’s better made with dried lentils because of the texture in the soup, there’s only 10 minutes difference in cook time and it’s more economical!
How to make Lentil Soup from scratch
-
Sauté your onion, garlic, carrots and celery over over low heat for almost 10 minutes. Take your time here – 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!
You’ll 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 a 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 – 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 – even longer!
Every time I make this, I always wonder why I don’t make it more often. It’s healthy, filling, super economical, freezes perfectly, versatile and it’s seriously good.
Serving this with some sort of warm crusty bread for dunking is not optional. It’s an essential part of the Lentil Soup experience.
But it is optional whether you slather said bread with butter, or grill it with cheese! Here are a few options – including making your own ultra easy homemade bread with NO YEAST:
– Nagi xx
Lentil Soup
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.
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 - 10 minutes or until softened and the onion is sweet. Don't rush this step, it is key to the flavour base of the soup.
- Add all remaining ingredients except the lemon and salt. Stir.
- 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 - 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 – it’s been a firm reader favourite from day 1, so I wouldn’t dare touch it!
More totally delicious lentil recipes:
-
Sexy Lentil Salad – try it, then you’ll get the name….
-
Dal – Indian lentil curry. The highest and best use of lentils, full stop!
-
Coconut Lentil Curry – outrageously addictive, and easy (I make this for a curry fix when I don’t have time for dal)
-
Mejadra (Middle Eastern Spiced Lentil Rice) – 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 contributes negative. Dropping fur everywhere, shaking vigorously so it flies everywhere along with an inordinate amount of sand, constantly sprawling out in my path so I’m forced to step over him (remember, I’m vertically challenged = giant steps).
Giant 💩 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, don’t we? 🙂)
PS Another example of his uselessness – he spends 22 hours a day doing this. The other 2 hours are spent a) eating b) hoping to eat c) playing.
Delicious with a buttered slice of sourdough pumpkin bread!
Fantastic recipe, so flavourful and so easy to make. I didn’t know lentil soup could be so delicious. It also freezes perfectly. I made a big batch just to keep it in the freezer for future.
This was so lovely and comforting, best lentil soup I’ve ever had 🙂
Just made this and it is AMAZING. Made exactly as written (but made it in my crockpot that has a saute function) Simmered on low for 45 minutes and just kept simmering for an afternoon of comfort smells and tastes. Had to add a bit more water but it thickened beautifully in this slow cooking method and raves from all. Thank you!
This stuff is delicious! I waited to add both the lemon and tomato (bad experience in the past where tomato stopped my lentils from fully cooking. I’m kind of a space cadet and accidentally added twice the amount of tomato which I have to say, it tasted better before the tomato. Lol. My fault. Will still eat my pasta sauce, I mean lentil soup. Lol
such an amazing cook love your recipes xx
Hi Nagi,
I made this Lentil Soup tonight and it really is ‘seriously amazing’! I did not even have to thicken it, as it became thick enough as it cooked for the 40 minutes through. Excellent flavour and so, so simple to make. My husband liked it too – win, win! Thank you so much!
I made this. Great tasting. Quick. Like your mother I am thrifty. Can’t stand to waste food so added left over meat, fresh tomatoes and potatoes. I used two garlic pods, whole, and half of an onion, whole, due to one family member unable to digest them, so they can be lifted out, but the flavor is left behind. Thanks for clear directions.
First time to try making this myself after trying out in a local restaurant, and I loved this! Thanks Nagi, am an avid fan of your cooking and recipes!
I loved it! Delicious! The only adjustment I made was to remove the crushed tomatoes. (One member of the household is sensitive to acidic foods) I added additional chicken stock to make up for the moisture lost without the tomatoes.
Thx Nagi! Loved it!! (And actually I don’t even like lentils). Greetings from Holland. X
This made so many leftovers! We ended up making into a pie the next night – puff pastry on the bottom and mashed potato and cheese on top – it was amazing and there was none left! Great meal for young kids. Thanks Nagi
Yummmmmmmy! The bit of lemon zest and juice at the end is the key!!
Just lovely. Perfect winter nosh. Added parmesan to garnish.
Great recipe Nagi, Only thing I did differently I had a little fresh from the garden broccoli a small amount but thank you it was delicious.
Great recipe. Idk how to cook and it was easy! Thank you for posting, my fianceé loved it too. Will make more in the future.
This recipe is so tasty it could convert the most resistant non-lentil eaters. Yum!
I made a modified version (no garlic or paprika, extra lemon) of this lentil soup yesterday. My friend from Mexico (for whom lentil soup is a staple) said that it’s the best he’s had and food hasn’t tasted this good since his grandfather was alive. Best review I have had on a meal yet!!!
Cooked last night but used black lentils even though Nagi said not to as they turned to mush. Given that the toddler husband HATES lentils I thought that was a good option! Had to recook today for another 20 minutes, added more stock, vigorously blended & topped with coriander. Toddler husband & discerning grandson loved it, big thumbs up.
This soup was fantastic! I served it with your grilled cheese sandwich.
This turned out delicious, I didn’t have fresh garlic but used granular. I also added goat butter for richness and fat for my slender kids. I used organic fire roasted crushed tomatoes because, well I didn’t have to dig to the back of the cupboard. I have never made lentil soup but always loved eating it. Thank you for the recipe and I will be using it for years to come.