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
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.
Really delicious, we loved it and will make it again – very cheering on a grey day
So yummy. Comfort food. Lemon is delightful. I used quarter of a fennel bulb instead of celery. Added a lovely earthy flavour.
Need more stock about 10cup instead of 6. More salt.
I must admit, I was dubious about the lemon, but it was truly delicious!
Delicious but seriously thick. I needed to add some extra stock. Highly recommend.
I used tinned lentils, and even with a reduced amount of stock as recommended in the notes, I needed double the amount of tinned lentils to make it thick like the video. Will try it again with dried lentils next time and see how it goes.
Just wondering if you’ve tried it again and if it went better?
Made this to take on a winter camping trip. It was incredible: delicious, hearty and warmed us up nicely. The lemon zest and juice makes all the difference. Thank you for another delicious (and healthy) recipe Nagi!!
Is it possible to make this with an instant pot?
Simple to make and absolutely delicious! It didn’t make the fridge or freezer for another day but was devoured instantly! Shall definitely make this lentil soup again. Yes the touch of lemon was perfect.
Hello, could you make this in a slow cooker? Would you need to add more stock? Thanks
You can do that Bronwyn and no need to add more stock as very little liquid is lost when slow cooking! N x
Made this twice, love it. Best with addition of small can tomato paste
Is the small can of tomato paste in addition to the 14 Oz of crushed tomatoes or instead of?
Thanks for that feedback Amanda! N x
could I use leek instead of onion? Not a big fan of onions so I often replace with leek in soups..
You absolutely could Mel!! N x
I’ve gone to a different recipe every single time I made a lentil soup until now, but I’ve starred this one as a new go-to. We love it! I pressure cooked for 15mins after I sautéd the mire poix and added frozen greens after pressure release. I increased your spices just a little and also added a little anise for a meatier flavor. Delish!
I made this last night and it was great! I was able to prep the chicken for tonight while it cooked so it was very convenient.
Hi Nagi, I’m heavily pregnant and as is common, everything has ‘slowed down’. This soup is AMAZING for getting things going again in a very gentle way – better than fibre supplements, prune juice, Weetbix or any of the other common recommendations.
I’ve made it nearly every week for the last few months as it’s tasty and so beneficial. Thank you!
Oh Emma I am so happy that it’s helping you out! Best of luck with the bub!! N x
I followed the recipe. All I had were Hunts Fire Roasted diced tomatoes on the shelf and used them instead of crushed. I’m not a real fan of lemon flavor, but put the juice in anyway and I can’t taste the lemon. I didn’t do the zest because well, I didn’t want to push it with lemon flavor. It turned out EXCELLENT. The spice blend was perfect. I wouldn’t change a thing on it…except not doing the zest. LOL
That’s amazing Debbie! I am so happy that you liked it! N x
Loved this! I added a little smoked sausage and spinach…it’s all about balance, right? Thanks Nagi!
Those are great additions to this soup Brenda!! N x
Made this with some ham stock (from Easter). No coriander, so doubled the cumin, and used smoky paprika instead of regular as that was all I had. Left it chunky (personal preference). Soooo delicious! Will have to freeze some as this is a large recipe for one person. Thank you for sharing.
It does freeze well Audrey so you can keep on enjoying it!! N x
I am not a fan of cumin and coriander. Are there other spices (nothing “hot” spicy tho) I could use instead?
Looks like the recipe I received from a Greek chef who made THE best lentil soup.
Yes one of his secrets was lemon zest / juice way before Ina Garten was around!
I sometimes add a small amount of cooked pork roast to make it more hearty.
Great recipe, thank you and adding bread is so true!
Those little tricks make all the difference!! N x
Amazing!!
Woo hoo Karen!! I’m glad you liked it!!! N x