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.
I’ve made this at least a half dozen times now and it’s without question the Best lentil soup. I won’t use any other recipe now. I think the biggest difference from other recipes is the thickness of the lentils (2cups vs 1) – and the lemon! The lemon zest and juice puts this into a whole different category. It’s not so much “lemony” as it is “fresh” tasting.
I’m so glad you love it Cheryl!! N x
I made this for dinner tonight. I accidentally threw in some curry powder (I thought I had picked up the jar of cumin – oops!), but I know it pairs well with the other spices, so I wasn’t concerned. The results were amazing; this is one of the best soups I have ever made! I will be making this regularly!
YES!! I love hearing this Diane! N x
My husband is not a huge fan of lemon – how prominent is the lemon taste?
It adds a lovely lemon flavour in my opinion. If your husband isn’t in to lemon just leave it out, it will still be delicious. Just add a squeeze to your own bowl 🙂
the best best best lentil :))
I’m so glad you love it Milena!! N x
This, along with your no-knead bread, has become my favourite I-don’t-feel-like-cooking meal. It’s so good! I pressure cook mine after the sauté step and it’s always turned out amazing!
Perfect Sam!! N x
Hi I am making this now to eat over the next few days, can I add the lemon now or do I have to add just before serving always.?
Hi Lou, you can add it now, it will be fine 🙂 N x
Hello, this looks yummy! Just one question: does the stock need to be cold?
Thank you, hope I can try it soon!
Hi Lauan, temperature of the stock doesn’t matter here – I hope you try and love it! N x
I made this soup today but I used coconut oil instead of olive oil and all I can say is YUM… Flavour explosion in my mouth. Absolutely love this soup it gives you those comfort of grandmas home feels with a twist
AWESOME! This lentil soup is so wonderful, love it! I used 8 cups of homemade turkey-vege stock, so delicious! It is a bit thicker than I prefer but will just thin down with some extra broth. During this time of COVID-19 and staying home I did not have a lemon so used Rice Wine Vinegar-super yummy! Definitely will make again and try with lemon when I can get to a store.
Sounds like you nailed it Lynn!! 🙌
I’ve made the lentil soup multiple times and I think the key is excluding the crushed tomatoes. The soup takes probably 20 min to cook, however the crushed tomatoes do something to the lentils and they take forever to cook when I add them . Other than that , a delicious lentil soup .
That doesn’t sound right at all – can I ask what lentils you’re using? N x
I think I might name this Lockdown Lentil soup. It was really good. First time I have used lentils. The lemon at the end is a winner. Makes a lot!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Sue! N x
WOW ! what a beauty, that lemon really does work. My wife and I loved it and we are not “lentil” cooking people, all that has now changed, Thank You. PS love your stir fry sauce.
I’m so glad I’ve converted you both Len!! N x
On family menu every week since we discovered it. Thank you!
Yum, yum yum! Easy and so delicious. You must add the lemon.
I’m so happy you enjoyed it Marni! N x
I’ve not been a big fan of lentil soup but this intrigued me. Absolutely delicious!
All your recipes look amazing! Not sure you’ve addressed this somewhere else, but are the measurements provided for table salt or a coarse grained salt?
Hi Nav – the measurements are for cooking salt with has a coarser grain than table salt. N x
Hi Nagi, I made your lentil soup last night…it was a hit with the family! Thank you for keeping us sane with your amazing recipes during this isolation period! #stayhome #staysafe
You’re so welcome Helen, I’m so glad you loved it! N x
Can i use plain tomato sauce instead of crushed tomato?
Hi Bernadette, you could use passata – but not tomato sauce that has added salt/sugar. N x
Love your soup – but made it in my pressure cooker – didn’t have to puree anything and cooked it for about 12 minutes. Yum!!! thanks for sharing a great recipe.
Sounds great Kathi! N x
Hi I made this soup which was delicious . It was really thick so one half I thinned down as soup and the other I used to make a lasagne instead of meat. It worked a treat and was delicious. Love your recipes thank you
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Jacqueline! N x