Lentil Soup is a classic recipe when you’re looking for a bowl of warm comfort. Made with simple and bright spices, loaded with veggies, and finished off with lemon juice, this easy restaurant quality soup will be a favorite for your whole family.
This easy and comforting Lentil soup recipe is so filling, nutritious, and with my simple blend of ingredients, it’s also incredibly delicious! Made entirely in one pot, this straightforward and healthy recipe yields a large amount of soup, which means its perfect for leftovers! Not to mention, it freezes well for easy future meals! I guarantee you’ll love this classic and hearty soup.
Why This Soup Works
- One Pot Recipe
- Hearty & Filling
- Healthy
- Excellent Freezer Meal
- Comforting Soup
- Requires Simple Ingredients
I know there are soup pessimists out there who don’t think you can enjoy a filling meal with just a bowl of soup. I’m here to prove them wrong! Even this vegetarian recipe will leave you feeling happy and filled up. Made entirely in one pot (less dishes to clean!) this comforting soup is healthy, hearty and packed full of flavor!
Ingredient Notes
- Olive oil – Substitute sunflower, avocado, safflower, vegetable, or canola oil.
- Spices – Coriander, turmeric, cumin and smoked paprika.
- Lentils – Dry lentils, any color.
- Broth – Veggie or chicken. Use low sodium.
- Bay leaves – Fresh or dried.
- Crushed tomatoes – Canned. You can also use diced tomatoes.
- Lemon juice – Fresh or bottled.
How To Make Lentil Soup
- Sauté veggies: Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and cook for 5 minutes or until the onion becomes soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Simmer: Stir in the coriander, turmeric, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Add the lentils, broth, bay leaves, and crushed tomatoes. Stir everything together, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and cook for 35-40 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.
- Finish: Discard the bay leaves and stir in the lemon juice. Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley, green onion, and serve.
How To Make Lentil Soup In The Instant Pot
- Turn your Instant Pot onto the Sauté setting. Heat the olive oil, then add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes or until the onion becomes soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the coriander, turmeric, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, lentils, broth, bay leaves, and crushed tomatoes. Stir everything together.
- Secure the lid of your Instant Pot and move the valve from VENT to SEAL. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
- Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure. Stir in the lemon juice, garnish and serve.
How To Make Lentil Soup In The Slow Cooker
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook until the onion softens and turns translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Transfer the veggies to a slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients, except for lemon juice, and stir everything well to combine.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours, until the lentils are tender. Stir in the lemon juice, garnish, and serve.
FAQs & Expert Tips
FAQs
You really have free range when it comes to what you can add to your soup! Some great options would be: Spinach or kale, Herbs – Fresh or Dried, Ground meat, Chilies or Hot Sauce, Cubed Potatoes.
This vegetarian lentil soup is hearty enough to be served as a meal of its own. Pair it with a side of freshly baked bread and you’ll be in food heaven.
The lentils do not require it, but can be soaked in order to reduce cooking time by about half. Before cooking, rinse lentils in cold water, then drain.
Tips
- The mild taste of lentils can go with so many different flavors. You can switch of the spice mixture every time you make a batch of lentil soup to enjoy something a bit different every time! This recipe is the pinnacle of lick-your-bowl-clean healthy deliciousness.
- Lentils are extremely nutritious! Eating one serving a day of beans, peas, chickpeas or lentils can significantly reduce ‘bad cholesterol’ and therefore the risk of cardiovascular disease!
Leftovers
Make sure your lentil soup has cooled down to room temperature before storing. Store directly in the pot, or transfer leftovers to an airtight container. Your leftover lentil soup will last 3-4 days refrigerated.
Freezing
Let the soup fully cool down to room temperature before storing. Transfer the lentil soup to an airtight container and store in the freezer up to 6 months.
Reheating
Fridge: Reheat leftover lentil soup either in the microwave, or on the stovetop over medium heat. If you find that the soup has thickened too much, you can add a splash of broth or water.
Freezer: Reheating is easiest if you let the soup thaw overnight in the fridge, but you can still reheat it straight from the freezer in either the microwave or on the stove.
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Lentil Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 medium carrot chopped
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ tsp coriander
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- ½ tsp pepper or to taste
- 1 ½ cups dry lentils
- 6 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth, low sodium
- 2 bay leaves dried
- 14 oz crushed tomatoes 1 can
- 2 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch Oven or a soup pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrot and celery. Cook for about 5 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until aromatic.
- Add the coriander, turmeric, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, pepper and stir. Add the lentils, broth, bay leaves and crushed tomatoes. Stir everything together. Bring to a boil then reduce to medium-low and cook for 35 to 40 minutes, until the lentils are soft and tender.
- Discard the bay leaves and stir in the lemon juice. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.
- Garnish with parsley or green onions and serve.
Recipe Notes
- Make sure the soup has cooled down to room temperature before storing. Store directly in the pot, or transfer leftovers to an airtight container. Your leftovers will last 3-4 days refrigerated.
- Reheat either in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium heat. If you find that the soup has thickened too much, you can add a splash of broth or water.
I tried this recipe and was amazing , I tweaked it just a little,added 1 tblsp of cayenne pepper atop the soup when finished and mixed it in. The soup didnt last till the next day.
Joanna! I made this as directed above….FANTASTIC! Thank you so much for sending this recipe to me!
My pleasure, glad you enjoyed it!
Is this one of those lentil soups thats good the night you make it but after spending the night in the fridge, magical flavour fairies turn it into AMAZEBALLS?!
That’s right!🤣
So easy and tasty. I made it using my InstaPot — first time making Lentil soup and it was so good. My husband said “this soup is a keeper — add it to our favorite recipes”, yippee !! (the yippee comment was from me of course — my hubby doesn’t talk like that — bahahaha) Thank you for the new family favorite.
Thank you for the good laugh this morning! We’re so happy you both love it 🙂
Should the lentils be rinsed or soaked before use. Thanks.
Nope, use them dry!
Can this be make in the Instant Pot?
Yes! Cook for 18 minutes on high pressure, then quick release.