Best Lentil Soup
This healthy lentil soup recipe comes together quickly with pantry ingredients. Simple spices, fresh greens and a squeeze of lemon make it the best! Vegan.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on October 3, 2024
This soup recipe was a long time coming! Over the years, I made some lackluster lentil soups that never saw the light of day on this website. No vegetarian food blog would be complete without a proper lentil soup, though, so I perfected one of my own.
Here it is. My lentil soup is made with mostly pantry ingredients but includes hearty greens and a squeeze of lemon for bright, fresh flavor. It’s seasoned with a few of my favorite spices and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Honestly, it’s the best lentil soup I’ve ever had.
The original title of this recipe was “Spiced Vegan Lentil Soup,” which is accurate, but a mouthful. With over 500 five-star reviews, I think it’s safe to call this the Best Lentil Soup. Period.
Whether you’re looking to lighten up your meals or warm up with a steaming bowl of soup, this healthy lentil soup recipe is for you! It’s one of my all-time favorites and I hope it becomes a staple in your kitchen as well.
How to Make the Best Lentil Soup
Five reasons to love this recipe:
- The recipe calls for seasonal vegetables and affordable pantry ingredients, but tastes gourmet.
- This lentil soup has an amazing hearty texture that’s lightly creamy (yet there is no cream). The trick is to blend up a portion of the soup once the lentils are tender, and then pour it back into the pot. It’s like magic.
- This nutritious, well-balanced soup counts as a meal if you enjoy a generous portion. Lentils are rich in protein, fiber, iron and folate.
- Lentil soup packs well for lunch in a leak-proof container, and it tastes even better the next day.
- This soup freezes and defrosts well. Make soup now and enjoy it later!
Watch How to Make Lentil Soup
Please let me know how this lentil soup turns out for you in the comments. I’m always so eager to hear from you.
If you love this soup, check out my hearty vegetarian chili, favorite black bean soup and pinto posole. You can check out all my soup and stew recipes here.
Don’t miss my lentil minestrone recipe in my cookbook—if you’re a fan of this soup, you’re going to love it.
Best Lentil Soup
This simple vegan lentil soup recipe comes together quickly with mostly pantry ingredients. Be sure to have your ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking! Recipe yields four large bowls of soup, or six more modest servings.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 large can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, lightly drained
- 1 cup brown or green lentils, picked over and rinsed
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup chopped fresh collard greens or kale, tough ribs removed
- 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice (½ to 1 medium lemon), to taste
Instructions
- Warm the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. One-fourth cup olive oil may seem like a lot, but it adds a lovely richness and heartiness to this nutritious soup.
- Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion and carrot and cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is turning translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, cumin, curry powder and thyme. Cook until fragrant while stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. Pour in the drained diced tomatoes and cook for a few more minutes, stirring often, in order to enhance their flavor.
- Pour in the lentils, broth and the water. Add 1 teaspoon salt and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper. Raise heat and bring the mixture to a boil, then partially cover the pot and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape.
- Transfer 2 cups of the soup to a blender. Securely fasten the lid, protect your hand from steam with a tea towel placed over the lid, and purée the soup until smooth. Pour the puréed soup back into the pot. (Or, use an immersion blender to blend a portion of the soup.)
- Add the chopped greens and cook for 5 more minutes, or until the greens have softened to your liking. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Taste and season with more salt, pepper and/or lemon juice until the flavors really sing. For spicier soup, add another pinch or two of red pepper flakes.
- Serve while hot. Leftovers will keep well for about 4 days in the refrigerator, or can be frozen for several months (just defrost before serving).
Notes
Soup recipe roughly based on America’s Test Kitchen’s lentil soup in The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook, with reference to The First Mess’ favourite lentil soup.
Recommended equipment: I love my Vitamix blender and Le Creuset 5.5-quart Dutch oven (affiliate links).
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
This soup is SO GOOD! It was perfect for a chilly night. I have a bunch of lentils I’ve been needing to use up and this was the perfect recipe for them. I didn’t have curry powder so I left that out and added some extra cumin, a little cayenne, and a bunch of turmeric instead. I never would have thought to purée some of the soup but this was a brilliant idea and made the soup thick and creamy. The addition of lemon juice really helped bring out the flavors as well. I topped mine with avocado and just a little bit of hot sauce. Perfect! I will absolutely make this again!
Thank you! It is a favorite. I’m happy you think so to!
This has to be the BEST lentil soup I’ve ever made or eaten. Simple recipe yet so flavorful and delicious. I can’t wait to make it for my husband.
Thanks so much Adriana! I appreciate the review and comment.
I love this recipe! I made it with red lentils and it turned out great – even my meat-eating husband loved it! That last squeeze of fresh lemon juice really adds a brightness to the flavor. This one is a keeper in our house.
Great! Thank you, Stephanie for your comment and star review. I really appreciate it.
Just wanted to post a long overdue comment about this amazing soup! I’ve made this around 8 times, and it’s my absolute favorite lentil soup recipe!! Its hearty, filling and delicious!! I love the addition of the cumin and curry powder for a change of taste – my absolute fav!
I’m happy you did! Thank you. If you would want to leave a star review since you liked it so much, that would be wonderfuL!
Ooh, I thought I did – sorry! I think I added it (probably best not to do it from my phone!) – Tasha
Excellent, my husband and kids loved it even though one of them doesn’t like lentils. Definitely adding to my rotation!
Great! Thanks, Elizabeth.
question about the blender part of your instructions. i have a nutribullet. ive used that when making butternut squash soup – and it makes everything very smooth and creamy. but in your pictures, i can still see some small chunks of veggies and lentils. so is the blending part really necessary?
I like to blend just a portion of the soup to give it a little bit creamier consistency. You don’t have to, but I recommend it. The flavors meld very well this way too! The bullet should work well.
Hello from the UK! This is delicious; I was looking for some healthy, vegetarian lunch ideas for the New Year and stumbled on this.
I used green puy lentils which were great. Just a tip – for those UK readers – collard greens are spring greens!
I’m happy you stumbled, Kirsty! Thanks for your comment and review.
The Vegan Lentil Soup was delicious. Thank you for the recipe.
I made some changes- I used red lentils (it’s what we had in the pantry). I also made it in a crockpot and didn’t puree it. I quickly wilted some kale and added it right before serving. I felt like a real hero with how quickly dinner was on the table after I got home from work. We served with fresh-out-of- the-oven (from frozen) whole wheat rolls. Everyone loved it.
Thanks for sharing how you altered the recipe! I’m happy you enjoyed it.
My husband was upset that I wasn’t making plain lentils and rice . . . until he tasted the soup. He ended up having two bowls!!
That’s a win! Thanks, Tracy.
I’ve made this soup about 5 times in the last month. It’s sooooo good!! The last time I made it, I used kale and added a 1/2 tsp of turmeric and that was really yummy too. Thanks for the recipe Kate!
That’s awesome! Thank you, for your comment and star review.
Kate, my wife and son were both sick so I went online looking for a hearty sounding lentil soup and found yours. Made it tonight and everyone loved it. Very simple and the flavor was great. We all went back for seconds. Thanks for putting it online! (I added some chopped zucchini as well.)
I hope everyone is on the mend! Thanks, Jeff for your comment and I’m happy it was just want your family needed.
Great soup, thanks for the recipe!
It definitely did to need all that oil, I just used 1 tbsp and it was awesome.
If anyone wants at least an approximate calorie count, I put it into a counter and came up with 4 servings for about 200-250 calories, depending on how you tweak your ingredients (and only using 1 tbsp oil). Wonderful, low calorie, hearty, DELICIOUS soup!
I used a few more carrots (230g) and less oil but those are the only changes I made. I love this soup, thanks again.
Whoops – did NOT need all that oil, not did TO need…
I have to learn to proofread first.
Glad to hear that, Nikki! I appreciate you taking the time to review :)
I made this recipe for at least the third time today. Recipe is one of my bookmarks and I’ve recommended it to lots of friends over the last year or two. It’s just so good. Huge fan!
Thanks for your support and recommendations! I do truly appreciate it.
Amazing recipe! I will definitely try and make it soon!
Just a quick question, did you use canned precooked lentils or the hard ones that have to stay in water overnight before use?
Sending love from Italy,
Arianna
For this recipe, I recommend brown or green lentils. You can find them in your grocery store, but they don’t require to soak overnight. The directions account for cooking time and non-cooked lentils. I hope this helps!
Hi! I only have a large can of “crushed tomatoes” in my cupboard. Do you think this substitute will be ok for the diced tomatoes ?
Thanks!!
Leslie
The crushed tomatoes will change the texture and the flavor, unfortunately. I wouldn’t recommend it. But, if you try it – let me know what you thought :)
I tried it with the crushed tomatoes and it was excellent! My boyfriend raved about it– which surprised me, hah! I will make it again with the chopped tomatoes and decide which one I prefer. Great recipe though, thanks for sharing!
I just found and made this recipe tonight; it is so delicious!! I used half the oil, red lentils instead of green or brown, spinach instead of kale, plus I added zucchini. Again, it is super yummy, and that lemon juice added last is a must! Definitely a keeper for a hearty Vegan meal! Thank you!
It’s a favorite for sure. Love your variation. Lemon juice just has away of making flavors really sing. Enjoy the leftovers! They are even better :)
Thanks for sharing this recipe. Made this last night and my man commented on the delicious curry seasoning (which I also assembled myself).
That’s wonderful! Way to go. :) I appreciate the review, Alyse.
Really tasty! Didn’t add carrots because I don’t like soft/warm carrots but was really great and filling regardless. Could probably go with a little less OO.
Thank you, Kelsey for the review!
This is a delicious lentil soup. I hardly ever comment on recipes, but this one deserves it. I’ve made this at least half a dozen times and it never fails. I cut the cumin in half (I’m not a big cumin fan) and use spinach instead of kale. It is a big hit with my 8 yr old and picky 7year old. I sometimes serve it with garlic naan. Yum!!!! It’s currently cooking too. Thanks for the recipe!!!!!
Thank you!!
Absolutely love the Vegan Lentil Soup! It was simple, quick to make, and delicious!!! Even my kids who are not fans of curry or meatless dishes loved it.
Great, Criona! It’s a great one as leftovers too.
I did make this wonderful spicy soup, and it is glorious! I had spinach on hand, so I substituted it for the Kale….pretty fab!
I also made this soup tonight… not once, but TWICE! My fiancé is vegan and I’m startig to become vegan as well and I wanted a good meal for dinner tonight and stumbled onto this recipe and HOLY SHIZZ this is amazing! So good, we ate (2 people mind you) an entire pot of this and then we wanted to take some to work with us tomorrow, so I whipped up another batch! We only had a can of tomatoes with green chilies after I made the first batch and I was out of greens so I made it with Swiss chard and it STILL came out amazingly. This one is going into my recipe archive! Thank you so much for this awesome recipe. I forgot to mention I hate beans and lentils and this makes me want to eat them, not once once a day but twice!
Wonderful! Thank you, Claudia.
I have made this soup twice in the past month. It’s delicious and very hearty! Even my very picky husband enjoyed it.
Thanks for sharing.
It’s a great on to have on repeat! I find that even the pickiest eaters like this one. Seems to be true for you too. :) Thanks, Ruth!
Hi Kate, I love, love, love this soup! It is so hearty and warm! I use a box of frozen spinach (for quick convenience) in place of the kale. I also don’t pureed it because I enjoy it just the way it is! Thanks for a real keeper of a recipe!
Thank you, thank you! I’m happy you enjoyed it, Janet.
Really excellent lentil soup. I used French green lentils, spinach, and chicken broth – on hand. A keeper!
Great! Thank you, Amy.
I’ve been making this soup for over a year now. This is the recipe that led me to discover your site! A friend made this for me and it was so good that I asked her for the recipe and now I use your recipes all the time. Thank you.
I love that! Thank you for your support, Jenna.
This looks delicious! I have a bunch of cooked lentils in the fridge from another recipe. If I use those pre cooked lentils, should I not add the additional liquid?
I haven’t tried this soup with pre-cooked lentils before, but I would recommend omitting the 2 cups water. Let me know how it goes!
Loved it! Different from my normal veggie soup, but loved trying something a bit different. Very balanced, great spice ratio!
Thanks for trying it, Emily!
We made this to take on a family trip to make sure we had some veggies in our diet for the weekend. (Cousins we went with love on fried foods and chips :) It was awesome and has become a go to on the few cold days we do get in central Texas!!
What a great idea, Sandy! Thank you, for the review.
Very good! I’ve tried making lentil soup before and eating it was like taking my medicine. But this is comforting and enjoyable. I will use a little less cumin next time.
I only had 3/4 cup lentils so I used less oil and water. It still made six servings of 1.25 cup each.
I have never heard that comparison before! I’m glad this one was a much better experience. Thank you, Robin for sharing!
Just made this. It’s deelish! And I bet it will be even better leftover. Looking forward to the next few days of work lunches! Thanks!
Yes, it is SO good left over. Enjoy, Jodi!
Yummy! Delicious soup! The best lentil soup I’ve ever had. My husband even had some and liked it and he hates lentils! He thinks they taste like dirt normally
Win! Thank you, Sehara for sharing.
I’ve been making recipes from your blog for a few years, but somehow this one got skipped. I finally made this for the first time on Saturday and I’ve already finished the entire pot by myself. It was fabulous! The textures and levels of flavors work together so well. Not sure if it was the curry or the lemon that pushed it to the next level of wonderful! This native K.C. girl will be making this again soon.
I love that! It’s never too late, Jackie. :) Thank you for sharing and stay warm!
I had delicious lentil soup at 1000 Figs restaurant in New Orleans, which prompted me to look for one with cumin in it. This is not that same soup, but it’s oh-so-delicious in its own right. Thank you!
You’re welcome! Thank you, Cecile for the review.
I have a question. Have you ever tried Garam Masala instead of curry powder in this recipe? I find that there are many variations of curry powder that vary in quality. I have a really good Garam masala made from a local farmers market and i was wondering if it could work here.
I haven’t tried that! The amount of curry powder here is small, so I think you could safely use your spice blend here, especially since you know you like the flavor!
This is my go to recipe when I want a healthy and delicious dinner! I really appreciate that it is a simple, uncomplicated recipe that comes together quickly and tastes outstanding. I have cooked it for company and not only has everyone loved it, they have added it to their menu rotations! The only change I have made is that I cut one potato into cubes and add it when I add the canned tomatoes.
I love that! Thank you, Patty.
Absolutely delicious!!! Thank you Kate!!!! As a stay at home dad this was so quick, easy and scrumptious.
Great! Thank you, Daniel.
This is one of the best soups I’ve ever had; so hearty and delicious, perfect on a cold winter night.
I love that! Yes, I couldn’t agree more. Thanks for the review, Rachel.
Made your soup today as Texas was having an ‘ice day.’ SOOO good! Didn’t bother to blend it, just popped it over a scoop of brown rice and love,love love! This is what we call ‘a come backer’ will definately make again! Added spinach as no kale on hand and was grand!
Perfect for an ‘ice day’! Thanks for sharing, Lindy.
She’s not kidding, folks! This is one of the most delicious soups I have ever made. My husband loved it, too. Awesome soup for a wintry night.
Thank you, Jane! I really appreciate it.
Yum! Has anyone tried this in a slow cooker?
Thank you! I haven’t, but I would love to hear what you think.
This was so delicious! I added zucchini because more veggies forever!
I think that is great! More veggies, yes please. Thanks for the review, Juna.
Hi,
I made the spiced lentil soup tonight in my instant pot (with a few tweaks, didn’t drain tomatoes and left out the 2 cups water. 3/4 cup green lentils, 1/4 cup red). It was delicious! The flavor was amazing!
Thank you for sharing!
You’re welcome, Sandy! I’m glad it worked well in your instapot.
The best lentil soup I have ever had. made this for dinner last night it was super easy to do, i had everything at home for it. Make sure to not omit the lemon, it really does bring the flavors out.
I’m happy to hear that! It’s always nice when you have everything on hand. I appreciate the review, Anna.
Loved the soup! I added mushrooms and paprika because I didn’t have enough carrots and cumin. It was soooo good and I’ll be enjoying it for the next few days. I wish I found this recipe sooner :-)
Oh that sounds good! Thanks for the review, Sydney.
I love lentil soup and this one is absolutely one of the best I have tried so far.
My whole family enjoyed it
Love the kale in there and will double the amount next time I make it.
Keeper!
Thank you, Astrid. I appreciate the review.
Delicious! I’ve made it twice this month
Happy to hear that! It’s simple, but so good.
Just finished making this soup, and it is sooooo good. I used organic carrots, added diced organic celery, chicken stock, organic lacinato kale, and good quality french lentils. I will definitely make it again.
Great! Thank you, Diana.
Everything looks yummy
Thank you!
Love this soup! Shared it with my vegetarian friends who agreed that it is one of the best soups ever!
Great! Thank you, Mary Lou.
I made this soup last night and it is very good! I am attempting new recipes that are either vegetarian or vegan that my husband will eat and this fit the bill. I added some chopped Canadian bacon and shredded parm for my meat eating husband and I ate it as is. I love this recipe! The only change I made was to rough chop one bunch of swiss chard instead of the kale because I don’t like the texture of kale. 1 bunch was about 4-5 cups and it worked fine in the recipe.
Thank you, Valerie for the comment and review.