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.
So the weather just dipped to the low 60’s and I can’t wait to make this soup (stew) today. It has the heartiest taste, delicious with a loaf of French bread! Being a vegetarian my entire life I can’t tell you how happy I get when I find a recipe that is vegetarian AND tastes this amazing. Thanks and here’s to Fall!, Maureen
I made this for my family for lunch and everyone (including the picky eaters) thought it was tremendous !!! I love this and have added it to my recipe book! The lemon juice, diced tomatoes and the blending of the soup totally makes this recipe for me!
I had some beautiful kale sitting in the fridge from my CSA, just waiting to be used. I made the right choice, this soup was absolutely divine! I
plan to make this soup often and consistently as we head into the autumn/winter here in Moscow. Thanks, Kate!
Best ever lentil and vegetable soup. Easy to make, warming on a first truly autumnal day in the UK. I didn’t have enough lentils so added a tin of drained chickpeas to make up for that. Came out great! Thank you so much for sharing.
I made this meal gluten-free, keto-friendly, and vegan to suite my family members’ lifestyles, and it’s a huge hit! So flavorful and healthy! Thanks for sharing!
Instead of using canned tomatoes, I puréed and seasoned three whole tomatoes, substituted kale with spinach, and added cayenne pepper to kick up the heat.
So I made a mistake and put in a teaspoon of red pepper flakes instead of a pinch. And yet, it is spicy and delicious! The fresh lemon juice REALLY sets off the recipe.
Oh no! I’m glad you still like it, Sheik.
loved this soup!! I’ve even eaten it for breakfast a few times now ;)
Do you have to blend the soup? or could it be just as enjoyable without the blending
I think the blending helps make it the best, but you can skip if you like.
My family made this last night and it was amazing! SInce we aren’t big on spicy we didn’t add the pepper flakes. Going to make this again soon.
Do you use dried lentils or canned?
I used dried lentils for this one!
Can I use half red lentils and half green? Would that affect the recipe?
You can try it, but since red aren’t as firm they may get mushy on you.
So so good!!! Your recipes always turn out incredible :)
Hi. I was wondering if I can used tinned lentils instead of dry and just adjust liquid and cooking times??
Recipe sounds great, I’m looking forward to sneaking some veg and lentils into my children!!
Hi Lisa! Sure, you can use canned. Just watch your cooking time and you won’t need as much liquid. Try starting with the vegetable broth only and see if you need to add any water.
Made this again. The first few times I used kale but today I used Swiss chard and it turned out great. (I’ve never seen collard greens but I’d like to try some ).
Such a delicious and nutritious soup!
I decided to try this recipe today because I’m trying to add more lentils to my diet. I always get apprehensive before trying a new recipe (especially since I’ve recently gone vegetarian) in fear that it will turn out wrong and I’ll be wasting perfectly good ingredients I could have used for a recipe I’m more familiar with. However, Kate’s recipes have never steered me wrong. I’m always pleasantly surprised with how well the dish turns out once I’m finished. Thank you, Kate, for making my transition to being a vegetarian a bit easier. You won’t be disappointed with this recipe or any of the others for that matter. You can tell how much thought + patience goes into each recipe, and I’m forever grateful Kate decided to share them with us!!
Thanks for sharing, Alexis! Lentils are great to have in your eating!
Hi the soup was delicious and YUMMY. I did not make it. A friend brought some over…how timely for me!☺
A wonderful bowl of deliciousness! Thanks for a great recipe!
Holy, yum! Not something I would have experimented with a few years ago and I’m always on the hunt for a good soup. This was so good! I had EVERYTHING I needed already in my cabinets/fridge and I even added some sweet potato chunks and used spinach instead.
I used the immersion blender technique, and I think I’d rather go with a blender blender next time. The immersion blender kind of chopped a lot of the soup rather than making one smooth puree to stir back in to make a creamy chunky soup.
Delicious, definitely deserving of the “best” title!
I’m glad you agree it’s the best, Reilly!
Just made this recipe and it was super yum. Only thing I might change is to not add that extra teaspoon of salt. Found it quite salty. Otherwise, loved the addition of the kale. I added extra kale and cut the oil in half, and didn’t bother with the blender step. Like the idea of adding cilantro next time. Thanks!
Thank you for sharing, Effie! Adjust salt to taste as needed.
We loved this recipe! Sadly, I did not have any vegetable broth in the house, so to save a trip to the store I used chicken broth. We added some chopped pepperoncini to each bowl which added a little zing. We had lentil soup at a few community dinners when we walked the Camino de Santiago in Spain and they often served pickled peppers with the soup. Tastes wonderful and relished the memories. Thanks for the great recipe!
This is the best lentil soup recipe ever! I usually double it bc I have a big family and I plan to freeze but we never get that far!!!! Thank you this is amazing
Awesome recipe! Added mushrooms and subbed spinach for kale as I’m not a fan of the taste of cooked kale. Added a bit too much lemon juice at the end, but nothing a bit of baking soda couldn’t fix. Perfect for rainy days!
My wife wondered what I was going to do with those dry lentils that I had bought a few weeks earlier. It was a dreary rainy day and it appeared to be the perfect day for soup making. After googling and noting this recipe, it would become my early afternoon challenge. Preparations left the kitchen with an inviting aroma and the soup enlightened the day with a rich flavor and the satisfaction that the chosen recipe was the right one for the day. Many Thanks
You’re welcome, Philip!
This lentil soup recipe was really good! My husband loves it, thank you!
I’m usually hesitant to try lentil soups, but this was beyond delicious!! I added broccoli, spinach (instead of collard greens) and lemongrass. The squeeze of lemon makes it next level. Definitely adding this to my recipe box. Thanks for sharing!
Made this last night, so good! Be careful with step 5 I did that once and the blender blew up on me! Also, the last 5 minutes took more like 20, maybe I didn’t have the heat up enough. Love it though, will make again.
Oh no! I’m sorry to hear that, Michael. Yes, you need to be cautious when placing hot contents in your blender.
This recipe is delicious! I added chopped zucchini at the point where you add garlic/spices, and peeled& cubed Japanese sweet potato when there was about 15 min left in the simmering process (prior to the puree’ing step). Also subbed rainbow chard for kale! YUMMMMM – thank you! <3
My first try at cooking the lentil soup and it was amazing! Wife and I have been vegan a couple of years and with a busy work schedule, difficult to cook a great meal. This was so easy and the flavor simply amazing. Thank you Kate and Cookie as this recipe was outstanding.
I’ve made a lot of different lentil soups. Not only is this easier, but it is SO GOOD.
I made this soup today and was so looking forward to enjoying it all week after I had a small bowl for lunch. Unfortunately, it was so good my husband ate it all for dinner! He left me only one small bowl. I guess I have to make another batch! Really great recipe.
That’s great, Nancy! Thanks for your review.
I used a can of Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes (because that is what I had in the pantry) and Curly Green Kale (also because that is what I had). I did add an extra generous pinch of red pepper flakes at the end and the flavors are wonderful.
Deeelish!
Thank you for sharing, Patty!
I cook this for dinner tonight,, i,m sure my boss love this amazing lentil soup… Thank you ma, am….
You’re welcome, Helen!
Could you use rosemary instead of thyme?
What curry powder do you recommend? I feel like that is the entire decider of this dish. We didn’t love the soup, but the curry powder I have is really overpowering in the fenugreek and celery seed, so that’s a bummer! I’d love to add a better tasting one to my pantry, and try this again with a better curry flavor
I like Frontier Co-op! I hope you can find a curry spice you like. Or, you can leave it out and add more cumin if you find curry doesn’t suite your taste.
Kate thanks so much for another fantastic recipe! I made a double batch and am so glad I did – so moorish! One thing I love about your recipes is how you use a lot of dried herbs. I don’t have balcony in my apartment, so buying fresh herbs all the time can add up. Thanks again!
This was absolutely delicious!! I added mushrooms and used fire roasted tomatoes, only used a tbsp of oil, added extra garlic that I roasted and served with some cubed kielbasa on the side for my hubby. I could eat this every day! The lemon juice really takes it to the next level! Great recipe!
Great recipe. Wonderful flavor. Freezes well, and tastes fresh when defrosted. I like to add extra veggies – broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, zucchini, etc. Now on regular rotation in my house, thanks!
Made this last week. Yep, the best. Easy to throw together and the spices do all the work. Will be keeping this in my soup rotation.
Hi Cookie and Kate,
How much is a serving size? 1 Cup 2 Cups?
Thank you,
Chuck
Roughly 1-1.5 cups is a serving.
made this tonight – it was amazing. super easy and delicious. added probably 2-2.5 cups of kale instead of 1. absolutely book marked – a new staple in my house!
Wonderful to hear, Alyssa!
I’ve made this too many times to count and always come back to it. Absolutely lovely, Kate! Thanks for all of your great recipes : )
This is a wonderful recipe that is very easy to make (I hate to cook!). I followed the recipe exactly and found that it turned out wonderful. My kids loved it too. I served with toasted ciabatta bread and it was a hit! It was a bit acidic for me so I added a bit of maple syrup to take that edge off and it was perfect. I would recommend and make again, only this time a double recipe!
Made this today. The tastiest lentil soup I have ever made! MMMMM what recipe of your to make next…..
I have yellow lentils. I’m wondering how that would change things?
Hi Diane, you likely won’t need as much liquid and take less cooking time.
I made this today… and omg … is it ever delicious and it was so simple … ty
Would using fennel bulb instead of onion work ok with the other flavours? I’ve been searching for a tomato, carrot, pumpkin, fennel, lentil soup i had recently. This sounds delish – just not sure hpw the fennel will go! Thanks
You could try it!
Love this recipe! This is an important recipe for me because it was what introduced me to your blog. My friend wasn’t making this when I happened to stop by and just the smell of it made me curious and hungry. I tried the soup and fell in love with the rich spices and heartiness of it. I asked for the recipe, and she gave me the link to the Cookie and Kate blog. I’m a vegetarian and your blog has become my go-to for all cooking. Also looking forward to getting started with your cook book! It’s been about 5 years since I first tried this recipe and now this soup has become a staple in our home! Especially great for vegetarians trying to get more protein into their diet.
It’s a great one t start with! Thanks, Keya for your review.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. It is so good!
Just made this recipe. A couple of modifications because of what was on hand, Ha. No curry, 16 oz tomatoes, spinach for greens. Very tasty. Lemon juice really gives it a nice kick. Thanks
I only have red lentils… can I use them instead of green or brown lentils?
Hi Alex, you can. You will want to adjust the liquid and cooking time as red lentils don’t typically require as much.
Delicious! The spices were just right! I added a few quartered new potatoes that I needed to use. I didn’t have diced tomatoes on hand but did have a can of crushed so my soup wasn’t as chunky as yours. Cooked in Instant Pot after I sautéed the veggies in the pot. Super easy and dinner was ready quick! I will double this in the future as it will be great for lunches and the freezer. Would work great in the crock pot as well. This one is definitely a winner! So simple to make but flavors are bright and complex. If I still ate dairy, this would go great with a grilled cheese sandwich.
I’m happy you loved it, Gretchen! Thanks for sharing how you made it.