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.
Made this several times in the past six months. Absolutely delicious and easy to make. Also easy to improv. Sometimes I add mushrooms and more slices and broth for a different texture. Sometimes I thicken with rice. Freezes well.
I love this soup. Quick, easy, meatless nutrition, comfort food on cold and darkly cloudy days. Red lentils are much more inviting as to color than the brown or green. I add a pinch of chili powder that no one notices but it does add a tiny bit of heat. Also add fresh spinach mustard greens before serving. This soup pairs well with home baked sourdough bread fresh out of the oven or bread machine— really special as cinnamon toast with the soup. I wish the nutritional values told me how large a “serving” is in ounces or cups.
Absolutely delicious! Blending a part of the soup made it a nice light creamy texture. Definitely will be making again.
It is the best lentil soup ever! Very flavorful! I added parsley.
Made the Best Lentil Soup
We loved it. Was simple and inexpensive to make and very tasty.
Plan to have it again soon.
Thanks for sharing the recipe
Made this today on a very wet, wintry evening. It was absolutely delicious. Great simple recipe with just a little oomph in it. Putting the kale in for the final 5 minutes was the perfect touch. This is now on my “the weather is crappy what shall I make” list. Thank you.
You’re welcome, Dave!
I just finished making this dish. I absolutely loved it! Will definitely be making again and again. I
That’s great, Karina! Thank you for your review.
Delicious Healthy Soup. The recipe was easy to make, good instructions and the soup turned out delicious. Just what I was looking for…a healthy and delicious meal!
Delicious recipe. Easy to turn down the sodium level with no or low salt chicken broth which for me provides so much more flavor over veggie broth. Also I added a Tbsp (that’s it) of butter to the EVO and that goes an amazingly long way flavor wise. Lastly baby spinach for me over collard greens. One of the best parts of this recipe is how easy it is to make it your own based on your favorite flavors. KUDUS@!
I just made this, and you are not exaggerating—this is THE BEST!! Mmmmmmm soooooo good!
are you supposed to soak the lentils first or can you throw them in dry?
Hi Kristie! Just rinse them first, then add them as directed.
I haven’t made this yet, but curious why the sodium content is so high? The tomatoes? The broth? If I bought the low-sodium versions of these things and didn’t add the teaspoon of salt, what would the sodium be, I wonder.
Hi Marci, you can read more on my nutrition information here:https://asset-flow.pro/nutrition-disclaimer/%3C/a%3E. But yes, use low sodium and don’t add the salt if you like.
Amazingggg
You don’t say when to add the garlic
See step 3. I hope this helps!
Made this this week, it’s so good! I used homemade veggie stock for all liquids. Also added white beans to bulk it up a bit. Sometimes these vegan soups don’t hold me for long enough. I don’t love lentils, but will definitely be using this recipe until I get rid of the ones in my cabinet lol.
I’m glad you love it, Kat!
Hi Kate!
I loved this recipe! And so many others of your recipes! I was wondering whether you have ever doubled this recipe, and if so, if the proportions would all be 2x?
Thank you again for all of your shared treasures!
Hi Erin, this recipe doubles well. And yes, you would want to double all the ingredients.
I made this for my wife last night. She raved about it and had to take some to work for lunch. This is a definite regular for us. I plan on adding mushrooms next time just cause i love mushrooms! Anxious to try the Pinto Posole next.
I’m glad you both loved it, Randy!
This is soup is so good! I’ve had other lentil soups but blending added thickness and heartiness. I added farro and it became a wonderful healthy and filling meal in itself. The next day I added more broth to thin it out a little, and it was excellent to bring to work for lunch the next day!
Whoa — so yummy!! It completely lives up to its name. Made it for our first time tonight, and my husband, 5 yr old AND 3 yr old devoured more than one bowl. In fact I wish I would have doubled the recipe because we cleaned out the pot!
It’s so hard to find meals that the whole family loves, so thank you!
You should tell people to use salt-free or lower-sodium canned tomatoes and broth. The salt count you show is totally INSANE! And nearly 400 calories per serving? QUITE UNHEALTHY! Between all that salt and that unnecessary olive oil, you’ve totally cancelled out the fiber benefit from the lentils!
Hi Linda, I’m sorry you feel that way. I personally don’t find this unhealthy, but encourage readers to adjust as they need to per their own health. You can use lower sodium and not add salt. To decrease the calories, you can decrease the serving. More on my nutritional information here: https://asset-flow.pro/nutrition-disclaimer/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Linda, consider this the biggest meal for the day. And check to make sure that the sodium content is really unreasonable, considering it’s a major meal. And, see what else you are eating that gives you a lot of sodium.
400 mg sodium isn’t that much, given our daily requirements are 1,500/day.
I understand the concern about Sodium, but it’s an essential part of our health. Keep in perspective.
And we all need healthy oils in our lives. Olive oil is one of the healthiest.
Maybe step up your research; don’t reject fats or salt, but learn the amounts of what you need in your diet.
People have gotten all sorts of conflicting advice about eggs, fats, sodium and calories, when in reality, all things are good in moderation. Plus if a bit of salt, or EVOO, even eggs, can make one embrace a whole lot of other healthy foods, simply by adding a minimal amount of salt or healthy oils will be a healthy way to achieve a healthy diet. Good Luck!
Awesome! You really should make a soup/stew cook book! I’ve never had lentils before..I wasn’t sure what to expect. This was delicious! It was even better the end t day as leftovers! I measured out some individual portions and froze to have later! Thank you for another awesome soup recipe!
Thank you, Carly! I don’t have plans for a cookbook anytime soon, but I love your excitement over this soup.
Delicious! I made it and skipped the blending step because I’m lazy and it was still soooooo delicious!!! Highly recommend. I also only used 1 cup of water instead of 2 because I wanted it to be thicker. Delicious! I also used 28 oz of diced tomatoes with green chile because that’s what I had in the pantry. It tasted amazing. This truly is “best” lentil soup.
I really like this! I changed the spice profile a bit (coriander, cumin, and paprika…as I’m already making a curry for another recipes this weekend for batch cooking ;). But I will come back to the original next time.
Also, I add the toms and salt toward the end so as to keep the lentils from toughening. . .have made the mistake of having purchased old lentils in past…by using packaged. Never again. Always buy from the bulk section now, trustworthy grocers rotate their stock.
Thank you for this lovely soup!
I’m happy you enjoyed it!
Can we make this soup without the greens
If you prefer, although I think it helps make the soup!
Smells great! Have not yet blended or added greens. Have some roasted butternut in the fridge to use up, may blend that and add instead :)
How healthy is lentell opposed to others beans?
Hi Derrek! They both have their own benefits. :)
This soup was simple to prepare and so good, and everyone enjoyed it!
Thank you for sharing!
Phenomenal
ThIS is an easy recipe with great flavors and texture. I added some quinoa which made it even more delicious in my opinion.
Looking forward to making this soup this weekend! How much is in a serving?
Hi Kaysey! I hope you love it. Roughly 1.5-2 cups is a serving.
Made it last night – delicious Healthy filling and easy
Just made this luscious soup – soo delicious! omitted the salt, hand squished whole canned plum tomatoes, used red kale leaves and finely chopped red stems. Used PC to simmer for 12 minutes quick release and hand held immersion blender. Put greens and stems in still warm pc covered for about 5 minutes. Took an hour and 13 minutes start to finish, but so worth it. Will definitely make again!
So good lentil soup and so easy to make. I will be making this soup every other week during the winter. I used red lentils and they cooked so fast.
This is by a pretty large margin the best lentil soup I’ve ever had. Another Cookie and Kate triumph! I used red lentils because it’s what I had, and it’s both pretty and delicious. To the capslock commenter who claimed this is unhealthy, go away! 1/4 cup of olive oil is not excessive for a large pot of soup, the sodium can be reduced if you’re worried about it, and <400 calories for a meal is not excessive for a normal adult. I have given "Love Real Food" to all my veggie family, and I'll continue to sing your praises and make my work mates jealous at lunchtime. Well done!
Thank you, Karina!
Can you use red lentils?
Hi Cindy! You could, but cooking time and liquid would need to decrease significantly. I’m not exactly sure the amount without try it, sorry!
Hi! Do you think this could be made in a slow cooker? Advice?
Hi Ann, I haven’t tried it, but I believe others have. However, I still recommend to saute your vegetables for maximum flavor so not sure how much times you would save.
This recipe is delicious! I’ve made it twice and am recommending it to friends and family. Easy to make and healthy, keeps great for lunches.
I omitted garlic (allergy) added celery and used red lentils instead.
Love the lemon!!! I add extra squeezed on top before serving. Mmm mmm mmm!!
Lentil soup wow best soup ever ,easy ,wholesome, and good for you making it every week in this weather Thanks Arthur Mc
Hey Kate, I use and love your recipes. Do you have instant pot instructions for this recipe?
Hi Taylor, I don’t! This is actually a pretty quick recipes so not sure how much the instant pot would save you – when you consider the time it takes to pressurize and so on.
Hi, we loved this recipe. I used cooked lentils so I added them just 5 minutes before the end of cooking time. I also omitted the two extra cups of water. It had just the right amount of spice. I will make it again. Thank you.
Substituted radishes for the carrots and added a dash of fresh oregano. Super tasty and great use of collard greens!
This soup is delicious. First made it a year ago, then again tonight. Need to make it more often!
I made this delicious soup tonight and my family LOVED! It was the first time I can remember in a LONG time that everything went as it should and nothing got overcooked. I think the extra amount of olive oil, which you said made it creamier, helped the onions from overcooking. I will definitely be making this again. I wish there were more than a few spoonfuls left.
I’m happy you loved it, Elaine!
Most flavorful lentil soup I’ve ever made. Flawless!!
can you use sprouted lentils in the this soup?
Hi Jackie, I can’t say for sure, but I think so. Your lentils might cook faster than the time suggested within the recipe, so you might reduce the cooking time suggested in step 4—just cook until they’re nice and tender.
I’ve used sprouted lentils before (TruRoots brand) and it was great. I didn’t reduce the time, but I also didn’t need to blend any. So, that may be a personal preference in texture.
This is a great recipe I made a couple minor changes. I used canned lentils so didn’t add the additional 2 cups of water. That turned out great. I’m fairly new to cooking and spices so I didn’t realize this was a spicy dish. I don’t mind spicy but I’m suffering from perioral dermatitis and spicy makes it worse so in the future I’ll hold off on the pepper flakes!
Thanks for sharing your recipe. I have made it several times and have a pot simmering right now. Very delicious and hearty. Also very easy to pull together with items that are usually available in the kitchen. I have also tried your West African Peanut soup.
Another winner, Kate! This has become the recipe I go to when I want to cook meal I know my husband will love. I’ve made it three times already and am working on memorizing the recipe. :)
This soup was wonderful. My first time making lentils. I look forward to trying more of your recipes
I just made your seriously good vegetable soup yesterday and plan to make this one today. Love the addition of cumin and curry to your soups.
Great recipe!
To suit our tastes, I used more red pepper flakes and I added coconut milk at the end