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.
A gorgeous soup thoroughly enjoyed by our family including my 4 year old son, who said it was ‘delicious’! Will be added to our favs!
Great to hear, Chantel! Thank you for your review.
Looks delicious I can’t wait to make it Do you soak your lentils prior to cooking?
Hi Mishh! No need to soak your lentils. I hope you love it!
How much lentils to use please? Im not the best with knowing how much without exact measurements.
Thank you :-)
Hi Jay, See the instructions as the exact measurements are listed.
I made the lentil soup and it is the best, it certainly lives up to its name. Full of nutrition it is a keeper for me. Thank you.
It is really “the best” lentil soup, we absolutely love it! :)
I am going on a health kick and was looking for a basic soup basic soup this one sounds perfect I would like to add mixed beans and celery to it as well as greens I want to add kale and spinach but it sounds from the way it is just I love vegetables more the merry what do you think about adding black beans
Literally the best lentil soup I’ve had. Made it for dinner last night and came out delish. Wish I would have stumbled across this recipe sooner!
I just ate this soup for lunch and it was so so delicious! I can’t believe how large of a portion you get for the calories! I’ve been wanting to try cooking with lentils and this was my first lentil recipe. Couldn’t be more pleased!
This is literally the best soup recipe ever! Hands down!!! It just bursts with flavor, freezes well, is easy to make and hits the spot on a cold winter night. This soup is a staple in our household. As soon as one batch is done another is made. I always add tons of extra kale and/or collards which if you love greens is the way to go. We serve it with toasted organic buckwheat bread usually which is just the perfect meal. I literally can not rave about this soup enough and our toddler loves it too. Bonus! And it’s super healthy, what more could you want? If I could rate it 100, I would, but 5 stars will have to do:)
delicious as is!!!
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Arya!
This is the best lentil soup recipe ever! Thanks so much Cookie & Kate, my family all love this vegan dish
no celery? im going to try it w that and kale since i got garden fresh
I LOVE this recipe! It’s become a staple for my family, and I often make it for friends too when a dinner delivery is called for. It’s delicious as is, but also flexible enough to substitute some of the veges for others you have on hand. Thank you Kate (and Cookie)
this is the 3rd or 4th time I’ve made your lentil soup recipe. tonight i didn’t have diced tomatoes but I did have crushed. I’m sure it will still be great.
This really is the best soup. We loved it so much we argued over leftovers! Thank you for another wonderful recipe.
You’re welcome, Elizabeth! Thank you for your review.
Would I be able to do this in a slow cooker?
I also have red curry paste instead of curry powder. Would I be able to use the red curry paste as a substitute?
I prefer this recipe as written. Cooking the vegetables on the stovetop is critical to the flavor. You can use curry paste, but flavor will vary an the amount may been to be adjusted.
I found this recipe by googling “Best Lentil Soup Recipe”. I was excited about making it after reading about it. Then my excitement faded. FAST. How did I miss the “Print” button? Is there a print button? If not, this is a huge oversight!
I am wondering the same about the print button!
Hi Sarah, it wasn’t working, but it is back now. Hooray!
The lemon really sets this lentil soup apart! Just superb.
I get annoyed with “what I add” comments, but here goes: I like to add a can of tomato paste and a little sugar to counter the bitterness. But perfect as is.
At least 50% of the people in India eat this as a staple food!
I saw people mostly using cooked lentils instead of letting it cook with the rest of the ingredients.
I will now try to make it as per your recipe. Thanks!
Be sure to let me know what you think!
This is by far the best lentil soup I have ever made. The taste is incredible. My husband loved it and asked me to make it again. I added an extra 1/2 cup of lentils to mine.
I have made this countless timeS, and might have already reviewed it but if not – seriously the best. I’ve made it for my vegan friends, and friends who are low cal, and I never change anything (well I add a bit more spice because I like things heavy on the seasoning and I never add the green as I never keep it in the fridge) but it’s so so so good, and to anyone who is lurking and contemplating making it- just do it!! It’s probably my favorite soup
Thank you, Jennifer! I’m glad this is a favorite of yours.
I am not a fan of lentils and tried this recipe because my hubby loves lentil soup. I absolutely LOVED this soup. Blending up a portion of the soup made all the difference for me. Also the suggestion to taste and season till it sings was perfect, the lemon truly makes this soup sing. Thank you for sharing this recipe!!!
I’m glad it was a hit, Morgan! Thank you for taking the time to review.
You can taste the love that goes into preparing this soup! Honestly my favorite dish on a cool fall or winter night with a piece of fresh baked bread. No changes except for more broth in place of water. I’ve shared with family and friends and all have said it is a favorite for sure.
That’s great, Maria! Thank you for your review.
I think you are right! Best lentil soup ever! I used 3 kinds of lentils, and forgot my greens, so threw in some frozen spinach. It was delicious!
My first time leaving a recipe review. This truly is the BEST lentil soup I’ve ever had! I improvised with the greens and used sweet potato leaves growing in my garden. They taste like spinach!
It is so good!
Staple in my house! Been using it as a heathy option on my fitness journey, really easy to make and freezes well.
I was just wondering, in the nutritional info there is no serving size, did you know roughly what it was for calorie counting purposes?
Hi Sarah, the serving size is roughly 1.5-2cups. I’m glad this one is a staple for you!
Great lentil soup recipe!
Aaahhhh so I didn’t have curry powder and decided to substitute with garam masala. Well my home blended masala in unmarked baggy I believe was just coriander. So since that was already in the pot I went ahead and added turmeric and chilli powder. It is good!! 12 yo approved.
I love that! Thank you for sharing, Darcie.
Can I decrease the olive oil in half?
You can, but it won’t be quite the same richness.
I came across this recipe a few months back when I decided to try to make something with a bag of lentils I had purchased months before that were just sitting in my cabinet (never really cooked lentils and ruined a batch i made before). Anyway I tweaked your recipe slightly but have made this soup 4x now. It is honestly really good. Been vegetarian for 5.5 years now and this soup made me a fan of lentil soup. I even gave the recipe to my flatmate who is also vegetarian after she tried it, loved it and asked if I would give her the recipe. Thanks for it :)
I enjoyed this soup SO much, I’m currently cooking my second pot this week as I write this.
My only differences are I am not using thyme, as I really don’t like thyme. I used fresh diced tomatoes, rather than canned. Beet leaves instead of collard greens. Also, a lentil, quinoa, brown rice, wild rice and hulled millet blend. The best soup I’ve ever made!
That’s great to hear! Thank you for your review.
We love this recipe. I did cut back on some ot the cumin and added celery for a little more crunch. With as much as it makes next time I will use all of the cumin. I will look for more of your recipe.
I made this with very few modifications (lime instead of lemon, not a can of diced tomatoes, but freshly diced ones, etc). It was AMAZING! As I deepen into self love, I am finding recipes to switch up the mundane stock of recipes I have. SO glad I stumbled upon this one! I sang love songs to myself as I prepared it. Thank you for being a part of my healing journey!
Sooo good!! It’s one of our favorites. My brother found this recipe and sent it to me last year, I have been making it ever since. I also do not drain the tomatoes and i add cabbage instead of kale. Adds a nice crunch. Love it!
Wonderful soup!!!! Made it for my daughter who just delivered a little girl two days ago. She loved it. The soup is jammed packed with healthy ingredients and oh so tasty. I used homemade bone broth and grated some fresh Parmesan on top
Oh Kate! I am so thrilled (and relieved) when a google search brings up your site. I have been making lentil stews for decades but needed to change it up. I tried your recipe with trepidation and anticipation. I love Indian food, my family does not. This recipe has flavors that may help my family’s taste buds expand. All three of my kids enjoyed the soup and my husband was happy to take left overs to work. This recipe checks all the boxes. THANK YOU!
I’m so glad you love the blog! Thank you for your review, Maria.
So delicious! My family loved it. Thanks!!
No joke- this is the BEST lentil soup. We make it nearly every other week, no matter the season. It’s comforting and hearty and also full of fiber and low fat/calorie.. I’ve shared this recipe with friends and it immediately goes in their repertoire. Make this soup today!!
I’m happy you love it, Leah! Thank you for sharing.
I made this wonderful soup with barley replacing the lentils. It’s my new favorite.
This recipe is our family’s favourite soup! We just love it. I tend to add celery (I seem to add celery to almost every soup) but otherwise I follow the recipe as written and it’s perfect every time. SO delicious. Thank you!
This soup is absolutely amazing! Lived up to its name! Thanks so much
Seriously, the most delicious soup. Easy too. Perfect!
I’m glad you loved it, Daniela! Thank you for your review.
This soup is fantastic but mine ended up a little too salty. I suppose the broth i used was very salty and that’s why. So beware: don’t make stupid mistakes like me and taste test at every stage!
Anyway, great recipe! I’ll surely make it again :)
Oh no! I’m sorry it wasn’t perfect. But, I’m glad you will make it again!
Just stumbled across this recipe while having a craving for lentil soup! I just made it exactly as instructed but added a cup of cooked ditalini noodles as well at the end. It is so flavorful and delicious! Everything I hoped for in this homemade lentil soup.. Thank you for the great recipe!!
Ok. So I am going to attempt to make this tomorrow! I’m super excited. I’ve been entertaining myself for the last hour or so just reading reviews on this recipe. Literally only one bad review haha and they seemed to be just peeved to begin. I am trying to stay away from too much oil, but I’ll try the recipe as is. Maybe I’ll reduce the oil by a tsp or 2. And add a sweet potato. I am so excited. Haha I’ve read so many reviews.
I hope you loved it, Glory!
This recipe is amazing! I chose to add chickpeas as well.
I made this soup for the first time over a year ago and it was a total hit! Delicious! My teens love it as well and since then keep asking me to make it!
Cumin turns my stomach, even the smell of it. Can I leave it out or replace it with something else???
Hi, you can omit and/or replace it with another spice you like that is similar.
This is my all time favorite soup. I am in Melbourne, Australia and was introduced to your recipes by my sister-in-law from New York when she first made this recipe for the family. Your recipes always turn out beautifully with the best flavor. Thank you. I am a huge fan and regular visitor to your site.
A great favorite to have! Thank you for sharing, Nicole.
I made this tonight for the first time- it was delicious and all of my teens even liked it. Thanks so much- we will def. make this again!
You’re welcome, Rebecca! Thank you for taking the time to review.
What do you think about adding fresh mushrooms? I’d cut them up and sauté them first. Thanks for your thoughts.
Hi, I haven’t tried it, but it may work great. Let me know what you think if you try it!
SO delicious! A go-to healthy dinner, cheap and easy to make. The second time I made it I used vegetable stock instead of water for more flavour, and added sausage meat to bulk it out for my family. YUM! Thank you for sharing this Kate!!
You’re welcome, Esther! I appreciate your review.