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Home Soups

Lentil Soup (seriously amazing!)

By:Nagi
Published:23 Mar '20Updated:18 Nov '20
1,693 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

Don’t settle for bland Lentil Soup! Make it right and you’ll have everyone begging for seconds….and thirds… This lentil recipe is one of the best nourishing, simple dishes you can make with dried lentils that’s 100% delicious. Use green lentils, red lentils, brown lentils or a lentil soup mix.

All it takes is a hint of spice flavourings, bay leaves and finishing it off with a touch of lemon to elevate this soup. It’s an easy recipe that delivers terrific results, a 5 star reader favourite with hundreds of feedback from readers!

Want to add some protein? Try this Beef & Lentil Soup!

Close up of bread being dunked into Lentil Soup

Lentil Soup

Lentil soup is quite possibly the least sexy sounding soup on the planet.

At least, in my world. Regular readers know that I’m all about big flavours. Spicy, herby, curries – kapow, kapow, kapow!

But you know what? A well made Lentil Soup recipe is can’t-stop-eating-it good. You’ll go back for seconds and thirds, then you’ll be taking big tubs of it to work for lunch and happily have it for dinner again.

And – I’m going to say it (*head swell*) – plenty of readers have said this is the best lentil soup they’ve ever had!

A well made Lentil Soup recipe is can’t-stop-eating-it good.

Close up of ladle scooping up Lentil Soup from a white pot, fresh off the stove

Is lentil soup good for you?

If you’re wondering if lentil soup is good for you, the answer is yes! Lentils are nutritious, rich in minerals, protein, low in fat, high in fibre (digestive health). They are a terrific vegetarian source of protein with 25% of the calories in lentils attributable to protein.

Lentils are a carbohydrate, but it’s slow burning which means it keeps you fuller for longer. Studies also suggest that lentils are good for heart health.

The added benefit is that they are low in calories with 116 calories in 1 cup of cooked lentils (which is roughly the amount per serving of this lentil soup).

Why settle for a bland Lentil Soup when you make a standout one? Just a hint of spices and finishing it off with lemon zest makes all the difference! recipetineats.com

What does lentil soup taste like?

It tastes savoury and has a flavour boost from a hint of spices. There’s an undertone of natural sweetness from the soffrito flavour base of onion, carrot and celery. My favourite part is the texture! It’s thick and comforting, and just made for dunking in hot crusty bread!


What goes in Lentil Soup

Here’s what goes in my lentil soup. Nothing fancy, just everyday ingredients.

So what makes this Lentil Soup so good?

  • A touch of spices.

  • Cooking the onion, carrot and celery slowly so they sweeten and make a beautiful flavour base.

  • Lemon – The “secret” ingredient. Yes really. Little tip I picked up from Ina Garten. Just a bit of zest and squeeze of fresh lemon makes all the difference which takes it from really good to great!

Ingredients in Lentil Soup

Do you cook lentils before adding to soup?

Nope! Dried lentils cook in 35 minutes in the soup, and there’s no need to soak them either!

What type of lentils are best for lentil soup?

Dried lentils are best for lentil soup. You can use most types of lentils for this recipe – brown, green, red or yellow, though it will affect the colour of the soup. I’ve used green lentils, pictured below.

The only type of lentil I do not recommend is Puy Lentils (little black French lentils) because they hold their shape and don’t soften like other lentils.

Can you used canned cooked lentils?

Yes you sure can, and directions are provided in the recipe notes. But it’s better made with dried lentils because of the texture in the soup, there’s only 10 minutes difference in cook time and it’s more economical!

Green Lentils

How to make Lentil Soup from scratch

  • Sauté your onion, garlic, carrots and celery over over low heat for almost 10 minutes. Take your time here – the lower the heat, the longer you take, the more these will transform to create an incredible flavour base for the soup!

  • Add everything else other than the lemon;

  • Simmer 35 minutes until lentils are soft; and

  • Finish with a dusting of zest and spritz of lemon.

A hint of lemon earthiness from the zest and touch of freshness from the juice just jazzes up the soup and takes it to that next level!

You’ll find that the lentils mostly breakdown and naturally thicken the soup. But what I like to do to get a really luscious creamy texture is to give the soup a quick whizz with a blender stick (or transfer a couple of cups to the blender) to puree SOME but not all the lentils.

That way you get the benefit of both worlds – creamy soup with soft bits of lentils. YES!

How to make an easy Lentil Soup

Close up of cheesy garlic bread being dunked into Lentil Soup

How to store lentil soup

Lentil Soup will easily keep for 5 days in the fridge, making it ideal for cooking on the weekend and serving throughout the week. And it also freezes 100% perfectly for 3 months – even longer!

Every time I make this, I always wonder why I don’t make it more often. It’s healthy, filling, super economical, freezes perfectly, versatile and it’s seriously good.

Serving this with some sort of warm crusty bread for dunking is not optional. It’s an essential part of the Lentil Soup experience.

But it is optional whether you slather said bread with butter, or grill it with cheese!  Here are a few options – including making your own ultra easy homemade bread with NO YEAST:

Close up of sandwich bread without yeast
Sandwich Bread WITHOUT yeast
Cheese stretch picking up piece of Quick Cheesy Garlic Bread
Quick Cheesy Garlic Bread
Close up of crispy crust of world's easiest yeast bread
World’s Easiest Yeast Bread recipe – Artisan, NO KNEAD crusty bread
These No Knead Dinner Rolls are like magic! Astonishingly easy, no stand mixer, just mix the ingredients in a bowl! recipetineats.com
Soft No Knead Dinner Rolls
Close up of slice of Irish Soda Bread (no yeast bread)
World’s best No Yeast Bread – Irish Soda Bread
This flatbread recipe is made without yeast, yet is soft and pliable and wonderfully moist. www.recipetineats.com
Easy Soft Flatbread Recipe (No Yeast)
Better than Pizza Hut! For a truly religious Garlic Bread experience, skip the artisan bread and use a basic French stick. And no skimping on butter! recipetineats.com
Better-Than-Dominos Garlic Bread
The World Famous Cheese and Garlic Crack Bread
Cheese and Garlic Crack Bread (Pull Apart Bread)
Close up of a piece of Cornbread with butter and honey
Cornbread recipe
Close up photo of a stack of Savoury Cheese Muffins
Savoury Cheese Muffins

– Nagi xx


Lentil Soup
Watch how to make it

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The BEST lentil soup in the world!

Lentil Soup

Author: Nagi@RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 10 minutes mins
Cook: 45 minutes mins
Total: 55 minutes mins
Mains, Soup
Western
4.97 from 681 votes
Servings6
Tap or hover to scale
Print
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Recipe VIDEO above. Don't settle for a bland lentil soup. Make it right, and you'll have everyone begging for seconds...and thirds! The touch of spices and finishing it off with lemon really lifts this soup to the next level.  

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped (white, brown, yellow)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 large carrot , chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
  • 2 celery ribs , chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
  • 2 cups / 400g dried lentils , green or brown, rinsed (Note 1)
  • 400g / 14 oz crushed tomato
  • 1.5 litres / 1.5 quarts (6 cups) vegetable or chicken stock / broth, low sodium
  • 1/2 tsp each cumin and coriander powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp paprika powder
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • 1 lemon (zest + juice)
  • 1/4 tsp salt and pepper, each

To Serve

  • Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
  • Warm bread, to serve

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and onion, cook for 2 minutes.
  • Add celery and carrot. Cook for 7 - 10 minutes or until softened and the onion is sweet. Don't rush this step, it is key to the flavour base of the soup.
  • Add all remaining ingredients except the lemon and salt. Stir. 
  • Increase heat and bring to simmer. Scoop scum on the surface off and discard (do this again during cooking if required). Place lid on and turn heat down to medium low. Simmer for 35 - 40 minutes or until lentils are soft.
  • Remove bay leaves.
  • Thicken Soup: Using a stick blender, do 2 or 3 quick whizzes to thicken the soup (see video below). Or transfer 2 cups to a blender, let it cool slightly, then hold lid with tea towel and blend then transfer back into pot.
  • Add a touch of water if you want to adjust soup consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Grate over the zest of the lemon then add a squeeze of lemon juice just before serving. Garnish with parsley if desired and serve with warm crusty bread slathered liberally with butter!

Recipe Notes:

1.  Lentils: This should work with any type of lentils except Puy Lentils (French lentils, small dark brown/black ones because they hold their shape). Red, yellow, brown, green. The colour of the soup will just be a bit different.
Cook times vary slightly as well so just start checking if the lentils are done at around 30 minutes.
I really urge you to make this with dried lentils if you can. Better texture and flavour compared to canned. However, to make this with canned lentils, use 2 x 400g/14oz cans of lentils (drained and rinsed) and reduce the broth by 1 cup. Simmer liquid for 20 minutes before adding the lentils then cook with lentils for another 15 minutes (don’t want to cook canned lentils for too longer otherwise they will turn into mush).
2. Storage: This freezes extremely well! Or keeps in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.
3. Nutrition per serving.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 421gCalories: 311cal (16%)Carbohydrates: 48g (16%)Protein: 18g (36%)Fat: 5g (8%)Sodium: 111mg (5%)Potassium: 925mg (26%)Fiber: 22g (92%)Sugar: 5g (6%)Vitamin A: 1930IU (39%)Vitamin C: 11.5mg (14%)Calcium: 73mg (7%)Iron: 6mg (33%)
Keywords: Lentil Soup
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

Recipe originally published March 2017, spruced up with new pics, new video and fresh new writing. Absolutely no change to recipe – it’s been a firm reader favourite from day 1, so I wouldn’t dare touch it!

More totally delicious lentil recipes:

  • Sexy Lentil Salad – try it, then you’ll get the name….

  • Dal – Indian lentil curry. The highest and best use of lentils, full stop!

  • Coconut Lentil Curry – outrageously addictive, and easy (I make this for a curry fix when I don’t have time for dal)

  • Mejadra (Middle Eastern Spiced Lentil Rice) – so good you can eat it plain, seriously!

  • Browse all Beans and Lentil recipes


Life of Dozer

He contributes less than nothing to this household, he actually contributes negative. Dropping fur everywhere, shaking vigorously so it flies everywhere along with an inordinate amount of sand, constantly sprawling out in my path so I’m forced to step over him (remember, I’m vertically challenged = giant steps).

Giant 💩 all over the backyard. Barks furiously at tree branches swaying in the breeze but I swear, he would happily show a robber where my jewellery box is in exchange for a pat.

Useless!!! (And yet we love them so much, don’t we? 🙂)

PS Another example of his uselessness – he spends 22 hours a day doing this. The other 2 hours are spent a) eating b) hoping to eat c) playing.

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Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative!

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1,693 Comments

  1. Lizzie says

    July 9, 2018 at 1:16 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe, thank you!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      July 9, 2018 at 8:47 pm

      Great to hear Lizzie! Thank you for taking the time to let me know! N x

      Reply
  2. Hannah F. says

    June 29, 2018 at 4:58 pm

    5 stars
    This is so delicious! I didn’t have any plain crushed tomatoes, so I used a can of Italian seasoned ones I had in the cupboard, added a dash of chili powder and it came out great! The bread is a must, too. I used to despise lentils when I was a kid, so I’m just starting to try cooking with them again. This recipe really makes me enjoy lentils!

    Reply
  3. Catherine says

    June 28, 2018 at 2:01 pm

    5 stars
    I added chicken base a pinch of crushed red peppers and a table spoon of heavy whipping cream at the end was delish

    Reply
  4. Catherine says

    June 28, 2018 at 1:57 pm

    I added cilantro and used chicken base stock pinch of crushed red peppers and added a Teaspoon of heavy whipping cream in the end was very delicious

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      June 29, 2018 at 8:51 pm

      That’s terrific Catherine! I’m so glad you enjoyed this one – thanks for letting me know! N x

      Reply
  5. Linda says

    June 24, 2018 at 11:13 am

    5 stars
    Making this for my families lunch today! Really looking forward to a warm yummy soup. Thanks for a great sounding recipe!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      June 25, 2018 at 10:08 pm

      Hope everybody loved it Linda! 🙂 N x

      Reply
      • Linda says

        June 26, 2018 at 7:07 am

        Yes they did! Even the picky 7yo who does not like cooked tomatoes liked it. So thank you once again for a top recipe!

        Reply
  6. Sarah says

    June 18, 2018 at 2:45 pm

    5 stars
    Having just finished making a batch to freeze for lunches, my four year old and I decided to do a taste test, and it was a hit!!!!!! Loved the flavours – the addition of the lemon zest/juice really does make it something special….I would never have thought to do it. Another 5 star recipe of yours Nagi 🙂

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      June 18, 2018 at 7:56 pm

      That’s so great to hear Sarah! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed this! N x

      Reply
  7. deedee says

    June 17, 2018 at 8:27 pm

    5 stars
    Best soup I’ve ever made, the touch of lemon is a real game changer!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      June 18, 2018 at 8:17 pm

      That’s so great to hear Dee Dee! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed this! N x

      Reply
  8. Michele says

    June 8, 2018 at 6:08 am

    5 stars
    Just made this soup and it is delicious, thank you!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      June 8, 2018 at 8:48 pm

      That’s so great to hear Michele! I’m so happy to hear that! N x ❤️

      Reply
  9. Veronica says

    June 7, 2018 at 12:53 pm

    5 stars
    I can honestly say this recipe was support the best lentil soup I have ever tasted or made thank you so much for this fantastic amazing recipe

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      June 8, 2018 at 9:32 pm

      That’s so great to hear Veronica! I’m so happy to hear that! N x ❤️

      Reply
  10. Amanda says

    May 23, 2018 at 12:56 pm

    5 stars
    Nagi, I truly love alllll of your recipes! You have great taste 🙂 This lentil soup is always a hit. I add a bit more carrots, celery and lemon. I love lemon! Topped with a lil sour cream. 😋

    Reply
  11. Frankie says

    May 13, 2018 at 9:46 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious! I didn’t have cumin or coriander, so I used garam masala which worked well. Definitely being added to my regular rotation!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      May 14, 2018 at 2:26 am

      Wonderful to hear Frankie! Thank you for letting me know you enjoyed this – N x

      Reply
  12. Mia says

    May 10, 2018 at 12:31 pm

    5 stars
    This soup was awesome. I will be making this once a week. Best of all its vegan.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      May 13, 2018 at 4:08 pm

      Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed this Mia, thanks for letting me know! N x

      Reply
  13. Abby says

    May 2, 2018 at 5:28 am

    I have already cooked lentils on my fridge from another meal…could o make the base of the soup and add the cooked lentils at the end?

    Reply
  14. Bob says

    May 2, 2018 at 2:26 am

    I have made lentil soup over the years and have always been happy with the outcome. Your addition of small amounts of spices raises this to a new level, and yours will be my go to recipe in the future. Thanks for letting us know about it.

    Reply
  15. Sonia says

    April 29, 2018 at 8:05 pm

    5 stars
    Beautiful soup and very healthy, just what we need with the colder weather kicking in. Definitely making this one again. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      April 30, 2018 at 8:50 am

      So great to hear Sonia!! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed this – N x

      Reply
  16. Sue says

    April 28, 2018 at 8:33 pm

    This soup was so fantastic! The flavour was perfect – so tasty and savoury. I’m about to make a batch tomorrow but thicker and use it for vego shepherds pie filling – I can’t wait for my tasty sunday lunch!!!!!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      April 30, 2018 at 9:49 am

      So great to hear Sue!! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed this – N x

      Reply
  17. Ev says

    April 27, 2018 at 11:06 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious! My husband, a dedicated carnivore enjoyed this soup. Very filling and very comforting.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      April 30, 2018 at 9:18 pm

      So great to hear Ev!! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed this – N x

      Reply
  18. Pamela says

    April 10, 2018 at 7:22 am

    Is the serving size (421 grams) about 1.5 cups? I would probably have double that in a meal.

    This soup is a staple!!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      April 11, 2018 at 8:37 pm

      Hi Pamela! Yep it’s about 1 3/4 cup. I really find it quite filling! N xx

      Reply
  19. Steven says

    April 8, 2018 at 9:58 am

    5 stars
    Nagi, this soup is AMAZING. I say this about all of your recipes but this is just delicious. The spices along with the lemon & zest. Yum. 😍. Could eat daily.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      April 8, 2018 at 3:44 pm

      Fantastic to hear Steven! Thanks for letting me know! N x ❤️

      Reply
  20. Laurie Humes says

    April 7, 2018 at 4:54 am

    Making this for the second time today. This soup is delicious!!! I eat mine with a dollop of Greek yogurt and sprinkle pumpkin and sunflower seeds on top. Also love the fact that something so tasty is good for you too.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      April 8, 2018 at 4:09 pm

      Love hearing that Laurie! So glad you love this too! N xx

      Reply
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Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

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