This site runs ads and generates income from affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
This Red Lentil Soup recipe packed with veggies is the perfect comfort dish to come home to at the end of the day.
Serve with my Perfect Garlic Bread for a weeknight dinner that really fills you up!
I am a well-known soup lover, and family and friends often request one of my soup recipes when they visit for lunch or dinner. I love to see people enjoying my food. This red lentil soup recipe is one of my personal favorites and I’m so pleased to be able to share it with you.
Why This Recipe Works
- The garlic, cumin, and cilantro work together perfectly, packing this soup with flavor.
- The stock and tomato paste add a subtle rich flavor to the base of this soup.
- The lentils make this soup a simple and hearty soup, suitable for serving for lunch or dinner.
About Red Lentils
Red and lentils are sweeter and milder in flavor than other types of lentils. They are a quick cook lentil only taking 15-20 minutes to cook.
They become quite soft when cooked down, so this variety is often used for thickening soups and stews in Middle Eastern and Indian dishes.
A Nutritious & Nourishing Soup
Red lentil soup can be a whole meal and this soup is a great example of that. It’s packed with lentils and vegetables and so tasty you’ll be making it batch after batch!
Lentils are low in calories, rich in iron and folate, and an excellent source of protein. They are full of polyphenols and studies have suggested that they help lower cholesterol. If you use a cooking spray in the place of oil this soup can be made even healthier!
How to Make Red Lentil Soup
- Dice the vegetables until roughly chopped.
- Saute the vegetables until soft (around 5 minutes), then the garlic for another minute.
- Add tomato paste, cumin, stock, and lentils. Bring to a boil then simmer for 30 minutes.
- Taste for seasoning, season as needed.
- Serve and enjoy!
Step by Step Instructions
Dice carrots, onion and celery.
Using a food processor to chop the vegetables helps to make this a quick cook soup as they will soften much faster.
Put diced vegetables into a hot pan and saute until softened (around 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute another minute.
Add Tomato paste, cumin and lentils and stock. Bring to the boil, lower the heat and simmer for around 30 minutes until lentils are cooked.
Add lemon juice and cilantro, season to taste, and season as needed. Serve and enjoy!
Both salt and lemon juice can stop lentils from softening so it’s best to wait until the end to add them.
Tips and Variations
- Using a food processor to chop the vegetables helps to make this a quick cook soup as they will soften much faster.
- Both salt and lemon juice can stop lentils from softening so it’s best to wait until the end to add them.
- For a nonvegetarian opinion, make this soup even more hearty by adding bacon or pancetta.
- To make this recipe in the slow cooker, follow the instructions to where you lower the heat to a simmer and then add it to a slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours, add the potatoes and then cook a further 1-2 hours.
Make ahead & Freezing Instructions
Double the ingredients and freeze half for a quick and easy option when you need it. Win-Win!
- To Make Ahead: Make this soup up to 3 days ahead and store in the fridge in an airtight container.
- Freezing: Portion the soup into freezer bags or freezer-safe containers (filling them as much as possible to avoid too much air being trapped) and freeze stacked on top of each other. For up to 3 months.
Other Soups You Will Love
Rate This Recipe
Recipe
Red Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion
- 2 carrots (peeled)
- 3 celery stalks
- 4 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 6 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock for a non vegitarian option)
- 1 ½ cups red lentils
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons fresh cilantro (chopped)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Dice the carrots, onion, and celery by hand or in a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped.
- In a large pot, heat oil to medium high. Add the diced vegetables and saute until softened (about 5 minutes), stirring occasionally. Add garlic and saute another minute.
- Add tomato paste, cuminand cook until fragrant (about 2 minutes). Stir in the lentils and stock.
- Bring to a boil. Lower the heat to simmer partially covered for 30 minutes or until lentils are cooked and the vegetables are tender.
- Add the lemon juice, and cilantro. Taste and season as needed before serving.
Tips
- Using a food processor to chop the vegetables helps to make this a quick cook soup as they will soften much faster.
- Both salt and lemon juice can stop lentils from softening so it’s best to wait until the end to add them.
Save to favoritesYour saved recipes will be right here waiting for you every time you visit, so you can easily find and make the meals you love.
Leave a Reply