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A warm bowl of homemade lentil soup topped with fresh herbs and a swirl of cream, served with bread on the side.

Lentil Soup

A cozy, vegan lentil soup packed with warm spices, tender vegetables, and bright lemon. This budget-friendly one-pot meal is perfect for rainy days, sick days, or meal prep. Loved for its “hug in a bowl” comfort and adaptable ingredients.
5 from 1 vote
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Course: dinner
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
Keyword: Greek lentil soup, Lentil Soup, Lentil soup downshiftology, Lentil soup minimalist baker, Red lentil soup, Syrian lentil soup, Vegan lentil soup
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Simmering Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 260kcal
Cost: $7

Equipment

  • 1 Large pot or Dutch oven (Heavy-bottomed preferred for even heat)
  • 1 Chef's knife (For chopping vegetables)
  • 1 Cutting board
  • 1 Wooden spoon (For stirring)
  • 1 Fine-mesh strainer (To rinse lentils)
  • 1 Ladle (For serving)

Ingredients

Lentil Base

  • 1.5 cups dried lentils - red or green
  • 6 cups vegetable broth - low-sodium recommended
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon salt - adjust to taste

Vegetable Base

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion - diced
  • 3 carrots - diced
  • 3 stalks celery - diced
  • 6 cloves garlic - minced
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes - with juice

Spice Blend

  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
  • 0.25 teaspoon cayenne - optional

Fresh Finishing Touches

  • 1 lemon, juiced - add at end
  • fresh parsley or cilantro - chopped
  • lemon wedges - for serving
  • extra virgin olive oil - for drizzling

Optional Add-ins

  • 1-2 cups spinach or kale - stirred in at end
  • 1 potato - simmer with lentils
  • red pepper flakes - to taste
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger - grated

Instructions

  • Rinse lentils, dice vegetables, mince garlic, and measure spices.
  • Cook onions, carrots, celery, and garlic in olive oil until softened and fragrant.
  • Add cumin, turmeric, paprika, pepper, and cayenne; stir briefly to toast the spices.
  • Add broth, water, lentils, bay leaf, and tomatoes; simmer until lentils are tender.
  • Remove bay leaf, add lemon juice and herbs, adjust seasoning, and serve.

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be considered an approximation. Actual values may vary based on specific ingredients used and portion sizes

Nutrition

Serving: 350g | Calories: 260kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 520mg | Potassium: 700mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 7500IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 4mg