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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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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Simmering Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 260kcal
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
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