Best Lentil Soup

The best lentil soup recipe you’ll ever taste, this vegan dish comes together with simple steps for a hearty, nutritious soup that will have all your guests coming back for seconds and thirds! 

What Are Lentils? 

If you’re unfamiliar, lentils are a type of legume grown all over the world and used in a wide variety of recipes like lentil soup, lentil hummus, and even lentil chili. Similar to beans, they are budget-friendly, sold either dried or canned, are high in plant-based protein and fiber, and come in many different shapes, sizes, and colors. The four most common types of lentils are brown, green, red or yellow, and specialty lentils. Each type is fairly similar in taste and texture, but they all have slight differences which you can read more about here.

What Types of Lentils Are Best for Lentil Soup?  

When it comes to vegan lentil soup, the best type of lentil to use is any dried variety. For this recipe, we use brown lentils, but green, red, or yellow lentils also work well. Just note that the color of your soup will change slightly depending on what you choose. The only type of lentil we do not recommend using is Puy lentils (also known as black French lentils) because they do not cook down and soften like other varieties. 

How to Make the Best Lentil Soup Recipe

If you’ve ever been too intimidated to try to cook lentil soup, this recipe is about to change that mindset! Unbelievably easy, it’s guaranteed to become part of your regular dinner rotation. 

1. Sauté. Cook the garlic, carrots, and celery in a large Dutch oven until they’re soft and fragrant. Then, add the seasonings, and stir. 
2. Boil and Simmer. Stir in the tomatoes. Then, add the lentils and broth, and bring the ingredients to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and let the vegan lentil soup cook until the lentils are tender. 
3. Add the Remaining Ingredients. Stir in the rest of the ingredients, and adjust the seasonings to taste. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese or any additional garnishes on top, and serve warm. 

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Best Lentil Soup (Vegan)

5 from 86 ratings

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The best lentil soup recipe you’ll ever taste, this easy vegan dish comes together with simple steps for a hearty, nutritious soup that will have all your guests coming back for seconds and thirds!

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 1 hour hr

Total Time: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Author: Amy Dong

Ingredients  

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• 2 TB olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 8 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 whole carrots, peeled and diced
• 4 stalks celery, diced
• 2 tsp oregano
• 2 tsp basil
• 1 ½ tsp cumin, ground
• 28 oz fire-roasted tomatoes, with juices
• 2 cups lentils, dry*
• 8 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups kale leaves, thinly sliced
• 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• kosher salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• freshly shaved Parmesan for garnish, optional

Instructions

• In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onions, stirring for 1 minute. Add the garlic, carrots, and celery for 2-3 minutes or until soft, stirring frequently.
• Add the fire-roasted tomatoes along with all the juices, and stir until well combined. Add the lentils and broth, and bring the mixture to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer 1 hour or until the lentils are tender.
• Stir in the kale leaves and fresh lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with shaved Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve warm.

Equipment

• 1 Dutch Oven, 7.5 quart
• Brown Lentils, Dry
• Fire Roasted Tomatoes

Notes

*We use brown lentils for this soup, but you can also use other dry varieties. Red and yellow lentils will cook much faster and tend to disintegrate, which make them a better choice for pureed soups. Brown and green lentils take a bit longer to cook, but keep shape well.

 

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Nutrition (per serving)

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 257kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 0.1mg | Sodium: 630mg | Potassium: 564mg | Fiber: 17g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2654IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 122mg | Iron: 5mg

Course: Dinner, Soup

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Low Calorie, Low Fat, Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian

Method: Stovetop