
Lentil Soup (seriously amazing!) Recipe
Don’t accept bland Lentil Soup! Make it proper and also you’ll have everybody begging for seconds….and thirds… This lentil recipe is likely one of the finest nourishing, easy dishes you can also make with dried lentils that’s 100% scrumptious. Use inexperienced lentils, pink lentils, brown lentils or a lentil soup combine.
All it takes is a touch of spice flavourings, bay leaves and ending it off with a contact of lemon to raise this soup. It’s a simple recipe that delivers terrific outcomes, a 5 star reader favorite with tons of of suggestions from readers!
Wish to add some protein? Do that Beef & Lentil Soup!

Lentil soup is sort of presumably the least horny sounding soup on the planet.
Not less than, in my world. Common readers know that I’m all about large flavours. Spicy, herby, curries – kapow, kapow, kapow!
However what? A effectively made Lentil Soup recipe is can’t-stop-eating-it good. You’ll return for seconds and thirds, then you definitely’ll be taking large tubs of it to work for lunch and fortunately have it for dinner once more.
And – I’m going to say it (*head swell*) – loads of readers have mentioned that is the finest lentil soup they’ve ever had!
A effectively made Lentil Soup recipe is can’t-stop-eating-it good.

Is lentil soup good for you?
If you happen to’re questioning if lentil soup is nice for you, the reply is sure! Lentils are nutritious, wealthy in minerals, protein, low in fats, excessive in fibre (digestive well being). They’re a terrific vegetarian supply of protein with 25% of the energy in lentils attributable to protein.
Lentils are a carbohydrate, however it’s sluggish burning which suggests it retains you fuller for longer. Research additionally counsel that lentils are good for coronary heart well being.
The additional advantage is that they’re low in energy with 116 energy in 1 cup of cooked lentils (which is roughly the quantity per serving of this lentil soup).

What does lentil soup style like?
It tastes savoury and has a flavour enhance from a touch of spices. There’s an undertone of pure sweetness from the soffrito flavour base of onion, carrot and celery. My favorite half is the feel! It’s thick and comforting, and simply made for dunking in sizzling crusty bread!
Right here’s what goes in my lentil soup. Nothing fancy, simply on a regular basis elements.
So what makes this Lentil Soup so good?
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A contact of spices.
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Cooking the onion, carrot and celery slowly so that they sweeten and make a phenomenal flavour base.
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Lemon – The “secret” ingredient. Sure actually. Little tip I picked up from Ina Garten. Only a little bit of zest and squeeze of contemporary lemon makes all of the distinction which takes it from actually good to nice!

Do you cook dinner lentils earlier than including to soup?
Nope! Dried lentils cook dinner in 35 minutes in the soup, and there’s no must soak them both!
Dried lentils are finest for lentil soup. You should use most forms of lentils for this recipe – brown, inexperienced, pink or yellow, although it can have an effect on the color of the soup. I’ve used inexperienced lentils, pictured beneath.
The one kind of lentil I don’t advocate is Puy Lentils (little black French lentils) as a result of they maintain their form and don’t soften like different lentils.
Are you able to used canned cooked lentils?
Sure you certain can, and instructions are offered within the recipe notes. But it surely’s higher made with dried lentils due to the feel within the soup, there’s solely 10 minutes distinction in cook dinner time and it’s extra economical!

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Sauté your onion, garlic, carrots and celery over over low warmth for nearly 10 minutes. Take your time right here – the decrease the warmth, the longer you’re taking, the extra these will remodel to create an unbelievable flavour base for the soup!
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Add all the pieces else apart from the lemon;
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Simmer 35 minutes till lentils are mushy; and
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End with a dusting of zest and spritz of lemon.
A touch of lemon earthiness from the zest and contact of freshness from the juice simply jazzes up the soup and takes it to that subsequent stage!
You’ll discover that the lentils largely breakdown and naturally thicken the soup. However what I love to do to get a very luscious creamy texture is to present the soup a fast whizz with a blender stick (or switch a few cups to the blender) to puree SOME however not all of the lentils.
That approach you get the advantage of each worlds – creamy soup with mushy bits of lentils. YES!


Lentil Soup will simply hold for five days within the fridge, making it excellent for cooking on the weekend and serving all through the week. And it additionally freezes 100% completely for 3 months – even longer!
Each time I make this, I all the time marvel why I don’t make it extra usually. It’s wholesome, filling, tremendous economical, freezes completely, versatile and it’s severely good.
Serving this with some form of heat crusty bread for dunking will not be optionally available. It’s a vital a part of the Lentil Soup expertise.
But it surely is optionally available whether or not you slather mentioned bread with butter, or grill it with cheese! Listed here are a couple of choices – together with making your individual extremely simple home made bread with NO YEAST:
– Johnsat xx

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
- 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!
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 (drain and rinse lentils) 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.