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Bringing you major warm, cozy and comforting vibes with this Vegan Lentil Soup! This soup recipe is so easy to make and it’s loaded with nourishing vegetables, warm spices and lentils. An easy one-pot dinner option that the whole family will love!
Love a good vegan soup recipe? ME TOO! You need to give my Vegan Minestrone Soup a try! PLUS, my vegan Butternut Squash Soup and my Chickpea Noodle Soup are always fan favorites!
It’s comfort food season! And there’s just about nothing more comforting than a bowl of hot soup to warm the body and soul. My family loves when they smell a big pot of my vegan lentil soup cooking away on the stove. This flavorful soup is the perfect meal for a chilly day! It’s thick, creamy and so satisfying.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s healthy. Lentils are a great vegan or vegetarian option because they are full of plant-based protein and fiber!
- It’s budget-friendly. Lentils and all of the other ingredients in this recipe are very affordable, which makes this a great meatless dinner to serve the family.
- Delicious and flavorful. The flavors in this easy lentil soup recipe come from the earthy turmeric and warm cumin. Add some fresh lemon to pull it all together. So delicious!
Ingredients needed
Vegan lentil soup is made with wholesome, everyday ingredients. It’s the creamiest, coziest meal, perfect for cool fall or winter nights. Here are the ingredients needed:
- French Lentils. I usually use French green lentils but brown lentils will work as well! I haven’t tried this with red lentils and I worry that the soup might end up a bit too mushy. So if using red, proceed at your own caution.
- Onion + Garlic. A must in any good soup recipe! White or yellow onion works well!
- Carrots. Technically these are optional, but I love the extra sweetness and nutrition that they offer.
- Vegetable broth. Any kind you have will work well! I’ve been loving the Better than Bouillon Vegetable Base lately. Vegetable stock also works well!
- Crushed tomatoes. They add liquid and great flavor to the soup.
- Spices. For delicious warm flavor, we’re using a blend of ground cumin, thyme, and curry powder. We’re also adding 2 bay leaves.
- Lemon juice + zest. For some added freshness! I like to serve fresh lemon wedges on the side as well.
- Olive oil.
- Salt & black pepper.
How to make this recipe
I’ve been making a version of this hearty soup for many years now. It’s typically a “throw a bunch of stuff in the pot” situation, but I finally managed to write it down into a cohesive recipe for you. It’s so super simple and very satisfying! Here’s the simple method:
For the full, printable recipe, reference the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Step #1: Sauté veggies. Heat a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat and add in the oil. Once hot, add in the onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes. Next, add in the carrots and cook until they begin to soften, about 8-10 minutes.
Step #2: Add all other ingredients. Increase the heat and add in the remaining ingredients minus the lemon juice and zest: dried lentils, crushed tomatoes, broth, cumin, thyme, curry powder, bay leaves, salt + pepper. Stir well to combine.
Step #3: Simmer soup. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat as necessary so that it’s at a very gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 30-35 minutes. Once cooked, remove the bay leaf and add in the lemon juice + zest.
Step #4: Blend and Serve. Optional: blend some of the soup with an immersion blender or regular blender for a creamier texture. Ladle into bowls, top with fresh herbs, and ENJOY!
Tips for recipe success
- Sort the lentils. Before cooking, quickly sift through the lentils to remove any small debris or pebbles. Wash/rinse the lentils thoroughly.
- Simmer gently. Lentils can easily get mushy if they are cooked on too high of a heat. Simmer the soup gently for soft, but not mushy lentils.
- Change up the texture. To make the soup creamier with less texture, transfer about 1/4 to 1/2 of the cooked soup to a blender. Blend until smooth and then stir back into the soup. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender to do this.
- Thin the soup. We like this soup thick and hearty, but if you’d like it thinner, add in some additional vegetable broth or stock.
- Customize it. Feel free to add any other seasonal vegetables into the mix that you have on hand. I’ve tried this before with green beans and red bell pepper and it was delicious!
Frequently asked questions
Yes! Lentils are a highly nutritious food. They are rich in minerals, protein, and fiber while also being low in calories. Plus, the soup is filled with lots of other wholesome ingredients.
No! Lentils do not need to be soaked before making this recipe. Once you’ve rinsed them off, they cook in the soup. Having the lentils cook slowly in the soup lends a delicious flavor and hearty texture. In other recipes that call for lentils, soaking them can cut down cooking time.
This soup is deeply savory and perfectly rich with a subtle sweetness from the carrot and tomatoes. It also tastes fresh and lively thanks to the lemon juice and zest that are added in at the end. This soup is very thick, hearty, and filling.
Serving suggestions
- Salad. A light, fresh green salad pairs so nicely with this flavorful soup.
- Grilled cheese. We love dipping a classic grilled cheese sandwich into this soup. So good!
- Bread. Crusty bread, pita or naan bread is an easy, yet satisfying counterpart to lentil soup.
Storage recommendation
- Leftovers. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Reheat. Warm up leftover soup on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Add additional broth as needed to thin the soup. You can also rewarm this soup in the microwave.
- Freeze. Place leftover soup that is completely cooled in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
More simple soup recipes:
This is seriously the BEST lentil soup recipe and I’m excited for you to try it! You can come back here and leave a comment or tag me on instagram (@foodwithfeeling).
Vegan Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium sweet onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 cups dried brown or green lentils*
- 1 15 oz can of crushed tomatoes
- 7 cups vegetable broth
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt + more to taste
- pepper to taste
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Heat a large pot over medium heat and add in the oil. Once hot, add in the onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes.
- Next add in the carrots and cook until they begin to soften, about 8-10 minutes.
- Increase the heat and add in the remaining ingredients minus the lemon juice and zest: dried lentils, crushed tomatoes, broth, cumin, thyme, curry powder, bay leaves, salt + pepper. Stir well to combine.
- Bring to a simmer and reduce heat as necessary so that it’s at a very gentle simmer. If the stove is too hot then you may end up with mushy lentils. Cover and cook for 30-35 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Remove the bay leaves and add in the lemon juice + zest.
- You can serve the soup AS IS or make it a bit creamier by blending 1/4-1/2 of the soup. I do this using an immersion blender but you can also (carefully!) transfer some of the soup to a blender, blend, and then pour it back into the pot. I like my soup quite thick but you can add another cup of water or broth if desired.
- Serve and ENJOY!
Video
Notes
- Leftovers. Store leftover soup in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Reheat. Warm up leftover soup on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Add additional broth as needed to thin the soup. You can also rewarm this soup in the microwave.
- Freeze. Place leftover soup that is completely cooled in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This soup is incredible! A new staple in our house. Thank you so much!
There’s something white in the pictures but not in the recipe. What is it?
do you mean the white on top of the soup? It’s just a drizzle of coconut milk that is there for no other reason than it looks pretty :D