This soup recipe was a long time coming! Over the years, I made some lackluster lentil soups that never saw the light of day on this website. No vegetarian food blog would be complete without a proper lentil soup, though, so I perfected one of my own.
Here it is. My lentil soup is made with mostly pantry ingredients but includes hearty greens and a squeeze of lemon for bright, fresh flavor. It’s seasoned with a few of my favorite spices and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Honestly, it’s the best lentil soup I’ve ever had.
The original title of this recipe was “Spiced Vegan Lentil Soup,” which is accurate, but a mouthful. With over 500 five-star reviews, I think it’s safe to call this the Best Lentil Soup. Period.
Whether you’re looking to lighten up your meals or warm up with a steaming bowl of soup, this healthy lentil soup recipe is for you! It’s one of my all-time favorites and I hope it becomes a staple in your kitchen as well.
How to Make the Best Lentil Soup
Five reasons to love this recipe:
- The recipe calls for seasonal vegetables and affordable pantry ingredients, but tastes gourmet.
- This lentil soup has an amazing hearty texture that’s lightly creamy (yet there is no cream). The trick is to blend up a portion of the soup once the lentils are tender, and then pour it back into the pot. It’s like magic.
- This nutritious, well-balanced soup counts as a meal if you enjoy a generous portion. Lentils are rich in protein, fiber, iron and folate.
- Lentil soup packs well for lunch in a leak-proof container, and it tastes even better the next day.
- This soup freezes and defrosts well. Make soup now and enjoy it later!
Watch how to make lentil soup
Please let me know how this lentil soup turns out for you in the comments. I’m always so eager to hear from you.
If you love this soup, check out my hearty vegetarian chili, favorite black bean soup and pinto posole. You can check out all my soup and stew recipes here.
Don’t miss my lentil minestrone recipe in my cookbook—if you’re a fan of this soup, you’re going to love it.
PrintBest Lentil Soup
- Author:
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
This simple vegan lentil soup recipe comes together quickly with mostly pantry ingredients. Be sure to have your ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking! Recipe yields four large bowls of soup, or six more modest servings.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 large can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, lightly drained
- 1 cup brown or green lentils, picked over and rinsed
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup chopped fresh collard greens or kale, tough ribs removed
- 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice (½ to 1 medium lemon), to taste
Instructions
- Warm the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. One-fourth cup olive oil may seem like a lot, but it adds a lovely richness and heartiness to this nutritious soup.
- Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion and carrot and cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is turning translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, cumin, curry powder and thyme. Cook until fragrant while stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. Pour in the drained diced tomatoes and cook for a few more minutes, stirring often, in order to enhance their flavor.
- Pour in the lentils, broth and the water. Add 1 teaspoon salt and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper. Raise heat and bring the mixture to a boil, then partially cover the pot and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape.
- Transfer 2 cups of the soup to a blender. Securely fasten the lid, protect your hand from steam with a tea towel placed over the lid, and purée the soup until smooth. Pour the puréed soup back into the pot. (Or, use an immersion blender to blend a portion of the soup.)
- Add the chopped greens and cook for 5 more minutes, or until the greens have softened to your liking. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Taste and season with more salt, pepper and/or lemon juice until the flavors really sing. For spicier soup, add another pinch or two of red pepper flakes.
- Serve while hot. Leftovers will keep well for about 4 days in the refrigerator, or can be frozen for several months (just defrost before serving).
Notes
Soup recipe roughly based on America’s Test Kitchen’s lentil soup in The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook, with reference to The First Mess’ favourite lentil soup.
Recommended equipment: (affiliate links) I love my Vitamix blender and Le Creuset 5.5-quart Dutch oven. For more of my favorite cooking tools, shop my kitchen essentials.
shannon
anyone know the calorie information?
Kate
The nutritional information is below the notes section of the recipe, you just need to click to expand!
Jen
This was a great soup. Perfect for using up the last of my weekly produce. I used red lentils and added sweet potatoes because that is what I had in my kitchen, and it was amazing.
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Jen!
Laura
My go to recipe for soup now! I’ve been enjoying it so much and making soup for friends just so they can try it and rave about it too.
Perfect every time, super nutritious and quick to throw together. Recommended 100%
Thank you so much!
Kate
You’re so welcome, Laura! Thanks for recommending it to your friends. Have a great day!
Madison
I just served up this soup and I’m in heaven.
I made a few adjustments:
Added a half a can of (skinned) garbanzo beans since I had justnused half for my lunch.
Added Trader Joe’s frozen white corn (my favorite) to finish a bag
I used a few additional spices: sumac and Aleppo pepper.
Served with a slice of toast with labneh.
Your recipies are always my go to when I’m looking for bones/direction for my ideas, or when I have no idea at all. :)
Kate
Thank you, Madison! I’m happy you liked it and my recipes help provide direction for you.
Sonia Pietrzak
I have made this soup so many times and it always tastes amazing. Thank you for sharing.
Kate
You’re welcome, Sonia!
Fran Stelly
Hi, I made this Lentil soup for Halloween night so there would be something healthy for my kid and grandkids to eat prior to heading out trick or treating. I also brought some to a neighbor who has been ill. Everyone LOVED it! They said it was the best Lentil soup they have ever eaten and I have to agree. So many different delicious flavors. Everyone who ate it has asked for the recipe so I have printed off the recipe for them all. Thank you for this delicious soup. I think it will become a family staple this winter!
Kate
I’m glad it was a hit across the family! Thanks for sharing, Fran.
Brenda plummer
Made this soup tonight .. I used one tine of tomatoes and then added so cherry tomatoes as well, I added some cubes of butternut squash too that I had left over in the freezer. For the greens I used baby spinach.. totally yum
Kate
Thanks for sharing your take, Brenda!
Liz
I doubled this recipe, added leftover grilled sweet potato cubes to the blender, replaced curry with coriander, used chard as green and didn’t use as much oil. Its limitless in its variations, judging from 2015 comments below. My family loved it for dinner with some crusty bread and salad – the lentils kept their shape, blending 1 cup gives the soup body, and it has a pleasant amount of heat with the peppers. Let’s hope the Prospect Preschool election day bake sale recipients enjoy their half the batch!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Liz!
Jessica
You typically see this type of recipe made with red lentils but I went ahead and used the brown lentils that the recipe suggests and this was DELICIOUS. Even my one year old loved it. I did cut down the oil to about half of what was suggested and used fire roasted tomatoes and served it over brown rice with cilantro and lemon..it was perfect.
Kate
I’m happy to hear that, Jessica! Thanks so much for sharing.
Danae Metcalf
Used fresh thyme instead of dry. Accidentally thought I had diced tomatoes in the pantry, but it was actually crushed. Whoops! Lol. Didn’t drain them since they were crushed and the soup turned out just fine! Delicious meal!
Kate
I’m glad it still turned out well! Thank you, Danae!
Jenny
This looks delicious! I can’t wait to try it!
I was wondering, though, is it fairly thick, or is there a good way to thicken it up? I like a pretty chunky soup, and I also love the look of this recipe!
Kate
It is a hearty soup in my opinion! If you want it more, you could always increase the vegetables some.
Jenny
Thank you so much! I can’t wait to try it!
Ashley Hoober
Me and my family absolutely adore this recipe!!! Strangely enough, my kids are HUGE breakfast for dinner fans. They ate the leftovers of this today before school hahah. Thanks again for sharing
Kate
That’s so funny! Soup for breakfast. Thanks for sharing, Ashley!
Gail
Your Vegan Lentil Soup is my ultimate favorite. Even my friends love it. I have to admit I tweak a smidgen. First off, it so good I double the recipe because we want for dinner a second night and lunch. I have to omit the curry and cumin because my husband is not fan. I also add celery, dried oregano, basil and I don’t drain the tomatoes. Love this soup!! Thank you!
Kate
Thank you for sharing your variations, Gail!
Michelle Baker
Wow this soup was absolutely amazing! I cut back on the curry a little bit because I didn’t want it to overwhelm the other flavors, but I will try it full strength next time. Either way, a delicious soup I know I’ll make again and again.
Kate
I’m glad you liked it, Michelle!
Abby
Simply loved it! Even better the second day :)
Kate
Wonderful, Abby!
Alicia
I love this soup. I’ve made it several times and it always turns out delicious.
Kate
I’m really happy to hear that, Alicia! Thanks for your review.
Maxwell Gottlieb
The soup is cooking right now. I guestimated about 2T oil instead of the full 4 T (1/4 C).
It smells great! I’ll let you know how it goes.
Kate
What did you think, Maxwell?
Maxwell Gottlieb
The soup came out great! It was a big hit.
Kate
Thanks for letting me know, Maxwell!
Kyle
It is a bit chilly in Virginia and I thought your version of lentil soup would be a great recipe I would prepare for my family. I just “wrote” down the ingredients to make this soup over the weekend; it looks divine! I will definitely let you know how it turns out!
Kate
Yes, please do Kyle!
Tricia
I’m not much of a cook, but I made the lentil soup and just loved it! I’m getting the ingredients together to make another batch to get me through the week. Thanks for the great recipes I’m going to try some of the other soups now. Tricia
Kate
Thank you, Tricia!
Nicole Solnes
We used this recipe for a student cooking competition for best vegan soup… and it won! Hands down, not even a close competition. This soup is by far one of THE best soups I have ever eaten! (Even when comparing to non-vegan soups.)
Kate
Hooray!! That’s so fun. Thanks for sharing!
Trish
This soup comes together quickly and delivers on flavour. My new favorite recipe.
Kate
Great to hear, Trish!
Lynda Barry
This is the best lentil soup ever!!!!! I am making this for the third week in a row for lunches!
Kate
That’s awesome! A great option for lunch. Thanks for sharing, Lynda.
Preethi Gudivada
I had wanted a flavorful lentil soup and finally found it. Our whole family loves it. My 3-year-old finishes his bowl every time. I added Dhaniya powder along with the jeera powder. The collard greens were a nice touch. The soup is filling, delicious and tastes like comfy food. Thanks for sharing this!!
Kate
You’re welcome!
Emma
I ALWAYS search for this. I should print it. My whole family love this. I have little kitchen skills so i enjoy that i can manage something so good.
Thank you!
Kate
You’re welcome, Emma!
Jonathan
This soup is unbelievably good – made it twice so far.
Kate
So happy to hear that!
Malin
This is the most delicious soup I’ve ever had! Wow!!! Thank you so much! Love <3
Kate
You’re welcome, Malin!
Chris
This is an awesome recipe, part of my go to file and one I share whenever I can! Thís week I was out of kale so subbed in arugula and it was as good as ever. The only changes I make are to up the greens generously and to cook the lentils separately. The reason for that is I was concerned that the acid of the tomatoes might prevent the lentils from fully cooking, as it will other dried beans, but it also happens to speed up prep, since the lentils are cooking while you prep the rest of the soup!
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Chris!
Celeste
I know I’m late to the post, but I just made this soup today and it was amazing! Thank you so much!!
Kate
You’re welcome! Thanks for letting me know you loved it, Celeste!
Lindsey
I love making soup in my crockpot during the colder months for my work lunch. This by far is my favorite lentil soup i’ve ever had! The curry powder adds so much subtle flavor that I never would have thought to add. This soup keeps very well in the fridge and is awesome for meal prepping! I added an extra 1/2 c of quinoa and 1 cup of kale to bulk it up for a bit. Love it- thank you!
Kate
The curry is great! Thanks for sharing your variation, Lindsey! I appreciate the review.
Jessica
This one of my all time favorite soups! Perfect blend of ingredients and is sooo comforting. I didn’t have kale on hand but usually include it when I make this and although I love kale it really wasn’t much different without it.
Kate
Thanks for sharing and for your review, Jessica!
Alana Stern
Thank you for posting this recipe! I made it tonight and it was AMAZING! This is my new favorite recipe! I tossed in a potato and some mushrooms with it. I also ground up then toasted my own curry spice mix. AMAZING!
Kate
You are so welcome! Thanks for letting me know you love this soup.
Tiffany
This soup recipe is amazing. It’s nutritious delicious, and simple. This is going to be a regular in my home! Thank you!
Kate
Love to hear that, Tiffany!
Paul
Glad to have come upon this recipe. Absolutely delicious. Had already made twice the amount of lentils, so doubled the recipe. Next time we’ll try a little less of the tomatoes, but otherwise all ingredients seemed just perfect. A perfect lunch with some sourdough bread. Thank you!
Kate
Thanks for sharing your experience, Paul!
Mish Shableski
I’ve been making this Spicy Lentil Soup for awhile. At this time of year I make it in a double batch every week. I love it so much. I’ve tried many of your other recipes, and all are very good, but this is the absolute best. Thank you!
Kate
I’m glad you love it so much! Thanks for sharing, Mish.
Erika
Does this recipe really on serve 4 people? It looks like it would serve more people.
Kate
Serving size is an estimate and you can get more out of this if you like and serve with something else!
Alyssa Crooks
I’m hoping to try this recipe tonight, can I sub out a lime for the lemon? I feel silly asking but that’s I have at home. Thanks!
Kate
Hey Alyssa! Lime might taste a little funny. You could try adding a tiny spritz of lime juice to a bowl of soup first, to see if you like it. I think you’ll still love the soup even if you skip the lemon!
Barb
Best lentil soup ever!! Buy best quality tomatoes if you can. I have shared this with SO many people!!
Kate
Thank you, Barb!
Leena
I’ve been making this lentil soup for a couple of years now and so this review is long overdue. My husband and daughter are usually unhappy when I make a meatless dish but this lentil soup is a huge hit with them. I too love this soup and all the more because of the nutritious ingredients
Ryan
Our family loves this soup! Today is a cool, rainy day, so perfect soup weather. I’m making it today for the 5th or 6th time. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Kate
I’m glad this is a hit with your family!
Meg
If you’re going to NOLA, you MUST have lunch at Commander’s Palace! Make a reservation before you go, as they are usually full. But their lunch specials are a great bargain. For $20, $25 you get the full Commander’s experience. It’s not to be missed!
They also have 25 cent martinis, only at lunch. (limit 3). They also have a house wine by the glass for $6 or 7.
If you’re looking to eat healthy, try Meals from the Heart in the old French Market. Fabulous food, great people.
I’m also a big fan of oyster happy hour at Luke’s. I don’t know how the NOLA oysters are doing now, but they were great when I was there a couple/three years ago. The make a French 75 cocktail that is delicious, but deadly. You might be able to get away with drinking two, but do NOT order a third!
There’s a great street band, Doreen’s, that often plays outside of Rousse’s Market on Royal St. in the French Quarter.
There’s good live music in the Frenchman St. bars. Chi Chi Wah Wah , quite aways up on Canal St., has some interesting music, too.
HAVE A GREAT TIME!!
Kate
Oh my goodness! Thanks so much for your recommendations!! This is great!
Julissa
I was never a fan of lentils but I decided to give this a try because I’ve tried others recipes from your blog and they were good. Awesome lentil soup recipe! My husband walked in from work and said “It sure smells good.” The curry was a nice addition and made the house smell wonderful. I like the lemon juice at the end. Definitely lifts the whole dish. I added spinach because Aldi was out of kale but it was still good. Thank you! I really enjoy your blog. I know I can always find good vegetarian recipes here.
Kate
I’m glad you gave it a try, Julissa!
Mary
This is the second recipe I’ve tried from you site.. another wonderful meal! Everyone enjoyed this soup, including the regular meateaters in the family. I did cut back the olive oil just slightly to 3 Tbs. vs. 4 Tbs. The texture was still lovely. Thanks for the recipes – so glad to have found your website!
Kate
I’m happy you found it too, Mary! Thanks so much for your review!
Kim Goff
Absolutely amazing soup. Made as directed. It is, for sure, my new go to!
Kate
Love it, Kim! Thanks for sharing!
Julia J
I LOVE this soup! In fact, I’ve saved it in my favorite recipe file. I made a double batch and it didn’t even last through the week. This soup is delicious, filling and healthy. We served it over wild rice and that made it even more divine.
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Julia! I’m glad you loved it.
Donna L Gillette
The soup that came from your recipe is one of the best soups I’ve ever made. Understand, I make great soup and it’s always a thrill to try and taste newcomers to my repertoire that are worth the time put in. Excellent combination of spices and herbs. Fresh-squeezed lemon makes it sing even more. Thanks so much for sharing your lentil soup recipe and I look forward to trying even more. Donna, Upstate NY
Kate
Hooray! I love hearing that. This is a favorite, by far. Thanks for letting me know how much you love it!
Courtney
It’s been years and this is still my go-to lentil soup recipe. I love how simple it is to make, and most of the ingredients I have on hand at all times. It is always DELICIOUS!! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!!
Kate
I love that, Courtney! Thanks for coming back to this recipe over-and-over. I appreciate the review!
Kristen
I made the lentil soup today and it turned out great. I added acorn squash to the soup, which gives it a bit of sweetness. I over roasted the squash and cut it in small bites before adding to the soup.
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Kristen!
Rachel
Can this be done in a slow cooker?
Kate
I haven’t tried it, but I know other readers have with luck. You can search through the comments to see what worked well for others!
Gabe
I get compliments every time I make this recipe!
I recommend using Better Than Bouillon rather than veggie broth for added flavor, chili paste works in place of chili flakes, and it never hurts to add potatoes!
Thanks so much for the recipe. It started out as a holiday dish that has made it into our regular rotation.
Jessica
I have made this so many times and it always comes out delicious. I like soup more smooth than chunky, so I tend to blend at least 3 cups in the vitamix. Also, I don’t include the curry powder and I prefer it without the chopped greens having made it both with chopped kale and without the kale or any other greens.
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Jessica!
Dea
So yummy! I added some leeks and lots of cayenne to spice it up and it was delish! And it was my first time cooking with lentils! Awesome vegan recipe!!! Definitely a new fave!!
Kate
I’m glad you loved the lentils! Thanks for sharing, Dea.
Abi Norris
I’ve just found out I’m allergic to tomatoes. Is there anything I can use in place of the diced tomatoes?
Kate
Hi! I’m sorry to hear that. Tomatoes really do give this a nice taste and texture. You could try without and increase the carrots and/or lentils, but that will change it of course.
Karen
This is a staple in our kitchen! It is my go-to when I don’t have time to stop at the store, because I almost always have all of the ingredients on hand! Tonight I’m adding in some sweet potatoes that I need to use up. Plus my husband is not feeling well, and lentil soup always soothes and nourishes.
Kate
Love that! Thanks for sharing, Karen.
Ang
Kate, I am not a vegetarian but my husband and I started Meatless Monday’s during the summer. He loves meat but is just eating too much red meat. He agreed to the Meatless Monday idea. I searched Amazon and bought your cookbook. Between your blog and the cookbook most of our Monday meals have been yours. Everything I’ve made has been delicious and my husband hasn’t complained at all.
Even though it’s Thursday (we had your eggplant lasagna on Monday AGAIN-yummo) I really wanted some lentil soup. We usually have it with sausage but I followed your directions and this soup is amazing. We love Indian food anyway so I just added a little more curry than you suggested and even the husband had two bowls.
Thanks Kate for making such wonderful, easy to follow recipes. I will always eat meat but I’m beginning to be totally fine going Meatless 3-4 times a week.
Kate
I’m so happy you have been really enjoying my recipes, Ang. I love added spice, too! Thanks for sharing what you are enjoying.
Katie Absher
I love this recipe. Add a some dried mint, tumeric, a little curry and hot paprika and you have a lovely merging of flavors. Dollop some low fat yogurt and fresh mint on top and it is heaven!
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Katie! I appreciate the review.
Marisa
This looks delicious! Have been wanting to make lentil soup in my instant pot, but I’m pretty new to the instant pot and don’t know how to convert recipes yet to know how long / what setting to run the pressure cooker. Anyone have advice?
Kate
I haven’t tried it, but I know others have! Try searching the comments and see what others have done and worked well.
Haydene Lee
I crave this soup and make it regularly. So comforting and delicious on a cold winter night.
Kate
It’s great on cold nights! Thanks, Haydene for your review.
Stella
This is delicious! I used chicken broth instead of veggie. It was perfect. :)
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Stella!
Gail
This soup was very tasty. I will make again, but wow it does have a lot of sodium. I may cut down on the salt next time.
Kate
Thanks for your review, Gail!
Kim
I am a simple lentil lady who cooks brown lentils with mung beans , the ‘trinity, carrots and sometimes a starch, like parsnips, but i tried yours and am pleased. At first i must say, the curry gave me pause, but at lunch today, I am glad I have the full recipe in the fridge to consume. My adult son said ” That’s wonderful! ” He is a ‘chef’ in his own right. Thank you, Madame . Good stuff
Kate
You’re welcome, Kim! I’m glad you all loved it.
Alida
My kids loved it. I simply decreased amount of hot spice, that’s it. It was terribly delicious!
Kate
I’m glad you all could enjoy it, Alida!
Becca
Absolutely delicious! Never any left when made. The only change I made was to use fresh spinach in place of greens and added yellow summer and zucchini squash to it. Taste much better the next day for sure. This is definitely a keeper, my husband and mother love it! Thank you so much!
Kate
Great to hear, Becca!
Dora
Just made this recipe for lunch. It’s delicious, just the right blend of spices.
Kate
Thanks, Dora!
Katie
This soup is amazing! So easy to make and super flavorful. It’s hard to find vegan soups that have this much delicious flavor without being time consuming. Will make again (and again!).
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Katie!
Stacey Physioc
Absolutely love Cookie and Kate recipes! I’ve been mostly vegan for 35 years, and continue to adhere to a conscious lifestyle. Her recipes are so flavorful, and I appreciate her creative use of spices! Thank you so much!!! Some of my favorite recipes are,…healthy granola (I add diced candied ginger that I coat in grated coconut, so it doesn’t stick together ;-), and goji berries bring nutrients and color :-). I give it to my family and friends at Christmas. Yes,…it’s a hit! I also love the vegan lentil soup, that I serve for NYE bringing good luck in the New Year! When I have some veggies in the fridge that need to be used, I can always count on Cookie and Kate to come through for me!
Kate
Thanks so much, Stacey! You’re so sweet. I’m glad the blog is a go-to for you. :)
Jpw
The sodium is way to high for me in recipe so used low sodium stock, no salt added tomatoes and left out adding salt. Tastes wonderful. For those that have to watch sodium was easy fixes. I also cut back some on the oil. Olive oil is great for me but was just a little too much.
Kate
I’m sorry it didn’t meet your needs! Thanks for trying it!
Kristin
Try making your own stock so you can control the salt. I make homemade chicken and veggie stocks and leave them unsalted. Then, freeze and add salt when I use the stock in recipes . This is especially helpful for recipes like homemade ramen noodle soup that already call for soy sauce.
Cory
This recipe is outstanding. I was impressed that I made a soup with the depth of flavor this gem provides. The dash of lemon juice is something I would not have considered, but now carry into other recipes. Your granola recipe is ‘money’ as well.
Kate
I’m glad you love this and the granola! Thank you for your review, Cory.
Kimberly
I made this soup 3x now. It’s simple to make. It’s delicious.
Kate
I’m so happy you love it, Kimberly!
Mary
I’ve made many lentils soups over the years but this one is really good. I love the combination of spices.
I did make substitutions because I had them on hand: red lentils and mixed green/yellow beans, chopped finely. Didn’t have kale, and am not too crazy about it anyway. I also cooked out the canned tomatoes for about 25 minutes to eliminate the raw flavour.
Will make it again. Recommended!
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Mary!
Lyndsay
I first became interested in this site when I tried the veggie enchiladas (cauliflower with red pepper and black beans) with the homemade enchilada sauce which I found on Pinterest. I made it for my meat-loving boyfriend… and both he and I were sold on any and all recipes from here. I love lentil soup but have never made it myself until now… my boyfriend asked what lentils were so clearly this is his first try of them. And we’re both extremely pleased! I did not alter the recipe- I chose chard for the greens, and used green lentils. It’s spicy in all the right ways and is a make-again meal for sure!! I was worried it would be too thin but I blended about 1/2 of it and it thickened right up- highly recommend everyone follow that step (though it is definitely annoying). The flavor is unreal in this soup, and I can’t wait to share it with my family and friends, and for my coworkers to oooh and aaaah at it.
Kate
I love it! All great recipes, for sure.
John Morgan
Made this tonight for dinner; it was OUTSTANDING!!! The only change to the recipe: I omitted the water and didn’t strain the tomatoes.
Kate
Thank you, John!
Lauren
This is another sensational soup recipe I’ve found on your site
The first time I made this Lentil Soup, I followed the recipe as is (except used all vegetable broth and no water). The second time, I needed to use some things in my fridge that were about to be past their prime, so I used them in the soup.
I added 1/2 of a red and 1/2 of a yellow bell pepper, chopped, and a minced Serano chili. I sauteed these things with the onion/carrot.
Thank you for the wonderful recipes! I cook for a vegetarian family and they love everything I’ve made from here.
Kate
I’m glad you are loving the soup recipes, Lauren! Thanks so much for your review.
Delphine
I made this last night for New Year’s at an AirBnB in France. It was phenomenal! We had no measuring cups, so eyeballed amounts – the only major change was leeks and fennel instead of onions (delicious, would repeat) – and a lot more curry powder than the recipe called for! Best lentil stew I’ve ever had. Thank you!
Kate
You’re welcome! Happy New Year, Delphine!
Roxy
I’ve made this soup far too many times – it’s soooo healthy but also very delicious! I personally double on the garlic, but I’m a garlic lover what can I say. Thanks for sharing!
Kate
You’re welcome, Roxy! Thanks for your review.
Josh
This soup is super easy to make and sooooo tasty! Thoroughly recommend it, makes for a great winter warmer. Also, definitely recommend some nice crusty thick cut bread.
Thanks for the recipe!
Kate
Thank you, Josh! Delicious bread sounds wonderful to go with it.
Tasha
What is the purpose of blending 2 C of the soup?
Thank you
Kate
Great question, Tasha! It helps with the overall flavor to really sing and with the texture to me more creamy. Hope this helps!
Christina
Love this recipe! Have been excited to try it since I found it yesterday! I am pregnant and anemic so been looking for ways to fit more iron in my diet but I don’t eat red meat and this was the perfect recipe!!!!! I made it in my new Instant Pot! So good! I served it with a bit of Jasmine rice on top. Thanks for this recipe!:)<3
Kate
Congratulations on the baby! I’m glad you found this recipe and it helping you. I appreciate the comment and review!
Melissa Lebata
How long would you cook this in an instantpot? I LOVE this recipe! Thank you!
Kate
I believe others have tried this and provided the instructions of what they did in the comments! Let me know what you think.
Michala James Caddick
Excellent soup! I’ve already cooked it twice in less than two weeks :-)
Kate
That’s wonderful! Thanks, Michala.
Erika
Wow, this soup turned out AMAZING! Delicious and healthy ingredients :) Will definitely be making more especially for this cold weather! Thank you for the inspiration!
Kate
You’re welcome, Erika! Thanks for trying it.
Maggie T
Best lentil soup! Lemon juice was the “icing on the cake”!
Kate
I love that, Maggie! Thanks for sharing. :)
Alison Laila de Caussin
This recipe is incredible. I made it today and just added 1 potato… otherwise, I followed the recipe to a tee. My husband came home and said it was delicious and “restaurant quality.”
Kate
Hooray! Thanks so much, Allison. I’m so happy you loved it! I will take the restaurant quality comment too!!
jennifer langley
What is a cup equivalent to in UK measurements please? I made the soup, & just guessed, the flavour was excellent & I loved the idea of liquidizing part to add texture.
Jennie from Seaford UK
Kate
I’m not sure, sorry! I would recommend a US to metric converter or table reference. I believe myrecipes.com has one that’s pretty good.
Niki Martin
My friend Cait introduced me to this recipe and I’m making it for the second time right now. I love it so much. Thank you for sharing this Kate. It is simply divine!
Kate
I’m glad you love it! Thank you, Niki!
Colter Kraemer
I just made your lentil soup. I added one chopped potato for a heartier version. It is delicious. I’ve already shared your recipe with several friends.
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Colter!
Angie
I made this soup last night and it was delicious! I didn’t have kale so I used spinach. I also threw in some mushrooms. I was hesitant to use the curry but I think that’s what gives it so much flavor. It’s very different than the lentil soup recipes I’ve used in the past. We all loved it. Will double the batch next time. Thank you!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Angie! I appreciate the review.
Marie Conta
I found this recipe and was so excited to try it and man am I even more excited now that I finally got to taste it! It’s absolutely delicious!! I will definitely be making this over and over again!
Kate
I love the excitement, Marie! Thanks so much for your comment and review.
Setareh
This recipe is amazing. I’ve made this soup 4-5 times now and we love love love it! Thank you so much for sharing, Kate!
Kate
You’re welcome, Setareh!
Jancrs
This is a great recipe but next time I will cut down on the lemon juice.
Kate
Great thing to adjust to your liking. Thanks so much, Jancrs!
Jackie Bastyr Cooper
I would agree – this is THE best lentil soup! I’ve made it so many times and love it more each time :)
Kate
Love hearing that! Thank you, Jackie.
Dayna
Looks divine! Can’t wait to try your Best Lentil Soup!
Kate
Thank you! Let me know what you think, Dayna.
Jennifer
This is, by far, my favorite lentil soup. My kids request me to make it on a regular basis (we just had it for dinner last night). The flavors are spot on and so delicious.
Thank you Kate for keeping my family happy with yummy vegetarian meals. Your recipes never disappoint!
Kate
I love that your kids love it! Thanks for sharing, Jennifer.
Susie Continanza
I can’t wait to try this lentil soup. It looks amazing.
I love all your recipes. Keep up the good work. You make my
dinner choices so easy.
Kate
Thank you, Susie!!
Patricia Ryan
Yes, this lentil soup IS the best ever. The minute I first read the recipe I knew it was the one I was looking for! I can’t count how often I, family members, and friends have made it. It’s a staple. I’m very grateful for this! Thank you.
Kate
Wonderful to hear, Patricia! Thanks so much for sharing.
Oriana LaChance
Hello, Kate. Funny you posted this recipe today, as I made it for the umpteenth time yesterday. Lentil soup is one of my favorites and when I tried your recipe a few years ago, it became my standard. Only changes I’ve made is increased thyme to 1 tsp and use fire roasted tomatoes. Except in the hottest days of summer, I have soup most every day. Your soup recipes are some of the best. Thank you. Oriana
Kate
I love it! Thanks for sharing, Oriana.
Beverly Irish
Looks amazing. Couldn’t get the nutritional info. esp. carbs. Please respond. Thanks
Kate
Thanks for your comment! If you clicked on the header and it didn’t show, make sure you allow pop-ups in your browser. This is a plug-in on my blog and needs to be allowed to generate. I hope this helps!
Ana
This is by far the best soup I’ve ever made.Simply delicious!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Ana! I appreciate it. I’m glad you love it!
Alexa
I just made a batch last weekend and we had it for dinner last night! So good, each and every time. Used Meyer lemons this time and it’s a delicious twist!
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Alexa!
Shari Lumley
I concur about “The Best Lentil Soup”! This is definitely my favorite soup-always the first one I make in the fall. I am too lazy to use the blender-I like it better a bit chunky anyway. Thank you for all your amazing salad recipes too!
Kate
Hooray! I’m glad you agree. :)