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: Cookie and Kate
- 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.
Azaelea Nielsen
Thank you for this recipe – it’s a keeper! I’ll be making it many times this fall and winter. Heck, it’ll be great for our cool spring days too.
An easy substantial soup that easily feeds the two of us for at least three meals.
This will be one of my go to soups from now on.
I used Puy lentils, I love the way keep their shape way more than brown or green lentils and if I want the soup thicker I’ll just boat motor it more.
But if I only have brown or green lentils I think I might add another cup or two of stock.
For more depth of flavor I added a teaspoon of coriander, some oregano – a big pinch ( tsp or so depending on how I feel) and way more garlic – 4-5 cloves at least.
I wonder how it would be with black lentils – maybe add a bit more curry powder?
For big meat eaters I sometimes add a bit of fried sausage meat or pancetta to soups. If I don’t have anything of that sort around it’s really amazing how adding some smoked paprika leads many to think that there is some kind of meat in soup. That should work with this recipe too.
One of the best things about this soup, I think it will lend itself to so many different kinds add-ons: spinach, cabbage, parsnips, potatoes (plain or sweet) or squash, to name a few.
Geeta
Hi Azaelea and Kate – I tried to post my individual comment but kept getting an error message.
Anyhow, I just finished making it and had a couple tablespoons so far…SOOOOO DELISH!!! I wanted to comment before I forgot. I used some of Azaelea’s suggestions for add ons and love it! I grew up eating lentils but as a bean sauce with rice and meat. This is just another level of soup – which is my favourite any time of the day! Thank you so much for the recipe and for the add on suggestions. Definitely a keeper! Hopefully, won’t take me 2 hrs next time LOL. (I like o check and recheck recipes until I’m comfortable :)))
Emma
I have a can of green lentils that I’d like to use up – can I use that for this recipe or are dried lentils better?
Thanks!
Kate
Hi Emma, I prefer dried. I do know others have used canned. You will just need to use less liquid since you don’t need to cook them and may want to shorten cook time. Let me know what you think!
Wendy Sandine
This is probably the dumbest question on the planet:) So many lentil soup recipes are made with curry. Can this be made without curry?
Kate
The curry really makes this the best. I hope you try it. Or you can omit it, but it won’t be the same.
Mary
Wendy, like Kate said about her recipe, the curry makes it. It was the difference for me between ‘it’s ok’ when making lentil soup to loving Kate’s recipe. And, draining the tomatoes makes it richer. I started doing that when I make other soups with tomatoes. I’m back here at the recipe because it’s a rainy day and I thought I had to make lentil soup!
Emilia Voicu
I have made this tonight and it is indeed the best lentil soup I have ever had. I was a little more generous with the cumin and lemon juice, and used some spinach that was dying in the fridge, but oh my god, I can not believe this is not click-bait, it is factually the best lentil soup. It blew me away, it was so good that it made me come here to write a comment about it. Thank you for bringing this into my life ❤️
Yasmin
Hi Emilia, I did the same – a little extra cumin and lemon juice and I used dried lentils as that’s all I had in the cupboard and it turned out great!
Adam Glenn
I’ve made this soup for the past year or so now, but today was the first time I’ve made it for someone without the spices. Person I’ve made it for today can’t keep solid food down after surgery, and she doesn’t like spicey food. Still a good hearty meal.
Felicia
Is this a spicy recipe? Or (I presume) because your friend need a bland, nutritious meal?
Barb
Made the Best Lentil Soup and, turns out, it is the best lentil soup ever! If you make it, I suggest you double it. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Barb! I appreciate your feedback.
Lynn Kallay
I used a lentil mix, added some eggplant, and didn’t drain the tomatoes but other than that I followed the receipt and it turned out amazing! Even my husband whose not a fan of lentils loved it. This will be in my rotation for sure. I like how easy and versatile it is and being empty nesters, that I can make a big batch and freeze some.
Alli
Hi! How did you prep the eggplant? Cube and fry first or just put in raw? Thanks!
Katherine
Delicious! Well-seasoned, flavorful, and hearty soup. Perfect for fall and winter.
Kate
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Katherine! I appreciate your review.
Trisha
I’ve made this soup at least 30 times. It’s my #1 fav. I’m curious if anyone has just put all the ingredients in a slow cooker before? Do you think that would turn out?
Kate
I’m glad you love it! I haven’t tried it in a slow cooker so I can’t provide direction there. I believe others have, so I would see what others suggest in the comments.
Christine
I made this lentil soup for the first time today. Absolutely delicious and perfect now when the days are colder.
Kayla
I only have red lentils… will this make a high difference? I havent cooked with lentils before.
Kate
Hi! You will want to reduce the liquid and cook time. See my How to Cook Lentils for a guide.
Keeley Mathis
Really delicious! Much richer and more complex than so many other lentil soup recipes. My baby loves it! I added half of the olive oil after it finished cooking, in order to prevent the heating of it and it is good that way too.
Mary
Can this be made in a crockpot?
Kate
Hi, I prefer it best as written. However, I believe others have and didn’t mind the results.
Sandra
I make it always in my intant
Pot . I sauté the vegetables and then once I put everything in , than I slow cook it for like 6 hours and it tastes amazing.
taylor
SO dang delicious. i forgot the two cups water and it was still tasty! thank you!!!
Alejandra
Can I sub a lime for the lemon?
Kate
Sure, the flavor will be slightly different but should work.
cy
IMHO, I think there is too much cumin in this recipe. It overpowered the dish for me. Sorry, I will keep looking for my perfect lentil soup.
Kate
I’m sorry you didn’t love it.
SK
Just add less cumin and I’m sure this recipe will be up to your expectations.
Lynn
Hi, I made this recipe for the first time today, my first time making any lentil soup. I made a few substitutions/modifications based on food tolerance and personal preference (celery instead of onion, half the garlic, half the oil, low-sodium organic chicken broth instead of veggie, frozen kale and spinach mix instead of fresh kale). I’ve only tasted the soup so far — I’ll have a bowl tomorrow, when flavors are more blended — but my impression was definitely too much cumin. I will make the recipe again but will try 1/2 or 1 tsp. of cumin rather than 2. Otherwise, I like it and look forward to a bowlful tomorrow!
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Lynn! Thank you for your review.
Martha Johnson
I just made this delicious Lentil soup recipe. I have tried many other recipes and this is by far the best! I had extra lentils & added another 1/2 cup of lentils so I increased the cumin to 3 tsps! Otherwise I left everything the same. Thank you for this recipe, I will return to this recipe every time I have a craving for lentils!
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Martha! I appreciate your review.
Carla
This soup is amazing, it is quick to make, delicious and full of nutrients, I have made it so many times, and everyone in my family really enjoys it, in my humble opinion this is an award winning recipe.
Thank you Kate for sharing.
Melanie Mathias
Made this soup today and LOVED it! Very full of flavor and the extra bonus is that it’s healthy too!! So glad this one popped up first while searching for a lentil soup recipe. I used a very large onion and an extra tsp of curry…delish!
Georgina Ryder
if I only have red lentils how much would I reduce the liquid by??
Kate
Hi, I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. You likely won’t need some of the water, if not all of it. You will need less cooking time for the lentils as well.
Mitzi
Beautiful soup! I like spice so I added just a little extra curry powder and a couple pinches of turmeric and cayenne. I had already cooked lentils for C & K’s lentil taco recipe so I added them with the broth, decreased the cooking time and omitted the water. I will make this again and again. Thanks Cookie and Kate for another great recipe.
Kate
You’re welcome, Mitzi!
Elizabeth
This is one of our favorite soup season recipes to make and has been a stable in our home for a couple years now. Thank you for a great recipe!
Maria
This was my first time making any kind of soup and it is absolutely delicious! Super easy to follow the recipe. I added two extra garlic cloves and oregano, served over brown rice. I can’t wait to share it with others! thanks :)
Maria Aparicio
This was my first time making any kind of soup and it is absolutely delicious! Super easy to follow the recipe. I added two extra garlic cloves and oregano, served over brown rice. I can’t wait to share it with others! thanks :)
Redhead
I love this recipe! I used 1 cup brown lentils and 3/4 cup green lentils. I doubled the garlic (of course!) and added celery + butternut squash and a pinch of smoked paprika too… I puréed the Butternut squash and 1/2 of the soup -just yummy!
My husband asked me for seconds + wanted to know if there was meat it in the soup…
Thank you kindly for your delicious recipe! :)
Kate
Thank you for sharing how you made this! I appreciate you sharing. I’m excited your husband wanted more too.
Ray
My first ever attempt at a vegan recipe (I’m a meat & potato guy, who, due to getting out of shape too easily as I grow older, wants to try a healthier lifestyle). This was totally awesome! If all vegan recipes are as good as this one, my “struggle” will be a pretty smooth one. Thank you for this.
Jackie Botello
How many cups per serving? Didn’t say on the nutritional info. Pretty good!
Kate
Hi Jackie, roughly 1.5-2 cups per serving.
Cathy
This was definitely the best lentil soup I’ve ever made! I instead used red lentils but other than that, I followed the recipe as written. Even my husband liked it, and ordinarily won’t eat lentil soup!
Kate
I love to hear that, Cathy! Thank you for your review.
Christine Harding
Absolutely delicious! My husband, who claims to dislike beans and lentils, loved it! Froze leftovers and cannot wait to indulge in them come a cold, rainy day in our future. Thanks, Kate!
Kate
You’re welcome, Christine! This is perfect on a cold and rainy day.
Cris
This has become the GO-TO recipe for lentil soup for my husband. Today I’m making it myself for the first time. It is wonderful and so flavorful!! Thank you!!
Kate
I’m glad you love it, Cris!
carl
How many cups is a ‘medium’ onion?
Kate
Hi, 1-1.5 cups I believe. Use your best judgement depending on your preference.
Rosemary
Made the best lentil soup and it was delicious! Thank you for the recipe! It was beautifully seasoned! Instead of red pepper flakes I used a chopped jalapeño and I also added a sweet yellow pepper. Multi colored lentils were also used. It truly can be labeled Best! Kudos to Cookie and Kate!
Sarah B
This is finally it! Tried so many Lentil Soup recipes but this one is a keeper! A couple minor subs: I used fire roasted tomatoes for the canned tomatoes, alder smoked sea salt in place of the regular salt, beef broth because I ran out of veg stock, and spinach vs kale also bc I had ran out. I also added a pinch of saffron threads for the culinary/herbal sunshine since it’s dark a lot this time of year where I live. I will be making this again!!! Thank you for sharing this “repeater” (how the fam grades the new recipes I try).
Kate
Thank you for sharing how you made this, Sarah! I appreciate your review.
Julie
Are you supposed to pre-cook the lentils or just add the dry lentils to the mix?
Kate
Hi! The lentils will cook in the soup.
Eileen
Soup was delicious! I served it with warm crusty bread which was a filling companion. Everything on your site has been excellent. You are my go to and I am not a vegetarian. Thank you!
Dottie
Best Lentil Soup is correct. Have made this multiple times since finding the recipe. We really like the hint of curry. Im guilty of upping the curry amount just a bit. Plan on making it tomorrow as cooler weather arrives.
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Dottie! I appreciate your review.
Cathy
My new favorite soup recipe. I get asked for the recipe every time I make it. Easy, delicious. I have made it with chard, escarole, and no greens. I have used whatever tomatoes and broth I have on hand. It is so adaptable. Thanks!
Kate
You’re welcome, Cathy!
Andrew Hill
Amazing recipe! One our of favourites during the wintertime. This dish is best served with a dollop of vanilla Greek yogurt.
Patty
It really is the best lentil soup, and I made quite a few! Thank you.
Kate
You’re welcome, Patty! I appreciate your review.
Joyce C
This was an absolutely STELLAR recipe! I’ve made lentil soup many times but have always added Italian sausage. I’m trying to go meatless and decided to try this recipe. It’s so much better than my recipe. We couldn’t believe how rich and flavorful it was. I can wait to eat the leftovers and look forward to trying more recipes from this website. I used most of the ingredients in the recipe. I used mustard greens for the greens because that is what I have in my garden. I added some fresh parsley, a bit of Italian seasoning and a splash of Worcestershire sauce. This is a KEEPER!
Kate
Great to hear, Joyce! I appreciate your review.
Laura Forsyth
This is by far the best lentil recipe I’ve made. The legumes retain tooth, the veg are lovely and the seasoning just right. I left off kale (because I didn’t have any) and subbed spinach.
My curry of choice is Penzey’s Sweet Curry Powder. Just the right kick, never too much.
I’ll be making this regularly through the winter. With less liquid as a stew over brown rice sounds good too, doesn’t it?
Julie Coolidge
Second time making this !
I love how it truly is mainly ingredients already on hand!
Your recipes never disappoint!
Kate
Great to hear, Julie! I appreciate your review.
Silvia
This was tonight’s dinner! If I could give this MORE stars I would!!!
After hunting for a good recipe (which based on ingredient lists is fairly predictable haha) I was happy yo have found yours. I made it exactly with the addition of some farmers sausage.
Thank you for sharing!
Inga
Tried your recipe, and you are right, it is the best lentil soup. Thank you so much, it was delicious.
Darnell Abbott
This is one of the best quick lentil soup recipes I have ever come across: from the best foundational ingredients to the lively mix of dried herbs and spices; and the lemon splash at the end! Perfect!
Keith
Fantastic! I substituted LS Chicken Broth, and skipped the greens…. I also eyeballed all spices, oh, also added a hambone! Terrific layers.
LB
I’ve made this recipe countless of times over the last two years; for my college roommates, for my family, and today I’m bringing it to a dinner party for my close friends. It has become a staple – thank you for publishing this. It’s so easy and is perfect every single time.
Hege
This was so easy – and so delicious! Love the hotness of the spices. I thought my husband and I would have both dinner and lunch the next day, but no…. we both kept going back for “just one more little ladle…” I had just said we needed to eat more lentils as we both love them…. problem solved!
(I didn’t have any lemon juice so used lime juice, if you do, make sure you don’t add too much as it does have a slightly different / bolder flavour :-)
Frederic
Kate, thank you so much for this recipe, I must say that
I was a little perplexed at first, lentils are far from being my favorite, however it turned out to be an all time favorite with us, but also friends and family!
I’ve been making it for four years now,, and I’m actually have a batch cooking on the stove as I’m writing you!
I would recommend anyone to at least try it once!!
Thanks again Kate.
Jessica
I first tried this recipe back when you had 1881 reviews, and it was just as delicious then as it is now at 2885 reviews. I’ve made it at least a dozen times and I’m never disappointed. The only ingredient I change is the citrus, but only because I rarely have lemons on hand, however, l always have limes. Thank you for an easy, go to recipe that has earned its place in my “tried and true” recipe book.
Kate
Hooray! I love that you have made it so many times. Thank you for your review, Jessica.
John
I made this soup last year and it was delicious! I just made it again and it tastes better than I remembered. I doubled the recipe and I will be eating it until it’s all gone!
Katherine
I generally just wing it when making lentil soup. I think it’s difficult to screw it up. But I changed my ways and made this recipe exactly as written.
It has a very good combo of spices in it. My family liked it, even my non-lentil soup eaters. However, I think it had too much tomato flavor for my taste. In the future, I might make it again but would cut wayyyyy back (or delete) the tomatoes. But it’s super healthy as written!
Corinne Murray
Just made this. One of the best lentil soup I’ve ever made. So tasty. Thank you
Kate
You’re welcome, Corinne!
Christine Baxter
This lentil soup was the BEST EVER. It was easy to make and we froze
a few portions too. Thank you Kate!
Chris from St Albans in England x
Fiona
I really never comment, but I’m a self proclaimed foodie who has lived all over the world. This soup was a lovely update on my grandma’s traditional lentil soup that she used to make me in Scotland. All your recipes are so manageable and delicious with the right amount of healthy vegetables. Thank you … keep posting
Kate
I’m so glad you did comment, Fiona! I appreciate your review.
Hailey
This was amazing! Just finishing my second bowl of it, I’m so proud of myself for following directions haha. This is such a yummy recipe!
Maria Sacchetto
Delicious! and easy to prepare.
Kate
That’s great to hear, Maria! I appreciate your review.
Aliya
I love this soup so much! I make it at least once every other week during the Fall and Winter seasons! Perfectly hearty and full of good nutrients!
Kate
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed it, Aliya! I appreciate your review.
Michelle C
I made this tonight and it was delicious! Oh my gosh. Made the recipe exactly as written except used spinach instead of kale or collard greens. What a wonderful soup! Thank you – this one I will make all winter – along with your delish split pea and vegetable soups. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Kate
I’m happy to hear that, Michelle! Thank you for letting me know how much enjoyed it.
Jamie
I’ve made this soup so many times now, it truly is the best lentil soup! I’ve found that I like 1 more tsp of curry, a small can of tomatoes vs large, and frozen spinach at the end instead of kale. It’s amazing how such basic ingredients are so wonderful in this recipe. Thanks so much!
Kate
You’re welcome, Jamie! Thank you for your review.
Nell
I really loved this–and I’m sure I would have loved it more if I’d had all the ingredients. I was a little short on both carrots & onions (no big deal) and had spinach, so that’s what I used. Worse, I had to use crushed tomatoes (I used one cup). Delicious! I like to add a grain to this kind of soup (usually brown rice) but I had some frozen quinoa, and I just used that. This soup was so easy to make and I will definitely be making it a lot. Thank you!
Kate
You’re welcome, Nell! I appreciate your review.
Gary Hyatt
What are your thoughts about chopping up Brussel sprouts to use for the greens?
Kate
That could be interesting! Let me know what you think.
candy
made it in an electric pressure cooker. used what I had on hand including some cabbage which added texture and started with red lentils (all I could find) then found the green ones and threw in a handful. had a can of home made tomatoes with I don’t know what spices! it was the best soup ever. made it again last night. not as good with the green lentils and no cabbage. it just wasn’t as thick and creamy. good, but not great. (course I used store bought tomatoes too) love your recipes. keep em coming.
Sandi
I love, love, love this recipe. I had never made lentil soup before, but I recently started a vegetarian diet and was looking for good, high protein recipes that are tasty and easy to make. This has a rich, meaty texture, and the flavor is so good!! I do leave out the curry and the collard greens, as I am not a fan of either ingredient. The rest however makes this a definite favorite that I have made multiple times now.
Kate
That’s great to hear, Sandi! I appreciate your review.
Leslie
This has been my go to lentil soup for a couple years now. I’m making it for the first time this season, and am super excited. Thank you so much!
Kate
Hooray! That’s great to hear, Leslie!
My Favorite People call me Papa
Per my wife’s request, just made this a second time (this month). I left 1 cup of water out after the first one was a little to loose for me. This time I let it simmer for about 35 minutes. Just seems like the lentils never got tender like I remember my Mom’s soups growing up. (I used dry brown lentils). Is anyone doing a pre-soak of any kind? The whole family loves the flavor!!
Mandi Petrosky
First time making lentil soup so I wasn’t sure what to expect, and this recipe was amazing!! I did add in some oregano and lemon grass because I thought it would go good with the curry. I did it all in my instant pot and it turned out great. I ended up blending the whole soup because I like a thicker consistency!
Nicole
I am about to make this and was hoping to use my instant pot. Did you sautee onions and carrots first? How long did you pressure cook it for?
Christine Harding
I made this two weeks ago and we loved it. I was able to freeze half and we had it today for lunch. Every bit as delicious as initial dining, if not better. Thank you, Kate!
Kate
You’re welcome, Christine! I appreciate your review.
Frankie
Ive never made anything with lentils before so this is a first. Do you have to soak the lentils before you put them in to the soup?
Thank you!
Kate
Hi Frankie, no need to soak lentils first. I hope you try it!
JULIE LEE
Will this recipe work with the IP?
Kate
Hi Julie, I haven’t tried so I can’t say for sure. Sorry!
Cory
This is a great recipe. I made a double batch so I could bring some to two friends who are sick right now. I wanted to be sure I had enough for everyone so I didn’t drain the tomatoes, so it came out thinner than I normally would like, but it turned out great for the friends who were sick. I also toned down the spices for them. I just moved back from overseas so my spice cabinet is not stocked, but I added a tablespoon of harissa and a tablespoon of coconut curry that I just happened to have in the fridge. It was perfect. I really love the creaminess you get from blending a portion before serving.
Dina
Made this soup but added butternut squash and zuccini. Is fabulous!
Rebecca Ruiz
One of my favorite soup recipes of all time. I’ll eat it for 3 days straight every time I make it lol. I like to add celery bits to it aswell. Next time I make it Ill probably add in some protein!
Keith
Really simple and quick to make – fantastic flavour and rich texture. Thanks so much for this great recipe
Kate
You’re welcome, Keith!
Jessica
is the nutrition information correct? 15 grams of fat per serving?
Kate
Hi Jessica! More on my nutritional information Nutrition Disclaimer. These are estimates and I try to provide as accurate as I can.
Bettye Teasley
I’ve made this soup for the 2nd time. Changed a couple of things. Used less curry powder added smoked paprika instead.I must say an excellent soup to a rainy day with grilled cheese sandwiches.
J Cannons
This is definitely the heartiest, tastiest lentil soup I’ve ever made. I’ve made it several times and it’s well-received. I prepare it exactly as written and make the suggested adjustments at the end if needed (e.g., additional lemon juice, salt, pepper, and/or red pepper flakes). Delicious and a keeper! Thanks!
Kate
You’re welcome, J! I appreciate your review.
Guillermina
Absolutely delicious. My new favorite lentil soup hands down.
Nancy B
This is a great lentil soup recipe. I made it with San Marzano tomatoes and squished the tomatoes between my hands to break them up. Love the nutrition facts on this soup.
Elizabeth Ramos
This was SCRUMPTIOUS! I will make again!
Kate
Great to hear, Elizabeth! Thank you for your review.
Trish Burke
I am making this soup for the third time in 4 weeks! My family loves it. Stuck to the recipe but added half a box of ditalini pasta (my family loves pasta in their soup). Great recipe!
Kate
I love to hear that, Trish! Thank you for your review.
Paula
DELICIOUS!! My husband and I each had two bowls! I will definitely make this again!
Kate
That’s great to hear, Paula! I appreciate your review.
Ashly
I didn’t have curry powder so I used a little bit of chipotle powder. I also didn’t have kale so I used baby spinach. This recipe was so easy to make and really is delicious even with the substitutes!
Beverly Millson
I’ve made this soup at least 3 dozen times. It’s comfort food. It’s healthy. I’ve made it for avowed meat eaters and vegetarians, and I’m routinely asked for a second serving. I turn to it on cold days, on sad days, on happy days. Wow! What a fantastic soup.
Jane T
Just made this and it will be my new go to fall/winter soup! I used to make red lentil soup as baby food, so this was my first time making actual lentil soup with spices. Even my picky twelve year kiddo liked it! That says a lot about this awesome recipe Easy to make, very healthy but it tastes so yummy! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe! I love I can make this on weekends and pack it for my kiddo’s lunch with some crusty bread. I doubt there will be much left to pack lol. As a working Mom I am always looking for healthy recipes easy to make with just a few ingredients and doesn’t take a lot of time, but with big flavor. This soup is just what I was looking for. Thank you so much!
Thomas S Soroka
I love soups as a mainstain of any meal. I love split pea soup (one of my favorites…my Polish mother called it “grochowka.” I love lentil soup in its simplest forms (e.g., Progresso’s Lentil soup). I love it in more comlex home made recipes.
I loved making your C&K lentil soup! It’s beautiful in appearance. It’s healthy. It consistes of wonderful “stand alone” ingredients like tomatoes and onions.
But…the lentils in your recipe are overwhelmed. They almost disappear in the volume of so many other inputs, including four cups of vegetable broth. And an additional two cups of water. This was quickly becoming a light vegetable soup before I added any water. But I didn’t want to depart too far from your recipe. So, after considereing your experience, I only added the one cup of tomato fluid drained from the diced tomatos. And I used spinach fo the collared greens or kale.
I loved the soup. My wife loved the soup. But I’m saving the recipe as Tomatoe and Onion Soup with Lentils. (And the next time I make it, I think I’ll put in two cups of lentils!)
Colleen
This is the best lentil soup ever. A new staple in our house. Thanks
Kate
You’re welcome, Colleen!
Mark
I am a recent retiree learning to fill my time constructively. A recent bachelor gives me time to invest in new enterprises. Cooking is one of them, and much to my surprise it is not a straight-ahead endeavor. The marriage of flavors and textures of ingredients are not successful one the first try – with the exception of this recipe. It is so flavorful and nourishing; I followed directions to a T – soaking the lentils for six hours first. OMg. OMg. You’ve already got all the ingredients, I put them in a rice steamer and it did all the work. Thank you for the encouragement.
Taylor
What kind of curry powder should be used?
Kate
Hi! Frontier-Coop has a good curry powder. Let me know what you think, Taylor. I hope you love it!
Pam
Delicious! I doubled the recipe (without doubling the oil). I subbed sweet potatoes for 1/2 of the carrots. And subbed some bone broth for some of the veggie broth. Added a sprig of fresh rosemary and some sprigs of dried sage both from my garden. This will be a go to soup for the winter. A blizzard’s coming! Please share other winter warming recipes! Thank you!
Kate
Check out my other soup recipes! Stay warm, Pam.
Maryam Suluki
Delicious!And just the right amount for our family of 4. I’ll do this again. My go to lentil recipe. Really liked the addition of greens.
Maggie
Made this yesterday, and I’d say it was decent, but I was hoping for a more savory flavor. That is just my taste and what I hoped for. I am not much of a cook, so if I should have realized that by the ingredients, I did not. My mom thought it was great!
Otherwise, definitely easy to make and for my first lentil soup, a good one to start with! Thanks for sharing. :)
Kate
You’re welcome, Maggie! Thank you for taking the time to review.
Mary B
This is an outstanding soup! I made it for the first time yesterday. The whole family loved it! I added 2 cups diced ham at the simmer stage as I had leftovers to use. Also added cup of freeze dried corn and freeze dried spinach vs kale. I didn’t drain the tomatoes given the add ins. Loved it’s so flexible! Also love your veg chilli and Minestrone!!!
Lisa
I have made this soup for years and it’s just delicious. I blend most of it. The spices add so much flavor! Freezes really well. Thank you!
Rick
Just made this again. So good. Really filling and healthy.
Janis Collette
I made this soup and it was delicious! I did two variations. I had celery left from Thanksgiving which was rather limp, so added that, along with the leaves since I had no kale. I did not purée part of it due to the addition of the celery which I thought might make it too green!
Terie
Delicious! I used a jar of our freshly canned tomatoes from our summer garden in place of the canned, store bought tomatoes. Also, I spiced it up with a bit more of the pepper flakes and cumin & curry….completely personal taste. But, the overall flavor was full and robut. I had one cup for dinner and it was completely satisfying! Thanks for a great staple recipe that I will keep forever. Happy New Year.
Lynn Cutler
I have made this recipe so many times since I 1st found it a few years ago. I change almost nothing except for varying the greens. I’ve made it with Kale and collard greens and spinach. And it is the only way I like to eat lentils. THANK YOU! I am going to see what other soup recipes you have hiding here now.
Nicole
This is legit the best lentil soup on the planet. I’ve made it a few times, experimenting with different types of lentils. I’ve decided that red lentils take it to the next level. Green lentils are my second favorite. This is a winter time staple in my house! (And also the only way my husband will eat kale. )
Kate
Great to hear you love it, Nicole! I appreciate your review.
Stephanie
Sorry, but this just didn’t do it for me. I found the soup to be too tomato-forward and no depth of flavor. I had high hopes with the cumin/curry combo but they were drown out by the tartness of the tomatoes. Since this was way too acidic already, I didn’t even bother with the lemon juice. I never toss food, so to jazz this up to be more palatable, I added an additional1tsp curry, some roasted sweet potatoes, and some coconut cream. Still not quite there, but MUCH better than the original recipe. I don’t get the 2000+ rave reviews?
Kate
Hi Stephanie, I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy this recipe. I appreciate your feedback.
Stephanie Davis
I made this soup tonight. I changed a couple things. I added smoked sausage and zucchini and used homemade chicken stock. But everything else was the same. My 5 year old daughter said it was the “best soup ever” and “hooray mommy”. I think we have a winner and so do you!
Kate
Love to hear that! Thank you for your review, Stephanie.
Kee
I absolutely love this recipe! The only thing I don’t use is the curry (just because I don’t regularly have it in my cabinet) I saved it in my notes in my phone, and it’s a family favorite! My baby girl loves it, too and that’s so exciting! We try to incorporate plant based meals in her diet as much as possible. It’s so good that you don’t even need crackers with it Thank you for sharing!
Kate
I’m glad you love it, Kee! I appreciate your review.
Alicia Madueno
Best lentil soup ever, for an extra kick add a bit of paprika and extra pepper flakes! 3rd time making it under 2 weeks!!
Kate
I love that, Alicia! Thank you for your review.