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.
Kate
Is it 1 cup of raw, dry lentils?
Heather Whitman
I believe so! You don’t have to soak dried lentils (I didn’t know that until yesterday)
Kate
Yes, raw lentils!
Naomi
Hiya, I’ve made a batch of this and it is delicious!! Is there anyway it can be frozen? Thanks, Naomi x
Kate
Yes, it freezes and defrosts well.
Michael
I agree completely, best lentil soup I’ve ever made, and only cost me about a quid! ($1.50) I only blended about 1.5 cups and that worked for me. Thanks !
Jessica
Made this soup tonight and it was wonderful! My husband 1 yr old and 2 year old loved it as well. I have super picky eaters in my home so this is a real treat. I don’t usually like Indian style recipes but made this as I had some lentils in the panty I wanted to use. The reviews were great so I gave it a shot. I will add even more Kale as it was so good in this soup. The only thing I changed was I used 1.5-2 tsp of white vinegar instead of lemon as my little guy can’t have citrus. This is so good I’m making it for my dad tomorrow! Trying your Red curry with Vegetables tomorrow! You are becoming a favourite of mine. You make it easy to be vegan. Thank you!
Mihaela Echols
My husband and I are on the hunt right now for new recipes! We are excited to try this one out!
Robert
Thank you for the delicious soup recipe. It turned out great and everyone raved.
Kate
Hooray! Thank you, Robert.
Shana Forand
Absolutely delicious, and even better the next day! My “I hate lentil soup” boyfriend could not get enough, he loved it- we both did! I served it with fresh hummus and pita bread on the side -mmm mmm mmm! Your recipes have become a household name for us. I follow quite a few vegetarian blogs now, but you are our personal favorite! Can’t wait for the cookbook announcement!!!
Kate
Thank you so much, Shana! So glad you both enjoyed it.
Stephanie
Has anyone tried freezing the soup? Not sure how the lentils will thaw and reheat.
Kate
It turns out great!
Jane
Hi,
I just wanted to say thanks for an awesome recipe! First time making soup from scratch, and it was easy. I used spinach instead of kale, and I added potatoes bc I like the texture and taste. I also added some chickpeas
Very delicious!
Kate
Thank you, Jane! So glad you enjoyed it.
Nonna
What are the yellow chunks in the picture? Look like yellow peppers which are not on the list of ingredients.
Kate
They’re carrots.
Jayne Pearson
Oh yum, this has solved my question as to what to make for dinner this evening. The dreaded 5:2 day requires tasty soup to pep it up! This will fit the bill, though it will have to be red lentils, because that’s all I’ve got in the cupboard and I can’t manage a trip to town in nearly 40 degrees – I may keel over from heat exhaustion before I get to the soup!
Kate
I hope you love the soup, Jayne!
Mitch
Great lentil soup recipe. Have made this twice, adding celery to the base vegetables both times and the second time adding zucchini. Flavor is well-balanced, spicy without being overheated. Thanks, Kate, for posting this.
Kate
Thank you, Mitch!
Anne
Thank you for this delicious recipe , I followed exactly apart
from forgetting to add the lemon at the end and using dried mixed herbs as I did not have thyme on its own , the spices are perfect
for my taste and I will definitely make this flavoursome soup again
Kate
Thank you, Anne! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
Marika
Made this today and it was amazing so much flavour. My pot is empty! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe :)
Kate
Hooray! Thanks, Marika.
Heather Whitman
This was soooo good. I have never made a homemade soup before and I don’t know why. But I was seriously craving a lentil soup and I found this recipe and made it and it was GREAT. I modified it a little—I used more lentils and less water and added a little almond milk, I didn’t drain the tomatoes, and I also didn’t use curry powder (I didn’t have any) but I put in a little paprika and garam masala, as well as some liquid aminos, and just left out the lemon juice and carrots cause I didn’t have those. But it turned out really delicious and looked beautiful. I ate it with some rice cause I eat everything with rice.
And also this recipe was CHEAP and I love that cause I’m in college. I can’t believe what a blessing lentils are. I think it cost around $6 to make this batch of soup and I’ll be able to eat it about five times. (PS it tasted just as good when I reheated it for breakfast today.)
Kate
Thank you, Heather! So glad you found my recipe. :)
Alexandra
This was so wonderful. Great recipe – I can’t wait to make it again and share it others.
Kate
Thank you very much, Alexandra! I appreciate it. :)
Jacyn
The perfect flavor profile for deep, rich flavor. The lemon is a great add!
Kate
Thank you, Jacyn!
Mallory
Could this be cooked with a slow cooker instead? if so, what are the adjustments?
Kate
I’ve heard that it turns out well in the slow cooker if you sauté the onions first. I haven’t tried it myself, so I’m afraid I can’t offer any specifics beyond that.
Samantha
Just made this soup and wow. Full of flavour. I was looking for something different than plain old lentil soup and thus was just magic. I blended all of mine with a blender as I ain’t a fan of chunky soup just tastes as good as it did chunky. Will definitely be saving this recipe. Even my 15 month old baby girl ate a whole bowl of this! Amazing. Well done Kate x
Kate
Thanks, Samantha! So glad you both loved the soup.
Laneylulu
Hi Kate! I love your recipes! I’ve been travelling for almost 9 months and am always scouring your blog for yummy recipes that are easy to prepare. How do you think this would be without blending a portion? (Sadly, a blender is a luxury I rarely have while travelling)
Kate
Thank you! That’s great to hear. You can totally skip the blending step; I just like that it makes the soup a little thicker.
Jen
Just tried this tonight – absolutely delicious!! A new favourite for sure. I made it just exactly as the recipe said – spices were perfectly balanced, texture was great. Have never tried kale in a soup before but I am sold.
Kate
Great! Thanks, Jen.
Assia
Made this twice already. So good!
Kate
Yay, thank you!
Betty Cooper
Just delicious ! I’m trying to change over to a whole food plant based diet and thought I’d have t eat tasteless boring foods. This recipe is so good, I could eat it daily. Thank you for sharing!
Kate
I’m so glad you enjoyed the soup, Betty! Whole foods make the tastiest meals. :)
Annie
I have to agree with the 653 other people; simply divine. It’s a keeper! Thank you for such a delicious, healthy recipe!
Kate
Yay, thanks Annie!
Tamara
I made this but I only had organic chicken broth so I substituted and although not vegetarian it is delist! Next time organic veg broth can’t wait!
Tamara
*Delish
Oh and wow on the lemon! Love this soup!
ernar
Added potato. This soup is the best
Christy
Thank you so much for sharing such a tasty recipe – I just love how part is pureed at the end but part is not, leaving just the right texture! I just returned home from Iceland where I had a fabulous lentil soup and was searching online for something to try at home myself. This was a gem of a find. I can’t wait to eat the leftovers for lunch tomorrow.
Kristofor
Normally I never comment on pages…I felt the need for this recipe. Spot on! I have tried many lentil soups that have been lackluster. This is my new go-to soup from now on! Thanks for perfecting this recipe and sharing with us!!
K S
The soup looks very good. But I have to ask, is that a picture of a bat? Top far left next to the greens? I had to ask, its unnerving.
Kate
That’s my dog!
KS
Oh dang. I had to go back and look! Sorry!! LOL
Love your recipes!
Kate
Hehe, she does look a little bat-like there. :)
Lucia
I just made this (with a few modifications) and it was delicious! I didn’t have any thyme so I used a premixed blend of spices and added cumin and more pepper. I also used baby spinach instead of kale, and used 4 carrots instead of 2. It tastes amazing and was the perfect way to warm up on a cold night! Thanks for a great recipe!
Victoria
Super duper tasty! Left out the salt & used low sodium broth to make it diabetic friendly! Will definitely use the juice from the tomatoes next time, and maybe even add more tomatoes as I feel it sweetens the mix! I also added more garlic and a chopped scallion at the end…yum! Thank you for the great recipe! ♡
Elizabeth
Hands down the best lentil soup that I have made. I accidentally left out the thyme and it still tasted great. Thanks for sharing this.
Kate
Awesome! Thanks, Elizabeth!
Marina
Hei! Can you write, pls, how much it is in gramms. 1 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes, drained.
Thanks in advance :)
Kate
Hi Marina, a 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes is about 800 grams. I am not sure how much less it will weigh once it’s drained.
Leah
Could I add a ham bone?
Jp
Made this soup twice! Excellent. I love your recipes. I made my own vegan broth, had no thyme either time and subbed with basil(my fave herb). Im not vegan nor vegetarian but the guy im dating is. And since i love 2 cook i figured one day a week will dedicated 2 this awesome healthy lifestyle! I so appreciate it
Kate
Jp, glad to hear it! Thank you!
Judy
I LOVE this soup! I have made it several times now only swapping out freshly chopped tomatoes for the canned. DELICIOUSO!
Kate
Thank you so much, Judy! Your fresh tomato version sounds amazing.
Angela
It was delicious! thank you for a flavorful vegan soup recipe
Kate
Thank you, Angela!
George
I agree every veggie should have a go to lentil soup. This was great. I added a celery stick and left out a carrot. Also added baby spinach and coriander (cilantro) instead of kale.
Kate
Thanks, George! Your version sounds great!
Michelle
I just made this today. It is fantastic! Very flavourful. I added enough hot pepper flakes for just the right amount of heat. I didn’t drain the tomatoes and used red lentils because that is what I had. So yummy. Thanks!!
Kate
Thank you, Michelle! I’m glad you enjoyed the soup!
Janet
Made the lentil soup this morning. Easy to make and delicious. Used drained liquid from the tomatoes as part of the water since I didn’t want to waste it. Yummy!!
Kate
Thank you, Janet! I’m glad you enjoyed the soup.
Candace
Wow! I made this today and this was the best soup my husband and I have had in a LONG WHILE. It was ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!!!! Thank you so much for this recipe! I forgot to drain one of the diced tomato cans so I added 1 and a half cups of water instead of 2. It still came out perfectly!
Kate
Hooray! Thank you, Candace!
Marie-Louise
Thank you so much for this delicious recipe. I absolutely love it, so does my family and everyone else I’ve served it to – including bunch of students who were so delighted about it they posted a message on FB – has raved! When I’m in a hurry, I use two tins of lentils – works really well too – and I generally add even more kale because it’s the divine in this soup.
Kate
Thank you so much, Marie-Louise!
Wendell
Your recipes are our favorite now. Thanks so much!
What are the chances that you add nutritional data points to your recipes. This recipe looks great – but hard to tell if it’s substantial enough.
Can’t wait until your recipe book is available.
Kate
Thanks, Wendell! I’m happy to hear that. I’m going to try to add nutrition facts to my recipes soon. It’s going to be a massive project! Lentils are high in protein and fiber, so a big bowl of this soup should keep you full for a while.
Margaret Yeoman
Hi.Just seen your recipe for Lentil Soup.
Not sure of the cup measurements as i live in England we do everything in pounds and ounces.
Could you tell me how much is in a cup.
Thank you
Kind Regards
Margaret Yeoman
Smrti Rahmat
I’m new to cooking and LOVED this recipe! Super delicious and packed with nutrition. Even my picky boyfriend liked it! Thank you so much for sharing :)
Lin
This is a great recipe. We just had it for supper. I used 28 oz of fresh tomatoes as I have them ripening so fast this time of year. I used 3 cups of vegetable broth and 3 cups water to try to lower the salt. I used fresh thyme and the rest is by your recipe. I will definitely make this soup again and again! Thanks so much, Lin
Jill
A perfect fall-day warm you right up kind of soup. Great for all eaters too. I’ve never cooked vegetarian so this was a perfect introduction. Thank you!
Kate
I’m so glad you enjoyed your first vegetarian venture, Jill! I have tons of recipes for you, if you’d like to try more. :)
Amy
Absolutely LOVE this recipe! My parents recently visited me in Reno, NV from the UK: a very long journey. I had this ready for them after their long, tiring, junk food-ridden journey and it was just perfect. Hearty, wholesome, tasty and nutritious. My tips: add a can of chickpeas (Garbanzo beans to you Americans!), and there’s no need to blend. Just enjoy the lovely texture of the unblinded soup! Thanks a lot for this recipe :)
Kate
Thank you, Amy! I bet this soup would be extra delicious after such a long trip.
Lyndsey
This is SO delicious! Even my meat eating husband enjoyed it!
Kate
Thank you, Lyndsey! Glad to hear it!
Justin
I just made some lintel soup based off of your recipe, and it turned out very good! I didn’t use some of the spices you suggested, but managed to use some other items in my pantry to great effect. Thank you!
Kate
Thanks, Justin! Glad to hear it!
Kristi
I love this recipe. I am making it for a 3rd time and making two batches, one for a friend. However, the last batch the lentils did not cook all the way. we used brown, any suggestions. I left it cooking for an extra 20 minutes but no change.
Kate
Hi Kristi, I’m so glad you’re enjoying this recipe. Some lentils need more time than others; sounds like you were working with some older lentils. I think that cooking them even longer would have done the trick eventually. You might try soaking those lentils for an hour (or several) before draining and adding them to the soup to cook.
Donna
I go to this recipe every time. I think so far, like 25 times. Lol. Great reciepe. Thanks for this!
Kate
Woohoo! Thank you, Donna!
Walter
I made this lentil soup today. What a great recipe! My wife and I love it. It will be our lentil soup recipe from now on.
Kate
That’s great to hear! Thank you, Walter!
jud_ish
Love this recipe. Waited a long time for lentil soup with a taste like this.
I like to toast the seasonings on the bottom of the soup pot for a few minutes and not so much tomato
Kate
Thank you! I’m so glad you’re loving this soup.
Christine Hartman
I just made a huge crock pot of this and was worried i had made too much.Wrong…it’s the best soup ever! So full of flavour and very aromatic! It wont last long. I love that it Gluten free as we have a Celiac in our family.
Kate
Thank you, Christine! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Audrey
This soup is really terrific. Initially, I wasn’t sure I would like the curry powder in it (since the soup was not otherwise an Indian style soup). But it’s really lovely — the curry adds a sweet, subtle background flavor. The minor departures I made from the recipe was that I used crushed rather than diced tomatoes, and baby spinach instead of kale. (The lentils I had were Umbrian lentils which are pretty small. They kept their shape well and have the perfect texture.) I bet it’ll taste even better tomorrow. Thanks!
Kate
Thank you, Audrey! I’m so glad you enjoyed this one.
Deborah
I made this soup today as I have been feeling poorly and it is just what the doctor ordered. Totally wholesome and delicious!
Kate
I hope you feel better soon, Deborah!
christina
Looooove!!!! Added sweet potatoes and spinach instead of kale. Tried to stay away from some sodium so I made my own broth and it turned out perfectly!
Thank you xoxo
Kate
Thanks, Christina! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Crystal
Made this for dinner tonight. Only change I made was to puree about half the batch. Spices were great, it was so warm and comforting tonight as we enjoy our first snowfall of the season.
Kate
Thank you, Crystal! Stay warm! :)
Chris
This soup was absolutely fantastic. I added celery, finely diced red potatoes, and a Tsp of cayenne pepper (I like spicy). It is filling and just delicious!
Kate
Thanks, Chris! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
Nelly
Love this lentil soup! I first made it last fall and now that the cold weather is back I’m craving it again!! Now that I’ve went vegan I’ll probably be making it more often! Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Margaret
This was excellent!! Very tasty and filling. The only thing I added was a small sweet potato and a little extra curry powder just because I love it. Thank you, I will make this again and again.
Kate
Thank you, Margaret! Delighted to hear it.
Alessandra
This is soooooo good ! Thanks a lot ! I added a chopped carrot and topped with olive oil. Delicious and easy
Kate
Yay! Thanks, Alessandra!
Juliana
This soup has wonderful flavor, and I didn’t even add the oil. For me, I didn’t care too much for the texture… particularly with the kale that I had cut in ribbons. Maybe I would have liked the texture more if I had minced the kale in a food processor before adding to the soup. Something was off with the kale for me, tho, I love kale. Anyway, I ended up pureeing the entire batch and i added more water to thin it out… it was quite easy to fix for my preference. Nice recipe! Thank you.
Kate
I’m glad you enjoyed it in the end!
Tamara
I don’t have fresh lentils . I have the canned ones can I make this with the canned ones?
Kate
Hi Tamara, yes, I think so, but you would probably want to skip the water in the recipe (since dry lentils absorb so much moisture as they cook), and your soup might be ready sooner.
Lianne
I finally got around to making this (on a beautiful fall day in Austin!) and am OBSESSED! So. Delicious. I added a little more red pepper and used chicken stock and spinach since it’s what I had. Otherwise, I followed the recipe word for word. Thank you for creating this – it’s going to be my new go-to!
Kate
Hooray! Thanks, Lianne!
Jodi
Hurricane Matthew passing by so why not cook! I made this in my crock pot and started by soaking the lentils in just water over night then I decided to just add all the other ingredients minus a broth and the soup is delicious without it. Originally was going to use an old recipe but this morning I checked your site, my favorite cooking site,and though I did not have any greens the soup is fantastic and we had some salad and naan bread with a side of home made applesauce. So hearty and cozy dinner as the house rocks in the high winds.
Kate
Hi Jodi, I hope you all are safe and sound! I’m so glad to hear you enjoy my recipes and that this soup hit the spot. :)
Robbie
I’ve made this twice now and LOVE it! It’s healthy, and I love the curry and lemon combination. This recipe is definitely a keeper!
Kate
Thank you, Robbie! I appreciate your comment.
Karman
I tried it, I am eating it right now. Thank you for the recipe!
It is so delicious and perfect for cold weathers :). Are there also other vegetables that goes good with this soup instead of carrots?
Justin
This is the best soup in the world Kate!!! Thank you. I make it all the time, especially now that it’s getting cold outside.
Kate
Hooray, thanks Justin!
nancy
This is the best lentil Soup i have ever tasted! I also used cayenne pepper and added, Mexican squash, broccoli, mushroom and didn’t pure the soup! So chunky and delicious!
Kate
Thank you so much, Nancy!
Jodi
This is my FAVORITE lentil soup, and I’ve had many. I think the generous amount of olive oil and pureeing part of the soup really add to this dish. Flavors are delish!
Kate
Thank you, Jodi! Happy to hear it!
Kelly P
The best!!!!!!! I’m not a vegetarian but it make this soup all the time. It has such a rich depth of flavor and warms you to the core! Making it for company tonight :)
Kate
Hooray! Thanks, Kelly!
Mary Lynne Ashley
This soup is perfect exactly as the recipe is written. It tasted exactly like I’d hoped it would when I saw the picture. Thanks!
Kate
Hooray! Thanks, Mary Lynne!
Sabrina
Turned out nicely. I added in fresh grated ginger, extra curry powder for more spice, and only 2 cups of broth to make it thicker. I also did not blend half because I like the soup chunky. The lemon adds a great touch!
alissa
I don’t normally leave comments, but I had to in this case. Seriously the BEST lentil soup I have ever tasted! A delicious blend of spice and flavor. This recipe is now a staple in my home. Thank you!
alissa
whoops, forgot to rate! :)
Tara
This soup was AMAZING!!! I added some Coriander and Tumeric and sprinkled a little feta cheese on top! Thank you for the great recipe!
Kate
Awesome! Thanks, Tara!
Roberta
Really delicious! It’s a keeper.
Kate
Thank you, Roberta!
Ashley
I have fallen in love with this soup! About 9 months ago i became plant based and have really loved trying new flavors and things i previously was not a fan of. Recipes yummy make dinner so exciting. Thank you, Kate!
Kate
Thank you, Ashley! Congrats on expanding your taste buds. I found the same thing when I became a vegetarian. Glad you’re enjoying this soup!
Simone Brightstein
just making it now and so far it’s absolutely lovely – about to add the lemon juice. Many thanks.
Kate
Awesome, hope you loved the final result! Thank you for your comment, Simone.
jill boggiss
I make this recipe all the time, it is delicious. I passed it onto my sister and she makes this a couple of times a week. thanks a lot.
Kate
Thank you for sharing the recipe, Jill! So glad you’re going enjoying the soup.
Tanja Beck
Amazing!! The kids loved this soup!
Kate
Awesome!! Thanks, Tanja!
Beth
I absolutely adore this soup. The flavor is so rich and the soup is filling and not at a cost of a lot of fat or salt. I made some slight modifications based on what I had in the fridge, and a boyfriend who doesn’t like onions. I reduced the onions, increased the carrot, and added a diced celery stalk. I also added some coriander to the seasoning mix because I love how the flavor cuts through the heaviness of the other seasonings.
Also, the soup tastes better the next day! Huge win if you like having leftovers for lunch or dinner.
Kate
Thanks, Beth! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Lia
Do you think escarole would work instead of kale? Excited to try this recipe!
Kate
Hi Lia, I think it would, although it might make the soup taste more bitter.
Lia
It came out great! Will try the kale next time but had escarole I needed to use. I don’t think it altered the taste too much. Either way it’s delicious!!
Kate
I’m glad! Thanks for letting me know!
Janet Bareiss
Love cooking with curry. It makes my house smell amazing. Looking forward to it tonight. I sautéed the veggies as the recipe said. Then I dumped it all into the slow cooker to torment me all day as it slowly becomes dinner. Thank you for the lovely recipe.
Kate
Great idea!
Catherine
Just made this recipe for dinner tonight (thank you by the way, I was trying to figure out what to do with the lentils in my pantry!) and it was a HUGE hit. The critics are just my husband and I :), but we absolutely loved it. My husband said it’s the best soup he’s ever had..beating out the vegetarian chili we always make! Definitely remembering this one.
Alexis
This is my go-to weeknight quick soup! Love it! so great!!
John
Best soup ever! I hadn’t made it in a while and I couldn’t find your recipe …. mild heart attack until I found the website again.
Jeff
Seriously? I’ve loved progreso lentil soup since I was a little kid, I’m 47 now and still love it, my wife makes a variation on it where she adds ground beef and rice and everybody loves it… so, today I tried your recipe but started with a 1/4 lb or so of Italian sausage and a couple really thick slices of bacon, also added some shrooms and green beans that needed to be used… one word – awesome! Thank you!
Ps: I also used chix stock and added a bit of white wine and mixed red and green lentils…
Served with a dash of sour cream and a bit of parsley, simply amazing bowl of pure joy!
Keosha
I moved to a different state and had no idea what to cook! My kitchen was all packed but this recipe saved me. I went on a scavenger hunt to find the ingredients and we had them all! Now we can eat a healthy and hearty meal in our new home!
Sara
I am about to try this recipe! One quick question….I’m assuming we add dry lentils??? Not canned ones???
Barbara
Yes, rinse & pick over!
Barbara
Absolutely DELISH!!! So glad I tried it! Perfect for this cold & rainy fall day! Thank you Kate! Ps. I used diced fire roasted tomatoes & added a few stalks of diced celery
Heather S.
Sooo delicious! I didn’t have any kale, so I added celery with the carrot and onion instead. I also omitted the red pepper flakes as I’m not a huge fan of spicy foods. This soup was so filling, satisfying and savory. Will definitely be making this again!
Kayla
I’ve made this 5 times in the past two weeks! Best soup I’ve ever had
Susan Depalo
I’ve made this soup a few times already and it’s very tasty! I served it to my family who are food critics and they thought it was very good…. Thanks for all your recipes! I love looking at your website and the pics! Looking forward to trying many!
Christine
I’ve made quite a few lentil soups and they all turn out somewhat boring and taste “healthy”.. this one blew me away! It was incredibly flavorful and hearty. One bowl wasn’t enough! Next time I’ll make a double batch. :) Thanks so much for sharing!!
Adelle
This is my favorite lentil soup recipe! I thought the 1/4 cup of olive oil was going to be too much but it wasn’t, it made the soup so comforting and delicious. The spices were perfect.This is a great soup for winter time.
Sarah
Had to leave out the pepper flakes, tomatoe, and used chicken broth and spinach, and only a pinch of thyme instead. (It’s what I had on hand ) Came out wonderful! Will definitely make again. The kids did not eat it but the grown ups loved it. Next time will add a few diced potatoes.
Peggy S.
Love this soup, 2nd time making it. Love the spices and zing of the lemon juice at the end.