This Vegetarian Lentil Soup Recipe is filled with tender lentils and veggies cooked in a tomato-based broth. It’s a hearty soup packed with vitamins, protein, fiber, and lots of flavor.
Oftentimes I serve this soup with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, chopped parsley, and a side of crusty bread. But there are so many ways you can adapt the recipe such as adding kale or other green leafy vegetables, adding ham or bacon, or adjusting the seasoning.
The Best Vegetarian Lentil Soup Recipe
This quick and easy Lentil Soup recipe is simple, but it’s anything but bland. Filled with veggies, tender lentils, herbs, and spices in a tomato broth, it’s finished with fresh lemon juice. Almost like magic, the lemon juice instantly brightens the soup making it downright perfection.
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Serve with a chunk of crusty bread, a green salad, or as a side to just about any main protein dish. It’s a classic soup recipe that is comforting, nourishing, and so darn good!
Key Ingredients
- Onion – yellow or white onions will work well for lentil soup.
- Garlic – freshly minced garlic has the best flavor. You can always substitute the jarred minced garlic, too.
- Carrots – peel and dice the carrots into small bite-sized pieces.
- Celery – cut the celery into pieces that are roughly the same size as the carrots.
- Lentils – you’ve got a few choices as far as what lentils to use for soup. Green and brown lentils hold up well to cooking but take a bit longer. Red and yellow lentils have a sweeter flavor and cook a little more quickly, but will become quite soft. It depends on your preferences and the texture that you are going for with your soup.
- Crushed Tomatoes – any kind of canned crushed tomatoes will work great.
- Seasoning – for lentil soup I like to use a combination of cumin, paprika, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. You can feel free to adjust the seasoning or add ingredients such as a little cayenne or red pepper flakes.
- Vegetable Broth – you could substitute chicken broth if you don’t mind this not being vegetarian.
- Lemon Juice – I like to add fresh lemon juice after the soup has cooked. It brightens the flavors up so much.
How to Make Lentil Soup
- Cook the veggies. In a large stock pot over medium heat, add a few tablespoons of olive oil and cook the onions, garlic, carrots, and celery until soft.
- Add the rest of the soup ingredients. Rinse the lentils under cool water, then add them to the pot along with the crushed tomatoes, cumin, paprika, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and veggie broth.
- Simmer the soup. Simmer for 35-45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are soft. Add more broth to cover as necessary.
- Serve. Once cooked, stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls, then garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Enjoy!
Slow Cooker Lentil Soup Instructions
Prefer to make your Lentil Soup in the Slow Cooker? No problem!
- Add the ingredients to the slow cooker. Add the olive oil, onions, garlic, carrots, celery, rinsed lentils, crushed tomatoes, cumin, paprika, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and broth to the slow cooker.
- Cook. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 3-4 hours—until the lentils are tender.
- Add the lemon juice. Turn the setting to warm or off and stir in the lemon juice. Remove the bay leaves.
- Serve. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
You’ve got a few choices as far as what lentils to use for soup. French green lentils and brown lentils hold their shape well for cooking and are what I use most often for soups. Red lentils and yellow lentils have a sweeter flavor and cook a little more quickly, but will become quite soft and mushy. It depends on your preferences and the texture that you are going for with your soup.
Unlike many beans, lentils do not require soaking before being cooked. The only prep they need is a rinse until cool water to remove any dust or other debris.
Yes! This Lentil Soup is very freezer-friendly. Just make sure the soup has cooled completely before transferring to freezer bags or another airtight container. You can store this soup in the freezer for up to 2 months.
This Lentil Soup recipe is actually vegetarian and vegan! Of course, if you want to use chicken broth or add a protein like ham, bacon, etc, then it would no longer be vegetarian.
Storing and Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerator: store Lentil Soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: store in freezer bags or another airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- To reheat: reheat in the microwave or a small pot or medium heat.
The Best Vegetarian Lentil Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, or avocado oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1½ cups carrots, diced
- 1½ cups celery, diced
- 2 cups Dry Lentils, rinsed
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 3 large bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 6 cups Vegetable Broth, or chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, add just before serving
Instructions
- In a large stock pot over medium heat, add a few tablespoons of olive oil. Add onions and cook for 3-4 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the minced garlic, diced carrots, and diced celery. Cook while stirring occasionally until the veggies are soft.
- Rinse the lentils under cool water, then add them to the pot along with the crushed tomatoes, cumin, paprika, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and veggie broth. Bring to a simmer, then cover the pot with a lid and reduce the heat to medium low.
- Simmer for another 35-45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are soft. Pay close attention that there is enough liquid in the pot so the lentils don't stick to the bottom of the pot, adding more broth as necessary.
- Once the lentils are cooked, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Ladle into bowls, then garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker (minus the lemon juice) and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until the lentils are tender.
- Remove the bay leaves.
- Add the lemon juice.
- Garnish with parsley if desired, enjoy!
Nutrition
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This easy Lentil Soup recipe is made with tender lentils, sauteed veggies, crushed tomatoes, and traditional lentil soup seasoning such as cumin and paprika. It’s a quick and easy recipe that is always a family favorite.
Categories:
Crockpot, Dairy-Free, Easy Weeknight Meals, Fall Recipes, Gluten-Free, Healthy, Nut-Free, Soups, Vegan, Vegetarian, Winter Recipes,
loved it added turmeric and more cumin