This red lentil soup is full of fresh vegetables and herbs! Healthy, economical and nutritious, this soup has tons of flavor thanks to spices like cumin, garlic and chili powder, with the natural sweetness of sweet potatoes and carrots. The broth is AMAZING, especially after adding some fresh lemon juice and herbs at the end! It’s a quick, easy, plant-based, one-pot, high-protein mealand it happens to be vegan and gluten-free, if that’s your thing.
Red lentils are a miracle of the dried legume family. Why? They only take 20 minutes to fully cook, NO SOAKING NEEDED! But they are just as cheap and nutritious – rich in proteins, fibre, vitamins and minerals – like all their needier cousins.
Buy any other dried legume and you’ll end up with hours of soaking and a long cooking time. Which is easy if you plan ahead or use a slow cooker or pressure cooker, but what if you want to have dinner in half an hour? Take those red lentils, man.
Now, this soup is not your average lentil soup. This is PACKED with flavor, inspired by Turkish red lentil soup (Lentil soup). Spices, garlic, fresh lemon juice and a big helping of fresh herbs – just about any kind you want – abound in this soup. And it’s full of veggies.
I love serving it with a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil and crushed red pepper flakes in each bowl. Now here’s a real “Bowl of Delicious” if I ever saw one!
Red lentil soup ingredients
- Red Lentils
- Onion and garlic
- Cumin
- Chilli powder
- Canned diced tomatoes
- Broth (chicken or vegetable, both will work)
- Sweet potato
- Carrots
- Fresh lemon juice
- Fresh herbs (any combination of mint, chives, cilantro, parsley, dill, basil, oregano, etc.)
How to prepare red lentil soup with vegetables and herbs
In a large pot, sauté the onion in the olive oil, then add the garlic, cumin and chili powder. Add the broth, diced tomatoes, rinsed lentils, carrots and sweet potatoes and cook covered for 20 minutes until everything is cooked. Turn off the heat and add the aromatic herbs and fresh lemon juice and season to taste. Serve!
Scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe, including ingredient quantities and detailed instructions.
Wait… aren’t you supposed to cook tomatoes with dried legumes?
Well yes. When dried legumes are cooked with something acidic, like tomatoes, they can be tough and not cook completely to softness. HOWEVER, red lentils are so tender and quick cooking that, in the case of this red lentil soup, they are fine and allow the flavors to develop more. So get rid of that expectation here and add those tomatoes!
But can I soak red lentils if I want?
I wouldn’t recommend it. I think they would get soggy if I tried soaking them before cooking them in this soup.
Can I freeze red lentil soup?
Absolutely! It freezes beautifully in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
What can I serve red lentil soup with?
This red lentil soup is a balanced nutritious meal in one bowl, with protein, healthy carbs and healthy fats. But it would also be delicious served with pita bread or crusty no-knead bread for dipping.
What ingredients should I garnish red lentil soup with?
I love serving red lentil soup with a drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil, a few chilli flakes (or Aleppo pepper flakes, which would remind you of its Turkish roots)and other fresh herbs, plus a squeeze of extra lemon juice. It would also be great with a teaspoon of Greek yogurt or sour cream.
Other Mediterranean soup recipes
And be sure to check out our other lentil soup recipes, like this hearty Lentil Barley Soup and this Smoky Sweet Potato Lentil Stew!
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Red lentil soup with vegetables and herbs
Red lentil soup with vegetables and fresh herbs is an incredibly nutritious, healthy and quick single dish. The cumin, chili powder, garlic, fresh lemon juice, and naturally sweet vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes make the broth so incredibly rich and delicious, especially when served with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil on top of each bowl .
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Portions: 6 portions
Calories: 277kcal
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Ingredients
- 2 spoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion cut into cubes
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chilli powder
- 15 oz. canned diced tomatoes
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth (see notes)
- 1 large sweet potato peeled and cut into cubes (about ½ inch pieces)
- 2 large carrots peeled and cut into cubes (about ¼ inch pieces)
- 8 oz. red lentils selected and rinsed (about 1 full cup, see notes)
- kosher salt and black pepper taste
- ¼ cup fresh herbs (dill, mint, oregano, parsley, chives, basil and/or coriander, see notes)
- juice of one lemon about 2 tablespoons
- plus olive oil, Greek yogurt, red pepper flakes, lemon wedges and/or extra herbs for garnish (optional)
Instructions
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Heat the olive oil (2 tablespoons) in a large, heavy pot with a lid, such as a Dutch oven, over medium-high heat. Saute the onions until they soften and begin to brown, about 5 minutes.
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Add the chopped garlic (2 cloves)cumin (1 teaspoon), and chili powder (½ teaspoon). Stir to coat the onions in the spices and continue to heat for 30 seconds to a minute, until fragrant.
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Add the rinsed red lentils (8 ounces). Toss to coat. Pour in the chicken broth (6 cups) and add the diced sweet potato, diced carrots, and diced canned tomatoes (15 ounces). Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until lentils, sweet potatoes and carrots are tender.
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Turn off the fire. Stir in the lemon juice (about 2 tablespoons) and chopped fresh herbs (¼ cup). Serve with optional extra olive oil, herbs, Greek yogurt, red pepper flakes and/or lemon wedges.
Notes
- Broth: I almost always prefer to use homemade broth (chicken or vegetable) for soups, which is what I used here. You can also use a broth substitute, for example Better than Bouillon. Be careful, as store-bought stock and broth tend to be salty, so you may need very little additional salt, if any, for the soup, or buy a low-sodium version. Be sure to use vegetable broth to ensure the soup is vegetarian/vegan if that is your goal.
- Red lentils they usually come in 16 ounces. (1 pound) bag. This recipe uses half that amount, 8 ounces, which equals just over 1 cup. You can use more or less depending on what you have, but keep in mind that you may need more or less broth accordingly.
- Fresh herbs: I use a combination of dill, mint, parsley and oregano, because that’s what I had. You can really use what you want here, what you’re growing, or what’s for sale in the store. Stay away from harder, stronger herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, and sage, as their flavors and textures may dominate in this recipe.
- Don’t jump fresh lemon juice here – that added acidity adds tons of flavor (although you might be able to get by with a spoonful of red wine or apple cider vinegar in a pinch).
- Adding a round of extra virgin olive oil in the end when serving it is highly recommended. It adds healthy, satiating fats, amazing flavor, and a wonderful, rich texture. If you like spice, I also recommend a pinch of red pepper flakes, which takes the flavor of the soup to the next level without overpowering it.
- Freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Nutrition
Serve: 2cups | Calories: 277kcal | Carbohydrates: 40G | Protein: 16G | Fat: 7G | Saturated fat: 1G | Polyunsaturated fats: 1G | Monounsaturated fats: 4G | Sodium: 215mg | Potassium: 943mg | Fiber: 14G | Sugar: 6G | Vitamin A: 9103UI | Vitamin C: 15mg | Soccer: 84mg | Iron: 5mg
Nutrition information disclaimer
The nutritional information provided is my best estimate and reflects one serving of the recipe (total servings indicated at the top of the recipe card). It does not include any added sodium from the flavoring seasoning, any optional ingredients, and does not take brands into account. I use an automatic API to calculate this information. Feel free to calculate it yourself using one of these tools:
