This easy red lentil soup recipe is packed with flavor! It’s hearty and cozy, seasoned with aromatic veggies and lemon.
If there’s one food that always fills you up, it’s great lentil soup. Lentils are one of nature’s wonders: packed with protein, stable for years, inexpensive and one of the most filling meals around. Got a bag of broken coral lenses? Here’s exactly what to do: it’s easy Red lentil soup! It’s deliciously savory, with flavorful veggies, lemon and hints of smoked paprika.
What are coral lenses? Divided versus whole
Lentils are small, dried, lenticular legumes, a plant family that also includes beans, peas, and peanuts. Red lenses are a variety of lentils named for their beautiful orange-pink color. The texture of red lentils breaks down faster than most other lentils, making them perfect for making quick soups or dal.
Most red lentils sold in stores are broken coral lenses, that’s what you should use here. Some packages say red lentils and others say broken red lentils: Most of what you find in US grocery stores are all broken red lentils. Avoid packaging that mentions whole coral lentils: they cook differently and will hold their shape as they cook.
Ingredients for this Red Lentil Soup recipe
This Red Lentil Soup is hearty and simple, an ideal and easy weeknight meal! This is a vegan dinner recipe that’s hearty and packed with plant-based proteins. Here’s what you need:
- Vegetables: carrots, onions, garlic, celery
- olive oil
- vegetable soup
- Water
- Broken Coral Lenses*
- smoked paprika
- Lemon peel
- salt and pepper
All you have to do? Fry the aromatic vegetables, then add the remaining ingredients and simmer until the lentils are tender. Here are a few things to keep in mind while cooking!
How to know when it’s done
The most important thing about this red lentil soup recipe: Don’t overcook! If you cook red lentils too long, they will lose their shape and become mush. Sometimes that’s exactly what you want, like in this delicious Masoor Dal (Indian Red Lentils) recipe. But in this soup, you want the lentils to be just tender but hold their shape.
Be sure to keep an eye on the soup: let it simmer for 7-10 minutes, until the lentils are just tender but before they fall apart. Keep in mind that some brands of split red lentils are smaller than others, meaning they cook slightly differently. A brand that we buy cooks much faster than others.
Garnished for red lentil soup
This red lentil soup recipe is delicious on its own, but it’s even more perfect with a few toppings. We like that:
- Greek yogurt or sour cream: It adds just the right amount of creaminess and flavor: it tops this soup!
- Cashew cream: For a vegan version, use vegan yoghurt or cashew cream.
- Coriander: A few fresh coriander leaves make the dish! If you’re a hater, try fresh parsley instead
Make it a meal: A few side dishes
That’s what we try to do, a cup of red lentil soup always needs a small side dish to make it a hearty meal. Here are some of the items we like to pair it with:
What else would you serve with this red lentil soup recipe? Let us know in the comments below.
More lentil recipes
Lentils are one of the most nutritious foods on earth! Here are some other lentil recipes to incorporate into your evening routine:
This Red Lentil Soup Recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.
The description
This easy red lentil soup recipe is packed with flavor! It’s hearty and cozy, seasoned with aromatic veggies and lemon.
- 3 big carrots
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 3 celery ribs
- 6 Garlic cloves
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 liters vegetable soup
- 1 cup the water
- 1 pound divided red lentils*
- 1½ tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1½ teaspoons Lemon peel
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Greek yogurt or sour cream (or cashew cream for vegans) to serve
-
cilantro, for serving
- peel carrots. Finely chop the carrot, onion and celery. Chop the garlic.
- In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and sauté until the carrots are tender, about 5-7 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the broth, water, red lentils, smoked paprika, lemon zest, kosher salt, and freshly ground pepper.
- Bring to a simmer, then cover halfway through cooking and simmer gently until lentils are just tender but before they begin to pull apart, about 7 to 10 minutes. Watch closely and taste to gauge doneness. The finished soup should be piping hot and the lentils just soft; Cooking past this point results in a very thick stew that is just as tasty but less soupy. (You can add a handful of veggies, like chopped spinach or kale, for the last few minutes if you’d like).
- Taste and add additional salt to taste and a few black peppercorns. Leftovers can get very thick, so it’s a good idea to add a little water or broth when reheating.
Remarks
* Most of what you’ll find in stores are split red lentils, although the packaging doesn’t state the division. Avoid buying whole red lentils.
- Category: Soup
- Method: Cook
- Kitchen: Soup
- Diet: vegan
Keywords: Red Lentil Soup, Red Lentil Soup Recipe
