Lately, I've had a craving for some comforting lentil soup. So I created a recipe that still uses traditional brown lentils and yet goes in a more smoky direction with the spices. I've also added spinach, potatoes, a hint of tomato paste, and of course, lots of garlic!
Lentil Soup, My Favorite Way to Prepare This Little Legume
My fondness for lentils has definitely grown over the years from what it once was.
When I was a kid, my mom would prepare a pot of lentils from time to time, a very simple and thick sort of lentil “stew”, with lots of garlic, diced potatoes and a squeeze of lemon at the end to give a hint of brightness.
And while I didn't actually mind these lentils because I ate them with thick slices of soft, warm bread slathered with lots of butter—one of my absolute favorite things—I wasn't necessarily the biggest fan of them either.
It wasn't until I was more into my adult years that I really began falling in love with these hearty little legumes, and all the deliciousness they had to offer.
These days, my favorite way to use lentils is in making a delicious lentil soup. There's no soaking required for lentils, and after a quick rinse and pick-through to make sure there's no little pieces of debris in with them, they're ready for the soup pot!
And because lentils absorb flavors so well, the options for creating unique flavors profiles are never-ending. Various spices, seasonings, and other little ingredients will give a lentil soup recipe like this a big pop of flavor, making for an exquisitely comforting and well-rounded complete meal rich in protein, fiber, potassium, and folate.
A while back I made this tasty Fragrant Curried Lentil Soup using red lentils (which turn quite yellow when cooked), with a hint of coconut cream and lots of spice. It's my take on one of my favorite things to get when I go out to eat at an Indian restaurant—dahl—which is a thick, spiced lentil dish.
How to Make Lentil Soup Taste Amazing!
- I love the flavor of both olive oil and butter, and like to use a combination of both as the starter for my lentil soup.
- I then like to load up on the aromatics—ingredients like diced onion, lots of garlic (lentils really benefit from this), some finely diced veggies like carrots and celery, and some warm, fragrant spices such as cumin, coriander, and smoked paprika for a rich, smoky aroma.
- Next I toss in a peeled and diced russet potato to add more texture and depth to this vegetarian soup.
- And finally, once the ingredients are gently simmered together for a short while—about 35 minutes—I finish this lentil soup off with a couple of good fistfulls of baby spinach leaves, some fresh herbs, a generous squeeze of lemon (for that brightness!), and an extra drizzle of good olive oil for added richness.
It's a warm, cozy, thick and hearty pot of soup that needs nothing else apart from hunks of soft, warm, buttered bread to serve along with it!
Tips and Tidbits for Lentil Soup:
- Use good old-fashioned brown lentils, or get colorful: While this lentil soup recipe calls for traditional, easy to find brown lentils (I like to buy them out of the bulk bin in my market), you can certainly use the red lentils (which become golden in color once cooked), or your preferred variety.
- For a little extra protein: This lentil soup is vegetarian, but you can certainly add cubed or shredded chicken, and substitute chicken stock for the vegetable stock.
- If things get a bit too thick: Often times lentil (or other bean soups) will substantially thicken up, especially overnight; if this happens and the soup becomes a bit too thick, simply thin it out with a little water or stock.
- Make it spicy, if you'd like: This soup tastes really delicious with some added “fiery-ness”, so feel free to add extra cayenne pepper in, or some red pepper flakes, or even hot sauce!
Feast your eyes on these, or just jump to the recipe:
Recipe
Lentil Soup
by Ingrid Beer
Yield: Serves 6
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
• Olive oil (4 tablespoons, divided use)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium-size onion, finely diced
• 1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
• 1 rib celery, finely diced
• 6 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
• Salt
• Black pepper
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• Pinch or two of cayenne pepper
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 medium-size russet potato, peeled and diced small
• 1 pound brown lentils, rinsed and picked through for little debris/pebbles
• 7 cups vegetable stock
• 1 ½ cups baby spinach leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Squeeze of lemon
Preparation:
-Place a medium-size soup pot over medium-high heat, and add in the butter and about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil; once the butter has melted and the oil/butter is hot, add in the diced onion, carrot, and celery, and saute for a few minutes until tender.
-Add in the garlic, and once aromatic, add in a couple of pinches of salt and pepper, plus the smoked paprika, cumin, and coriander, and cayenne, and stir to combine.
-Add in the tomato paste and stir that in to incorporate, then add in the diced potato and the lentils, and stir those in, as well.
-Add in the vegetable stock and bring to the boil, then cover and lower the heat to gently simmer the soup for about 35-40 minutes, or until the lentils are tender and the soup thickened
-Finish the lentil soup by stirring in the baby spinach leaves just until wilted, the cilantro and flat-leaf parsley, a squeeze of lemon for brightness, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil; then, ladle into bowls and enjoy with some warm bread, if you'd like!
Nadine
This soup tastes D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S !!!!!!! Drop the mic.
Really, I cannot say enough about how the flavors blend so well and the heartiness of the lentils makes one not miss the absence of meat. Thank you for creating and sharing your recipe. LOVED IT!
The Cozy Apron
Wow, Nadine! I'm so, so touched that you enjoyed the soup so much! It's my pleasure to have created and shared the recipe, especially when someone gets so much pleasure and comfort from it. Truly appreciate your comments, and I thank you for taking a moment to share your experience!
Maureen
When do you add in the spinach?
The Cozy Apron
Hi Maureen, thanks for bringing that omission to my attention—it's fixed! You'll stir it in at the end just until it wilts, along with the herbs, lemon, and remaining olive oil.
Linda Romer
I made this recipe today at my mom's house. It was easy and tasted great. We both enjoyed it and have enough left over to enjoy during the week. Thank you!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Linda, so glad this was easy and tasty for you! And the leftovers are even better, as the flavors have a little more time to meld together...Thanks so much for commenting!
Carol Stilwell
Can this recipe be made without the tomato paste?
The Cozy Apron
Hi Carol, yes, you may leave out the tomato paste if you prefer. Hope you enjoy!
kayla w
can i use canned lentils? if so, how much?
The Cozy Apron
Hi Kayla, I have not tried canned lentils in this recipe, so I'll "guestimate" for you.
It should be about 3 1/2 cans of lentils you'd need. (1 pound of dried lentils is equivalent to roughly 7 cups cooked, and each can has roughly 2 cups of lentils; so hence the 3 1/2 cans.)
Julie
Outstanding! Easy and so good. New family favorite.
The Cozy Apron
Hi Julie, that's great! Thanks so much for sharing your experience!
Emily
Love this soup! I’ve been making it every Sunday for the coming week, subbing a sweet potato for the russet, and adding in 2lbs of boiled chicken. The flavor profile is interesting/varied enough that I can’t see myself getting tired of it anytime soon. It also keeps me so full I’m amazed one serving (Sans-chicken) is just shy of 300 cals! Beautiful! Thank you!
The Cozy Apron
Wow, Emily, I love that!
So happy you've been enjoying the soup so much, and yes, it is such a hearty option which keeps the appetite satisfied for a while, especially when you add in some chicken. (I do that quite a bit too, as I simply get a good quality rotisserie chicken and shred it to have on the side to add in.)
I really appreciate that you stopped by to share this with me—thank you! Hope you continue to enjoy...
Candice
We have tried several lentil soup recipes over the years, but this one is the best we’ve ever tried! I am saving this recipe and it will be in the regular rotation. So quick and so flavorful! Thank you for this awesome recipe!
The Cozy Apron
That's music to my ears, Candice! So happy you enjoyed!
I love it when a recipe of mine gets placed into "rotation"—I'm so honored by that.
Happy cooking!
Julie
Outstanding soup! A family favorite. We’ve had it about once a week since discovering it. Thank you. Love it!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Julie, so glad you're all enjoying it!
Thanks so much for commenting!
Brittany Booth
Hi! I’m really excited to try this! Do by chance have a crock pot conversion? I would love to leave this all day while I’m at work. Thanks!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Brittany, unfortunately, I don't; but I'm thinking if you leave this on a lower setting ("low & slow"), it should gently simmer things until they become tender and the lentils break down.
The nice thing is you don't have to worry about over-cooking anything, since there's no meat. It's OK if the lentils and nice and soft and breaking down. And in case you find the soup too thick after cooking it, you can always add in a touch more water or chicken stock.
Hope you enjoy!
Anna
Hello! I've been looking for a great lentil soup recipe and though I haven't tried this yet it sounds super promising. I love my soups thick and chunky so this seems like a perfect fit.
I am not an experienced soup maker (this will actually be my first from scratch!) but if I want to add chicken--how do you recommend to do that?
Also, what are your recommendations for storage if this is something I want to prep ahead of time for work lunches? Do soups freeze well?
Thanks!!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Anna, I feel so honored that my soup recipe will be your first "from scratch" soup!
I like to add chicken quite often to this recipe myself, as my husband likes a little more added protein, and for things to be a bit more substantial sometimes; so for convenience I purchase a good quality rotisserie chicken, chunk it up/shred it, and keep it on the side to add in when we reheat individual portions. (I don't add it directly into the whole pot so it doesn't thicken the soup way too much.)
And the soup will keep perfectly fine in the fridge for a few days! You can portion out servings into containers or glass mason jars, add some chicken to these individual portions, then reheat at work. (You can also freeze it if you won't be eating it for a while or you end up with more than you can eat, then thaw in fridge and reheat...)
Hope you enjoy this hearty and warming soup, and I wish happy cooking to you! 🙂
Kristine
How many cups are in one pound of lentils?
The Cozy Apron
There are 2 1/3 cups of dry lentils in one pound.
Elle
Can this be made with French green lentils?
The Cozy Apron
Hi Elle, what a great question!
While those pretty French green lentils are perfect for things like salad and in dishes where you're wanting the lentils to maintain their shape a little better, they're not that ideal for this soup.
You actually need the lentils to break down a bit for it, to thicken it and provide that thick, hearty texture. The French (I believe) will be too firm.
So if you can, stick to regular ol' lentils for this soup, and save the French for a tasty salad or side dish! 😉
Heidi
I made this today and it is delish!! I doubled the recipe because I love to freeze soups for later. I added more liquid and used low sodium chicken broth instead. Also added fresh mushrooms. Very yummy!! Thanks for the recipe!!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Heidi, my pleasure! Glad you enjoyed it and made it a bit more your own, and also doubled it so you can enjoy more of it! 😉
Diane
I have been making lentil soup for almost 30 years. It is a family tradition to use the hambone from Christmas dinner to make lentil soup in the New Year. I was always told lentils in the New Year bring prosperity. I was looking for a new version of lentil soup and came across yours. Made it and love it not missing the ham at all! New tradition.
The Cozy Apron
Hi Diane, wow...so honored!
I'm thrilled that you, a lentil soup "pro", chose to prepare my version and enjoyed it so very much! Thank you for sharing your experience, and here's to turning over new leaves when it comes to flavors and ways to prepare recipes.
Happy new year to you, and here's to much prosperity to you and yours!
Jo An Slominski
Hello recipe says six servings. How big is each serving 1c? 1.5c?. I noticed your last name on one of the comments. It's my maiden name!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Jo An, what a small world, as this is a very unique last name, lol!
As far as the serving size goes, I would say that right around that 1.5 cup mark is about right.
Hope you enjoy!
I-Rod
A supremely cozy soup from The Cozy Apron! I didn't have all the ingredients (no potatoes, celery, or parsley) but the spice blend sounded so delicious that I decided to try it nonetheless. It turned out fantastic. I used chicken broth (Better than Bouillon) and frozen carrots (added at the end) and despite all the changes, the flavor profile made up for all my substitutions and omissions. I can't wait to make it again--on a day when I'm not snowed in and can go get all the ingredients I missed. Thank you for a superb recipe: I have already pinned it to my "pulses" board. (P. S.---I served the lentil stew with garlic naan. It made for a yummy combination.)
The Cozy Apron
My pleasure, so happy to read that!
Aren't those spices nice? I love how warming they are, and even though you didn't have a few of the ingredients, I can see how the earthy flavor made up for it. Glad it worked out!
And that garlic naan? Big fan of that! (I've served my curried lentil stew with that, and love it.) 😉
Hope you enjoy this soup many more times, especially on those extra-cold, "snowed in" days! Thanks for sharing your experience.
JustJoy
I had some lentil soup a work a few months ago and since then been looking for a good recipe. I will try this recipe and I'm sure it will come out nice.
Ronnie
I have made this soup a couple of times now upon request. I used about four minced cloves of garlic and added precooked diced ham in the last ten minutes of cooking. This is the closest recipe to my mom's so it evokes fond memories. Thank you for sharing.
Ronnie
The Cozy Apron
Ronnie, the fact that this tasty lentil soup reminds you of your mom's is so incredibly touching to me! Thank you for sharing.
Food so often has so many memories attached to it, which makes it such a beautiful thing. It nourishes to body and the soul!
I'm very glad that you've been enjoying it, and even making it more to your own taste. I'm sure the ham is delicious! 😉
Taty
Hello! The recipe looks delicious! Lentils are a staple at our house. Can I substitute water for the broth? Unfortunately Idon’t have any right now.
Thank you!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Taty, certainly! You'd have to adjust the salt level however, adding more according to taste, to make sure the soup is well seasoned.
Hope you enjoy!
Ronalda Adana Highbridge
I love this recipe so much. I spent over an hour looking for it because it always comes out great! My family starts taking some to dip bread in before its done cooking. I know I am feeding my family something low in calories and high in benefit. Thank you
Ronnie
The Cozy Apron
Hi Ronnie, I'm so very glad to read how much you and your family enjoy this soup! It is one of my favorites as well, and as you mentioned, it packs so much hearty nutrition in each bowlful, you can feel great about serving it.
May you all continue to enjoy for a long time to come, and hopefully, now that you have it, you won't need to search for it in the future, haha! 🙂
Bill
I made this dish last night to have on hand for lunches and a quick dinner. My husband, unimpressed by the thought of lentils, decided he was more in the mood for a frozen chicken pot pie and popped one in the oven. After I added the aromatics and spices, he came back into the kitchen and said the aroma smelled so good upstairs that he'd changed his mind and wanted to have what I was cooking. He asked what was in it. I told him but didn't mention the cumin, which he doesn't like. He loved it enough he asked for seconds. How the spices blend together to create a unique deep flavor is amazing.
The Cozy Apron
Bill, thank you so very much for sharing this with me. You made my day!
As a recipe developer and one who truly loves to share my creations with others, this type of scenario is what I live for. I'm thrilled that both you and your husband enjoyed this spicy, warming soup so much, and that it made a bit of a "convert" out of your hubby...perhaps without him even realizing it, haha. 😉
Again, truly appreciate you sharing your experience with me, and I hope that you find many more recipes on the site to enjoy together.
Happy cooking, Bill!
Pamela
The lentil soup was wonderful…thank you for sharing your culinary talents on Pinterest!
The Cozy Apron
Pamela, that's fantastic to hear! Glad you enjoyed!
Rachel
This is an awesome recipe. I left out the coriander (didn't have any so I doubled up on the cumin) and the tomato paste (didn't have any on hand). I added ground sausage but otherwise followed the recipe. It tastes amazing! My husband and both love it! We can't wait for the leftovers tomorrow 🙂
The Cozy Apron
Hi Rachel, sounds like you did a terrific job tweaking the recipe according to what you had on hand. So happy to read you and your husband both enjoyed the recipe, and I hope you enjoy your leftovers! 😉