Red Lentil Soup

If you’re looking for a simple, nourishing meal, this easy red lentil soup recipe is the ideal. Made with wholesome ingredients and pantry staples, this plant-based lentil soup is hearty, comforting, and full of flavor. I make this one often, because I tend to always have the ingredients for it!

Red lentils cook fast, making this quick vegan soup recipe ideal for busy weeknights when you want something warm and satisfying. It’s naturally vegan, protein-rich, and budget-friendly, making it a great option for an easy homemade meal.

What you need

• onion
• garlic cloves
• olive oil
• cumin
• coriander
• turmeric
• chilli
• carrot
• red lentils
• tomatoes or chopped tomatoes
• coconut milk
• chickpeas
• vegetable stock
• coriander
• black pepper
• chilli oil
• lime juice

How to make red lentil soup

Start by chopping the onion and garlic. First add the onion to a pan and fry until softened, for around 5-10 minutes. Next, add your chopped garlic and cook for another minute or two until fragrant. 

Next, add the spices to the pan. Fry these for another minute or two until it starts to smell delicious. I have stuck to simple spices for this recipe, so they’re ones hopefully you always have in your spice cupboard. 

We can then add the rest of our ingredients: carrot, tomatoes, coconut milk, chickpeas and lentils. 

You could use any kind of beans for this. Other yummy options would be butter beans, cannellini beans or kidney beans. Similarly you could omit the coconut milk and simply add an extra tin of chopped tomatoes, or extra vegetable stock. 

Finally add the vegetable stock to the pan. Stir through to mix and bring to the boil. Once boiling, turn down the heat to simmer for 15-20 minutes.

When the lentils are cooked, you can leave the soup as is, or optionally blend half of the soup with a hand blender for a smooth base.

Serve finished with coriander, chilli oil, fresh lime juice and some cracked black pepper.

More soup recipes

• Vegan Curry Soup
• Spiced Sweet Potato Soup
• Leek & Potato Soup
• Spicy Roasted Pumpkin Soup
• Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup

Did you make this red lentil soup recipe? Take a photo and hashtag it #MadeleineOlivia. I love seeing your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Tiktok.

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Red Lentil Soup

A comforting and budget-friendly meal, perfect for meal prep.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings 4

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• 1 onion (chopped)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves (chopped)
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp coriander
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp chilli
• 1 carrot (chopped or grated )
• 200 g red lentils
• 4 tomatoes (chopped or a 400ml tin chopped tomatoes)
• 400 ml coconut milk
• 400 g chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
• 500 ml vegetable stock (add extra if you prefer it more runny)

To serve

• coriander (small handful, finely chopped )
• black pepper
• lime juice (squeeze)
• chilli oil (drizzle)

Instructions 

• Fry the onions in a pan until softened, for around 5-10 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook for a further minute or two.
• Next, add the spices into the pan, and fry for a minute or two until fragrant. Add a splash of water if needed.
• Next add the carrot to the pan along with the tomatoes, coconut milk, lentils and chickpeas. Mix everything through.
• Finally add the vegetable stock to the pan. Stir through to mix and bring to the boil. Once boiling, turn down the heat to simmer for 15-20 minutes.
• When the lentils are cooked, you can leave the soup as is, or optionally blend half of the soup with a hand blender for a smooth base.
• Serve with coriander, chilli oil, fresh lime juice and some cracked black pepper.

Notes

• You can swap the chickpeas for any of your favourite beans, such as butter beans or kidney beans!
• For some extra goodness, try stirring through a large handful of spinach until wilted at the end, or fry off some courgettes along with the carrots at the start. 
• This is perfect to meal prep for work or school. Double the recipe and add a serving to an insulated flask for on-the-go!

Nutrition

Calories: 642kcalCarbohydrates: 71gProtein: 25gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 538mgPotassium: 1383mgFiber: 25gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 3898IUVitamin C: 26mgCalcium: 126mgIron: 11mg

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Don’t forget to rate this recipe!

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