Lentil Soup – super easy, cozy and healthy lentil soup that is huge in flavor. Loaded with earthy and aromatic spices with a little bit of heat. Best enjoyed with slices of bread or on its own for lunch and dinner. You’ll want seconds or thirds of this! 
Although it’s already the fall season, the weather here in LA isn’t in full fall swing yet. But that won’t stop me from digging into a warm cozy bowl of soup like this Lentil Soup. Don’t let the long list of ingredients scare you ’cause believe me, it comes together EASILY.
What’s in a Lentil Soup?
This Lentil Soup is perfect for weeknights or whenever you need a hearty quick fix on the table without laboring too much in the kitchen. Here’s what goes in my humble-yet-oh-so-good lentil soup; nothing fancy, just mostly pantry staple ingredients.
- green lentils (can be subbed with brown, red and even yellow lentils, even chickpeas)
- onion, garlic, ginger and celery ribs
- diced tomatoes
- green onions
- cumin, smoked paprika, white pepper, cayenne pepper
- carrots
- chicken broth (to make this vegan, sub chicken broth with vegetable broth)
Are Lentils Good For You?
Low in fat, high in fiber and a great vegetarian source of protein – Lentils are ABSOLUTELY GOOD for you! It keeps you fuller for longer. That’s a big YES if you want to lose weight and just eat healthy food. 
Do I Have to Soak the Lentils?
Well, you may have also read a couple of recipes online that don’t call for soaking the lentils. But I like to soak these lentils for two hours before they hit the stovetop. Soaking lentils (or beans) reduces the phytates and other anti-nutrients for maximum absorption of nutrients found in lentils and beans. And if you’ve noticed, when you soak your beans or other legumes before cooking them, they tend to be easier to digest making you feel more full. But it’s your call. You may skip the soaking step.
Can I Make It Ahead of Time?
Good news, you can certainly make a big batch of this Lentil Soup ahead of time. Simply allow it to cool completely at room temperature before transferring in an airtight container. Then freeze it up for up to 3 months or in the fridge for 3-5 days. When ready to eat, let the soup thaw in the fridge overnight and heat up in the stove over low-heat. Now you can have a wholesome lunch or dinner whenever you want!
What To Serve With Lentil Soup?
While you’re waiting for it to simmer and cook through, you can prepare a side dish to go along with it. You can pair it with any of the following below:
This classic recipe can be subbed with brown, red or yellow lentils, and even chickpeas. But I prefer to use green lentils in this recipe as they hold their shape very well even after cooking. They still look oh-so pretty, right? This simple yet warm and hearty Lentil Soup is a perfect addition to your fall and winter menu. What’s not to love with a big bowl of healthy soup? You’ll be begging for seconds and thirds. Enjoy!
More Cozy Soup Recipes
How To Make Lentil Soup
Heat up large sauce pan with oil then add onions, celery, garlic, ginger, and cumin spice.
Stir occasionally for about 2-3 minutes until onions are translucent.
Then add smoked paprika and soaked lentils. Stir and sauté for about a minute.
Finally add tomatoes, green onions, white pepper, carrots, and cayenne (optional).
Add about 6 cups chicken stock. Then salt.
Bring to a boil and let it simmer until sauce thickens. It might take about 30-45 minutes or more depending on how you like your lentils. Throw in some parsley, adjust for salt and pepper and soup consistency with more Liquid. Serve warm with bread.
Watch How To Make It
Lentil Soup Recipe | Africanbites.com
Ingredients
- 3-4 tablespoons (42 - 56 ml) cooking oil
- 2 medium onion ,diced (about 1 3/4 cup diced)
- 2 celery ribs , diced (about 1 cup)
- 4 garlic cloves ,minced
- 1/2 tablespoon (4 g) minced ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoon (3 g) cumin
- 2-3 teaspoons (4-6 g) smoked paprika
- 1 pound (450 grams) dry lentils ,soaked for 2 hours
- 1 14.5 ounce, 425grams can diced tomatoes
- 2 green onions , chopped
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) white pepper
- 2-3 large carrots , chopped (about 1 1/2 cup)
- ½ teaspoon (1 g) cayenne pepper (optional)
- 6 cups (1.5 L) or more Vegetable /Chicken broth or water
- 2 tablespoons (8 g) or more chopped parsley/Cilantro
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat up large sauce pan with oil then add onions, celery, garlic, ginger, and cumin spice. Stir occasionally for about 2-3 minutes until onions are translucent.
- Then add smoked paprika and soaked lentils . Stir and sauté for about about a minute. Finally add tomatoes, green onions, white pepper , carrots and cayenne (optional) . Add about 6 cups chicken stock . Then salt.
- Bring to a boil and let it simmer until sauce thickens. It might take about 30-45 minutes or more depending on how you like your lentils. Throw in some parsley, adjust for salt and pepper and soup consistency with more Liquid. Serve warm with bread.
Tips & Notes:
- You may sub green lentils in this recipe with brown, red, yellow lentils and even chickpeas.
- When you buy lentils, use them within a few months. Older lentils take longer to cook and shred their skins during cooking. And never mix newly-purchased lentils with the old ones.
- Soaking your lentils for longer may result to loss of nutrients. I prefer it soaked just for 2 hours.
- You may think that your lentil pack is safe from unwanted intruder but to be on the safe side, sift through the lentils before soaking them to get rid of debris or pebbles.
- If you want to add a little bit of meat into this soup, you may do so by adding pork shoulder, ham hock or even bacon.
- Keep tasting the lentils as they cook to see if they're your preferred consistency.
- Never sub the chicken broth with plain water. This chicken broth makes a difference.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
Alice B says
I want to try this soup, but I have a tomato allergy. Do you think it would be good without the tomatoes, or can you think of anything that would make a good substitute?
ImmaculateBites says
Just Leave it out . Tomato is used here as a thickener.
Jim Rupert says
For small brown lentils, DON’T SALT BEFORE SERVING!! Always cook them in water and add to the soup when soft. Cooking in broth or salted water results in tough “al dente ” lentils.
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks for the tip.