Lentil Soup Recipe

This super easy and healthy lentil soup is huge in flavor, loaded with earthy, aromatic spices and a bit of heat. It's great on its own but amazing with a warm slice of bread (or two). This oh-so-cozy dish will have you heading back to the kitchen for seconds or even thirds!

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 50

Soaking Time 2

Total Time 3

Servings

Calories 293kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

3-4 tablespoons (42-56ml) cooking oil
2 medium onion, diced (about 1¾ cups)
2 stalks celery, diced (about 1 cup)
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ tablespoon (4g) minced ginger
1½ teaspoons (3g) cumin
2-3 teaspoons (4-6g) smoked paprika
1 pound (450g) lentils, soaked for 2 hours
1 14.5-ounce can (425g) diced tomatoes
2 green onions, chopped
1 teaspoon (2g) white pepper
2-3 large carrots, chopped (about 1½ cups)
½ teaspoon (1g) cayenne pepper (optional)
6 cups (1.5l) or more vegetable broth (sub with chicken broth or water)
2 tablespoons (8g) or more chopped parsley or cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat a large saucepan with oil, then add onions, celery, garlic, ginger, and cumin. Stir occasionally for 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 of chicken stock and the desired amount of salt.
Bring to a boil and simmer until the sauce thickens. It might take 30-45 minutes or more, depending on how soft you like your lentils. Throw in some parsley, adjust for salt and pepper, and adjust the soup consistency with more liquid if desired. Serve hot with bread.

Notes

You can substitute green lentils in this recipe with brown, red, and yellow lentils and even chickpeas.
Use lentils within a few months of buying them. Older lentils take longer to cook and shed their skins during cooking. And never mix newly purchased lentils with the old ones because they won't cook evenly.
Soaking your lentils for longer may result in a loss of nutrients. I prefer it soaked just for 2 hours.
You may think that your lentil pack is safe from unwanted intruders, 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 meat to this soup, pork shoulder, ham hock, or even bacon is amazing.
Keep tasting the lentils as they cook to see if they're your preferred consistency.
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.

Nutrition