Meet the BEST lentil soup recipe! Made with dried lentils, fresh vegetables, flavorful spices, and hearty greens, it's simple, nourishing, and delicious.
This lentil soup recipe might surprise you. Sure, it’s simple. But that doesn’t mean it’s bland or boring.
This lentil soup is packed with hearty greens, tender vegetables, and fiber- and protein-rich lentils. Fresh herbs and spices fill it with complex flavor, and a splash of vinegar adds a delicious tangy kick.
It’s not just my best lentil soup recipe—it’s one of my best recipes, period. It’s been a staple in my rotation for years. I love that it’s easy to make with mostly pantry ingredients and that it’s nourishing, warming, and satisfying. If you ask me, it’s the perfect healthy dinner for a winter weeknight (save any leftovers for lunch the next day!). I hope you love this classic lentil soup as much as I do.
Lentil Soup Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this lentil soup recipe:
- Lentils, of course! I recommend using green or French green lentils because they hold their shape in the soup, adding satisfying texture. Brown lentils are also a fine option. Don’t use red lentils here—they’re too mushy for this recipe.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – For richness.
- Onion, garlic, carrot, and celery – They create the soup’s aromatic base.
- Fresh kale – You’ll use the whole leaves, stems and all!
- Fire-roasted diced tomatoes – I love the smoky flavor that fire-roasted tomatoes add to this soup. In a pinch, regular diced tomatoes will work here too!
- Vegetable broth – Make homemade vegetable broth, or use store-bought.
- Fresh thyme – For citrusy, woodsy flavor. I like to bundle whole sprigs together with kitchen twine. Then, I add the bundle to the soup like a bay leaf, removing it before serving. Bundling the sprigs like this is SO much quicker than picking and measuring the leaves.
- Cumin – The secret ingredient! It adds savory, earthy depth of flavor.
- White wine vinegar – It gives the soup a bright, tangy kick.
- And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Variations
Don’t have these exact ingredients on hand? These swaps work nicely:
- Replace the kale with another leafy green like fresh spinach or Swiss chard.
- Use 1 teaspoon dried thyme instead of the fresh sprigs.
- Replace the celery with 1 small fennel bulb, diced.
- No vinegar? No problem. Finish the soup with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice!
How to Make Lentil Soup
This lentil soup recipe is easy to make! Here’s how it goes:
First, sauté the aromatics. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and add the onion, carrots, celery, kale stems, and cumin. Season with salt and several grinds of pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies soften, about 8 minutes.
Next, simmer the soup. Add the garlic, tomatoes, lentils, vinegar, thyme, and broth.
Cover the soup and cook until the lentils are tender, 25 to 30 minutes or so. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer.
Finally, add the greens. Cook until they wilt, about 5 minutes, and then season to taste.
Serve the lentil soup in bowls topped with garnishes like fresh parsley, grated Parmesan, and/or red pepper flakes. Enjoy with crusty bread!
Love cooking soup in the Instant Pot? I have an Instant Pot version of this recipe! Check out my Instant Pot Lentil Soup.
How to Store Lentil Soup
Got leftover soup? You’re in luck! It will keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Simply reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
I actually like this soup better leftover. The flavor only improves as it sits in the fridge!
Can you freeze lentil soup?
Yes, this vegan lentil soup is freezer-friendly! Allow it to cool to room temperature, and then seal it in airtight containers or jars, leaving an inch for the soup to expand at the top. Freeze for up to 3 months.
More Favorite Soup Recipes
If you love this lentil soup, try one of these nourishing soup recipes next:
- Minestrone Soup
- Cabbage Soup
- Vegetable Soup
- Butternut Squash Soup
- Vegetarian Chili
- Black Bean Soup
- Tomato Soup
- Or any of these 35 Best Soup Recipes!
Best Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 medium carrots, chopped (2 cups)
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 6 small or 3 large kale leaves, stems finely diced, leaves chopped (8 cups)
- Heaping ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1½ teaspoons sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 (14-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- ¾ cup dry green lentils, rinsed
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 12 fresh thyme sprigs, bundled
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
- Red pepper flakes
- Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, kale stems, cumin, salt, and several grinds of pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Stir in the garlic, tomatoes, lentils, vinegar, thyme, and broth. Cover and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. Add the kale leaves and cook for 5 minutes, or until wilted.
- Remove the thyme bundle and season to taste. Serve topped with the parsley, red pepper flakes, and Parmesan, if desired.
Notes
I made this and doubled the batch and shared with my 84 yr old mom (as I cook for her every week). She loved it as it was very different than anything I’ve made for her. It’s like a super food in a pot! Delish!
This soup was incredibly delicious! Easy, hearty and satisfying. Definitely a keeper.
I made this for an easy family Friday night dinner, served with a crusty sourdough. It was so delicious and we all loved it, even the four year old. I thought she might have found it too spicy but much to my delight she demolished her bowl and asked for leftovers the next day too. Thanks for this simple but delicious recipe 🙂
I live at elevation and green lentils take forever to cook – like HOURS – do you think pre-cooking the lentils in an instant pot then using cooked lentils in the recipe would work as well? Or follow the recipe to step 3 then pressure cook the right amount of time for the beans instead of boiling/simmering?
Hi Debbie, I would add the cooked lentils halfway through the simmer time in step 3. Let me know how that goes!
Made this for supper, it was easy, fast and delicious. Thanks for a great recipe.
Hi Mary, I’m so glad you loved it!
Delicious! Served with some crusty bread and had a great meal. Thanks for creating and sharing!
Hi Andrew, I’m so glad it was a hit!
I made it last night, with a couple of modifications. I used reduced fat coconut milk and added sweet potatoes to it. I also added some caraway seeds as garnish. My husband and I loved it. I think the sweet potatoes were a strong addition, the caraway seeds were also tasty but I would say further “complicated” the already complex flavor. This one’s going to make it into regular rotation! Thanks!
Hi Ann, I’m so glad you both loved it! Yum, I’ll have to try sweet potatoes next time 🙂
great way to eat lentils! Straight up lentil soup is sometimes too heavy for me, love that this is “cut” with tomato and coconut milk, great dish, thank you
Thanks Sabrina!
This soup is FANTASTIC! I made it last night, substituting vegetable broth for the water, then added a carrot for additional texture and taste. Definitely use the full-fat coconut – it’s worth every single extra calorie. This soup is healthy, rich, filling and absolutely delicious. Can’t wait to make it again.
Hi Judy, I’m so glad you loved it!
This soup is amazing! I bought some tomato soup from Safeway that was pretty bland. I followed this recipe and instead of adding in the fire roasted tomatoes I just added the Safeway soup. What a transformation! Love the ginger! Thank you
Hi Paula – that was so creative of you to jazz up the bland soup! I’m glad you loved the recipe 🙂
I made this recipe last night and it was not only easy, it was delicious too. I ran out of my beloved fire roasted tomatoes, but regular canned diced tomatoes worked just fine too.
Can’t wait to make it with the fire roasted ones now!
Everyone in the family loved it. Served it with some brown rice pilaf.
Hi Frances, I’m so glad it was a hit with the whole family!
I’ve now made this 3 times since I first discovered it and it continues to be a big hit with my husband and 10 year old. I even added 16 ounces of fresh spinach that needed to be pushed and they gobbled it up. Delicious!
I made this last night. It was so good. I did add a few extras…. spinach, potato and 1/2 cup of quinoa. It was more of a stew than soup. But so good. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Julie, that sounds like a wonderful stew! I love the idea of adding quinoa to thicken it even further.
Ahh this looks amazing and so warming! Adding this to my recipe list <3
As I have been a curry ‘freak’ most of my life and lentils are my best friend this soup is most attractive especially with the colder months approaching Down Under. I presume your green lentils are what we here call Puy lentils . . . our very new Amazon seems to keep what you have used anyways 🙂 ! Usually mix my own curry spices but a ready one would simplify: for me I think a medium !!
Hi Eha – yes, Puy lentils are the same, thanks for the note, I’ll add that to my description. I usually like a homemade curry mix too, but the pre-made kind flavors this recipe perfectly!
I regularly make curry and also tomato soup. So I will combine that idea using your recipe. I am sure it will be delicious. Thanks!
Hi Anthony, I hope you love the combo!
Love this recipe. A riff on my lentil soup recipe. I have some spinach and was thinking of adding it at the end. Any thoughts?
I think spinach would be a great addition!
Thank you! Looking forward to making it!
I love an easy soup that can mostly be made with pantry staples! All of the ingredients in here sound delicious together 🙂
This looks delicious! I’m a new vegetarian and I don’t know what is the best coconut milk to buy. Can you please recommend one? Thank you! Anxious to try this recipe.
Hi Denise, any full-fat can of coconut milk will work here. Just avoid the cans that say “light,” and avoid the beverage type of coconut milk that’s in cartons because it’s not as rich and creamy as the cans.
I find canned coconut milk in the asian aisle of the grocery store: the Thai Kitchen brand is usually in any store, I also regularly use the 365 Whole Foods brand as well as Trader Joe’s coconut milk.
Hope that helps!
Hi There,
I love this recipe and it makes me hungry!
When should I add the lentils and water to the pot, before I add the tomatoes or after?
Thank you for all the great recipes!
Cheers,
Richard Roati
all together in step #3 of the recipe. I hope you enjoy!
Hi Parker, possibly… I’d try cooking it in a regular pot, following the instructions as they’re written. It’s a really quick recipe to make.
This looks amazing and easy – I have similar priorities to your mom! If I only have regular diced tomatoes on hand, is there an easy way to replicate the fire-roasted flavor?
Hi Cathy,
It’ll work with regular diced tomatoes! There are a lot of other flavors going on here (the curry, ginger, garlic)… I’d just season to taste at the end with maybe a bit more black pepper and/or red pepper flakes depending on your spice preference.
You could use smoked paprika.
This was really good . I only had no salt added diced tomatoes so I had to add a little sea salt but it was quick easy and tasted good . I think the fire roasted tomatoes would make it delicious. Thanks !!
Hi Quin, I’m so glad you enjoyed the soup!