Best 20 Red Lentil Soup Recipes

RED LENTIL SOUP WITH LEMON

Steps:

• In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons oil over high heat until hot and shimmering. Add onion and garlic, and sauté until golden, about 4 minutes.
• Stir in tomato paste, cumin, salt, black pepper and chili powder or cayenne, and sauté for 2 minutes longer.
• Add broth, 2 cups water, lentils and carrot. Bring to a simmer, then partially cover pot and turn heat to medium-low. Simmer until lentils are soft, about 30 minutes. Taste and add salt if necessary.
• Using an immersion or regular blender or a food processor, purée half the soup then add it back to pot. Soup should be somewhat chunky.
• Reheat soup if necessary, then stir in lemon juice and cilantro. Serve soup drizzled with good olive oil and dusted lightly with chili powder if desired.

LEBANESE-STYLE RED LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Bring chicken stock and lentils to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in garlic and onion, and cook until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 3 minutes.
• Stir onions into the lentils and season with cumin and cayenne. Continue simmering until the lentils are tender, about 10 minutes.
• Carefully puree the soup in a standing blender, or with a stick blender until smooth. Stir in cilantro and lemon juice before serving.

TURKISH RED LENTIL SOUP WITH MINT

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Cook and stir the onion in the hot oil until it begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Stir the garlic into the onion and cook another 2 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes to the onion mixture; continue to cook and stir another 10 minutes.
• Pour in the chicken stock, red lentils, bulgur, rice, tomato paste, paprika, cayenne pepper, and mint to the tomato mixture; season with salt and black pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook at a simmer until the the lentils and rice are cooked through, about 30 minutes.
• Pour the soup into a blender to no more than half full. Firmly hold the lid in place and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth; pour into your serving dish. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the soup in cooking pot.

CURRY RED LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add cauliflower and carrots; saute until softened, 7 to 8 minutes.
• Pour boiling water and vegetable bouillon into a bowl and stir until dissolved. Add broth and coconut milk to cauliflower mixture. Bring to a boil.
• Stir lentils, garlic powder, onion flakes, curry, paprika, turmeric, and cumin into the pot. Cover and let simmer until lentils are fully cooked and tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in kale and let sit over low heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve.

MOROCCAN SPICED RED LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring, 10 minutes until softened and beginning to color. Add garlic and cook one minute to release its aroma. Add celery and cook 2 minutes until softened. Add 1 teaspoon of salt, the pepper and the turmeric, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, saffron, and bay leaf and cook 2 to 3 minutes to develop the flavor of the spices. Add tomato paste, potatoes, lentils and water and cook 45 minutes; the lentils and potatoes should be quite tender. Stir in remaining 1 teaspoon salt, wheat berries and tomatoes and heat through. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve garnished with cilantro.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly brush oil or butter on both sides of bread slices. Arrange bread in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool croutons on a wire rack.

CURRIED-SQUASH AND RED-LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Make soup:
• Heat oil with butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat until foam subsides, then cook squash, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, ginger, and 1 teaspoon salt, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Stir in curry powder and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring frequently, 2 minutes.
• Add lentils and water and simmer, covered, until lentils are tender, 25 to 40 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
• Make cilantro oil:
• Purée cilantro, oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a blender.
• Serve soup drizzled with cilantro oil.

ITALIAN RED LENTIL AND BROWN RICE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth, diced tomatoes, red lentils, brown rice, Italian seasoning, celery flakes, white pepper, and marjoram. Bring soup to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer until lentils break down and rice is tender, about 55 minutes.
• Stir balsamic vinegar into the soup just before serving.

SPICY CHORIZO AND RED LENTIL SOUP WITH KALE

Steps:

• Set a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and cook, breaking the sausage into small pieces and stirring occasionally, until the chorizo is browned, about 8 minutes.
• Add the kale, onion, carrots, celery and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are just starting to become tender, about 5 minutes. You should hear a steady sizzle from the pot; adjust the heat as needed. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add the chicken broth, tomatoes and lentils, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and gently simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, or until the lentils are soft.
• When ready to serve, taste and adjust the seasonings. Serve hot with crusty bread. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 7 days.

BRYAN'S SPICY RED LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat, and cook the onion until golden brown. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in tomatoes, spinach, and lentils, and pour in water. Season with basil, cardamom, cumin, cayenne pepper, and curry powder. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender.
• Transfer the soup to a blender (or use a hand held blender), and blend until smooth before serving.

TURKISH RED LENTIL 'BRIDE' SOUP

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Cook the onions in the hot butter until they are golden brown, about 15 minutes.
• Stir the paprika, lentils, and bulgur into the onions and coat with the butter.
• Add the tomato paste, vegetable stock, and cayenne pepper; bring to a boil and cook until soft and creamy, about 1 hour.
• Crumble the dried mint leaves into the soup; stir the soup and remove from heat.
• Ladle into bowls and garnish with lemon slices and fresh mint to serve.

RED LENTIL SOUP WITH LEMON

Steps:

• In a large pot, heat oil over high heat until hot
• Add onion and garlic and saute until golden, about 4 minutes.
• Stir in tomato paste, cumin, salt, pepper and chili powder or cayenne pepper, saute 2 more minutes
• Add broth, water, lentils, and carrots.
• Bring to a simmer, partially cover pot
• Simmer at medium-low until lentils are soft, about 30 minutes.
• Puree half the soup using an immersion or regular blender and then add it back to the pot. The soup will not be completely smooth.
• Stir in lemon juice and cilantro, reheat if necessary before serving.

RED-LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Cook onion in oil with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes.
• Add garlic, cumin, bay leaf, and thyme and cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Add lentils, broth, water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until lentils are very soft and falling apart, about 30 to 45 minutes.
• Discard bay leaf and thyme sprig, then purée 2 cups of mixture in blender (use caution when blending hot liquids) and return to pan.
• Stir in parsley and season with salt.

CURRIED RED LENTIL SOUP WITH TOASTED COCONUT

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and the carrot, and cook until they begin to soften, about 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the garlic and ginger, and cook 1 minute more, adding a small drizzle of olive oil and lowering the heat if necessary to make sure they don't burn. Stir in the curry powder, turmeric and ground coriander and cook for about 30 seconds more until fragrant.
• Add the lentils and vegetable stock, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the flavors have melded and the lentils are soft and cooked through, about 30 minutes. If you prefer your soup looser, add in 1/2 to 1 cup more water and cook 1 to 2 minutes longer until heated through.
• While the soup simmers, heat a medium skillet over low heat. Toast the coconut flakes, stirring frequently, until they are lightly golden and fragrant, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Taste the soup and adjust seasonings. Serve in bowls and pass the coconut flakes at the table. If desired, serve with bowls of cilantro, scallions and lime wedges at the table.

PERSIAN-STYLE RED LENTIL AND TOMATO SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot and garlic. Cook until the onion is softened.
• Stir in the turmeric and paprika. Add tomatoes and stock along with the dried lime. Bring to a boil, cover, lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes. If the dried lime is still floating, cut it in half with a knife or kitchen scissors now that it is softened.
• Add the lentils, return to a simmer. Cover and cook 15-20 minutes or until the lentils are cooked.
• Using an immersion blender or regular blender, puree half the soup, return to the pot.
• Add sumac and parsley/other herbs, cook 5 minutes longer.
• Serve hot with bread and a dollop of yogurt (optional).

EGYPTIAN RED LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Add the first 5 ingredients to a large pot; cover and bring to a boil.
• Lower the heat and simmer 15-20 minutes or until the lentils and veggies are tender.
• Take pot from stove burner and set aside.
• In a small saucepan, add the oil; warm over low heat until the oil is hot but not smoking.
• Add in the cumin, turmeric, and salt; cook and stir constantly for for 2-3 minutes or until the cumin has released its fragrance (be careful not to scorch the spices).
• Set spice mixture aside for 1 minute to cool.
• Stir spice mixture into the lentil mixture; add cilantro, stir to combine.
• You can puree the soup, in batches, in a blender OR you can use an immersion blender and blend to desired texture (I like to leave it a little chunky).
• Add in lemon juice; stir to combine.
• Rewarm soup in soup pot; season if needed with salt/pepper.

RED LENTIL AND SQUASH CURRY SOUP

Steps:

• Combine salt and curry powder; set aside. Rinse lentils; set aside. Heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add curry mixture; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add onion, garlic, and ginger; cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add squash; cook until just beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add stock and water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Cook until squash is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in lentils; cook until soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve hot.

VEGAN RED LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat, and cook the onion, ginger, garlic, and fenugreek until onion is tender.
• Mix the lentils, squash, and cilantro into the pot. Stir in the water, coconut milk, and tomato paste. Season with curry powder, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes, or until lentils and squash are tender.

RED LENTIL, CARROT AND ROASTED RED PEPPER SOUP

Steps:

• Put the first 8 ingredients into a stock pot, or large saucepan, and bring to a boil.
• Turn down the heat, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the vegetables and lentils are tender.
• Use an immersion blender, and puree the soup until no lumps remain, or puree in batches in a food processor or blender. (careful, it's hot!).
• Add the remaining ingredients, stir to blend, or use the immersion blender again, to get a nice smooth soup.
• Taste to adjust any seasoning.
• Bring it back to a simmer.
• Serve with a dollop of sour cream, if desired.

SWEET POTATO AND RED LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a pot over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add sweet potatoes, carrots, garlic, garam masala, seasoned salt, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes. Add broth and water. Bring to a boil and cook until flavors start to blend, about 10 minutes.
• Add spinach and lentils; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until lentils are soft, 15 to 20 minutes.

SWEET POTATO, CARROT, APPLE, AND RED LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Place the chopped sweet potatoes, carrots, apple, and onion in the pot. Stir and cook the apples and vegetables until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Stir the lentils, ginger, ground black pepper, salt, cumin, chili powder, paprika, and vegetable broth into the pot with the apple and vegetable mixture. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the lentils and vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes. Working in batches, pour the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth and pour into a clean pot. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the soup right in the cooking pot. Return the pureed soup to the cooking pot. Bring back to a simmer over medium-high heat, about 10 minutes. Add water as needed to thin the soup to your preferred consistency. Serve with yogurt for garnish. Cook's Note This soup is also great served with crumbled feta cheese instead of yogurt as garnish.