Easy Red Lentil Soup

It’s officially soup season, and i’m so excited to share my easy red lentil soup recipe with you all! It’s a delicious one-pot meal that packs in tons of flavor, fiber, and plant-based protein.

I love topping mine with creamy coconut milk, grain-free crackers, and crushed black pepper for an extra kick.

To be honest, I’ve always been intimidated by making soup. It always seemed complex, with tons of ingredients.

But guys, I promise you this one is SO simple to make! There’s no blending necessary, and its seasoned with basic spices that you likely have in your pantry.

I added in some frozen riced cauliflower, which adds a nice boost of veggies, and topped mine with a few spoonfuls of full-fat coconut milk. The crackers on top are optional, but I love crushing up some of my favorite grain-free crackers for an added crunch.

Red lentils are highly nutritious. They provide fiber, protein, B vitamins, and iron, along with some other vitamins and minerals.

They’re super satisfying, so a big bowl of this easy red lentil soup can be a meal on its own if you want to keep dinner simple.

Red lentils are naturally split, meaning they break apart easily so they’re perfect for soups. If you prefer a creamier soup, you can blend your soup once its cooked in a blender or with an immersion blender. I leave mine as is and its delicious!

Seasoning your red lentil soup

I season my soup with crushed black pepper, salt and cumin. The amount of each spice will vary depending on the type of vegetable broth you use. I used a low-sodium vegetable broth, so I added a little more salt than you may need to, depending on your broth.

I suggest starting off with 1/2 tsp of salt, and adding more as needed. It’s always better to under season and add as you go, than over salt!

My favorite way to serve this soup is with a simple grilled cheese for the ultimate comfort food. It’s definitely going to be on repeat all winter, and I can’t wait for you guys to try it!

Be sure to check out some of my other favorite plant-based recipes, like this sesame ginger tofu or dairy-free pesto pasta.

Easy Lentil Soup

5 from 4 votes

Course: Main

Servings

4-6

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Total time

45

minutes

NOTES:
I used a low-sodium vegetable broth, so I added close to 1 + 1/2 tsp of salt to my soup. If your broth is salted, start with 1/2 tsp of salt, and add more if needed towards the end.

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry red lentils

• 2 cups riced cauliflower, mine was frozen

• 3 cups low-sodium veggie broth

• 2 cups water

• 1 small white onion, chopped

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 2 cloves of garlic, minced

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 + 1/2 tsp crushed black pepper (add less for less of a kick)

• 1 tsp salt, or more to taste. Amount will vary depending on your veggie broth

• 3/4 tsp cumin

• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

• TOP WITH

• Coconut milk, greek yogurt, crushed crackers

Directions

• In a large pot, saute the chopped onion in olive oil for 3-4 minutes on medium/low heat. Add in the minced garlic, and toss together for an additional minute.
• Add in your spices, tomato paste, lentils and cauliflower rice and stir together on medium heat to 1-2 minutes.
• Pour in your vegetable broth and water, cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the flame to low and let the soup simmer for about 35 minutes.
• Stir the soup every 10 minutes, and taste along the way to adjust the seasoning. Towards the end, squeeze in about 2 tbsp of fresh lemon juice and mix together.
• The lentils break apart with the liquid, so blending is not necessary. If you want a creamier soup, you can use your immersion blender or let the soup cool and blend it in your blender.
• Top with your favorite crackers, or canned coconut milk!

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @somethingnutritious on Instagram- I’d love to see your creations!