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Red Lentil Soup with Lemon

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4.82 from 22 votes

A quick and easy, thick and hearty, Red Lentil Soup with Lemon. It's fragrant, super yum, healthy, nourishing, simple and versatile!

two hands holding a bowl of red lentil soup with lemon

Things you need to know about this Red Lentil Soup with Lemon ... It is PACKED with flavor (yes throw out ALL of your lentil preconceptions), it's thick and hearty in an almost cross between soup and stew kinda way, and it's lemony and garlicky and fragrant, and packed with vegetables.

It's also super healthy and really flexible. Not got one of the veggies? Leave it out or throw in whatever you do have. You can even omit the lemon and it still tastes amazing. I'll give some ideas for great subs/additions in my "ways you can adapt this recipe" section below.

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a large pan of colorful soup

How to make Red Lentil Soup with Lemon

For detailed measurements and instructions, see the printable recipe card.

It starts with the usual soup gang ... onions, garlic, celery, carrots and stock but then along to the party come:

  • red lentils
  • potatoes
  • dried herbs
  • kale or other greens of choice
  • excessive amounts of zippy, fresh lemon juice

It's savory, but fresh and bright. It's healthy, pantry friendly, but also warm and cozy comfort food.

Here's how it's done:

Step 1 - Sauté the onions, carrots and celery (so important for amping up those flavors so don't rush them!)

onions, garlic, carrots, celery sautéing in a red Dutch oven

Step 2 - Add the lentils, potatoes, garlic, herbs and seasonings and cook a bit more.

onions, carrots, celery, red lentils, potatoes, dried herbs and seasonings in a red Dutch oven

Step 3- Add the stock and give it a good stir.

Stock added to vegetables and lentils in a large pan

Step 4 - Simmer until the lentils and veggies are tender.

Cooked lentil soup in a pan

Step 5 - Add the greens and let them simmer for a few minutes.

kale being added to a big pan of soup

Step 6 - Turn off the heat, add the lemon juice, stir and serve.

A lemon half being squeezed into a pan of soup

If you have an Instant Pot you might prefer my Instant Pot Red Lentil Soup. It's basically the same just made Instant Pot friendly.

Do red lentils need to be soaked?

Red lentils cook and break down so quickly that there is no need to soak them before using.

Because of this they aren't a great choice for recipes where you need the lentils to retain their shape, but they are perfect for making soups, dhals and stews.

Before using them in a recipe rinse them well in cold water ( a sieve is great for this) because they can sometimes be a bit dusty. Also give them a quick pick through to check for small stones, then proceed with the recipe as instructed.

Success tips

  • Red lentils are best in this recipe because they break down and thicken the soup really well giving it great texture. If you only have green or brown lentils see the recipe notes for instructions on how to adapt the recipe.
  • Don't use French (Puy) lentils. They remain too firm to work well in this recipe.
  • Be sure to take your time sautéing the vegetables at the start. The caramelization that occurs is so important for flavor.
  • Season generously.
  • Although you can customize the thickness of the soup by increasing the stock/water added if you want to, I recommend keeping it pretty thick. It's best that way.
  • Old lentils dry out and can take significantly longer to cook. Check the use by date on bags from the grocery store and if buying from bulk bins, make sure it's one that gets refreshed often, not one where the lentils have been languishing for the past 3 years.
  • Use dried lentils not canned if at all possible, although if you're stuck see my recipe notes for how to adapt the recipe for canned lentils.
A quick and easy, thick and hearty, Red Lentil Soup with Lemon. It’s fragrant, super yum, healthy, nourishing, simple and versatile!

Ways you can adapt this recipe

This is a really flexible recipe and you can switch up most of the ingredients to suit what you have on hand. Here are ideas for adapting it:

  • Use sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes
  • Use spinach (fresh or frozen), collard greens or Swiss Chard instead of kale
  • Omit the greens completely
  • Omit the lemon
  • Add leftover cooked grains (like brown rice, sorghum, farro or quinoa) at the end of cooking to it to make it even more thick and hearty
  • Add a teaspoon of ground turmeric or curry powder
  • Red lentils are best in this recipe. See my recipes notes for tips on how to adapt the recipe if you use a different kind.
  • Make it in an Instant Pot.

What do you eat with Red Lentil Soup?

I like to serve this Red Lentil Soup with some lemon wedges for everyone to squeeze over their own individual bowls, and some vegan parmesan cheese. I love Violife Just Like Parmesan Wedge.

a spoon digging into a bowl of soup

My vegan feta cheese (the unbaked version) is also a great addition. Its creamy, melty saltiness works really well with the lemon and lentils.

Plain coconut yogurt, fresh parsley and croutons also work well as toppers!

With all of those lentils and the potatoes this is a seriously hearty soup, but if you're like me and always need something on the side regardless, then here are some ideas:

Storage, freezing and reheating tips

Allow the soup to cool completely then store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in a pan on the stove top or in a microwave. It does thicken a lot as it cools, so add additional water or stock as needed.

It can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw completely in the fridge then reheat as above.

How to store red lentils

Red Lentils should be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

If stored correctly they can last well for up to a year. If stored incorrectly or after they go past about a year old, they can become drier and tough and end up taking ages to cook or never actually soften well at all.

Be sure to check the use by dates on beans and pulses when you buy them, and if you are buying them from bulk bins, make sure it's from a store with a high turnover so you know you won't be getting old ones that won't cook well.

Meal prep tips

To reduce prep time, feel free to chop the veggies a couple of days before hand. Put them in an airtight container in the fridge. the potatoes will need to be covered with water to stop them going brown but the others are all fine as they are.

Once the soup is cooked and cooled, it will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge so it's great for meal prep. Or freeze it in individual sized containers. It will keep for 3 months in the freezer.

How to make in a slow cooker

I recommend sautéing as per the recipe for the very best flavor. Then put everything in the slow cooker (except the lemon and greens) and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 5 to 6 hours. Once everything is tender, add the greens and allow them to wilt down. Turn off the heat. Add the lemon juice and serve.

Hungry for more?

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📖 Recipe

A bowl of lemony red lentil soup with a lemon slice garnish being held by 2 hands

Red Lentil Soup with Lemon

Author: Melanie McDonald
4.82 from 22 votes
A quick and easy, thick and hearty, Red Lentil Soup with Lemon. It’s fragrant, super yum, healthy, nourishing, simple and versatile!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: 35 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 50 minutes
Servings: 6 large servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil , (omit to make oil-free and use a few drops of water to sauté instead)
  • 1 large onion , diced
  • 3 sticks celery , diced
  • 2 large carrots , diced
  • 5 cloves garlic , chopped finely
  • 3 - 4 potatoes , diced
  • 1½ cups / 300 g split red lentils , sometimes labelled Masoor Dal
  • 1 tablespoon dried mixed herbs , see notes
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 - 7 cups / 1440 mls - 1680 mls stock
  • 1 tablespoon sugar , see notes
  • 3 fresh lemons
  • 4 - 5 big handfuls chopped kale or other greens of choice , see notes

RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT

INSTRUCTIONS
 

  • Warm a large soup pan or Dutch Oven over a medium heat and add the olive oil.
  • Sauté the onion, celery and carrots together until turning golden. Don't rush them. It will take about 10 minutes.
  • Add the garlic, potatoes, lentils, herbs, salt and pepper and continue to cook for a few minutes.
  • Add 6 cups of the stock and the sugar and stir well. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered until the potatoes are fork tender and the lentils have more or less broken down. It should take about 20 minutes. Check the thickness. If you prefer it thinner add the rest of the stock. (Remember that lemon juice goes in at the end and will thin it a little more).
  • Add the greens, stir and allow to cook in the simmering soup for 5 minutes, unless you are using spinach, in which case it will be cooked more or less immediately once it's been stirred in.
  • Turn off the heat. squeeze in the juice of the 3 lemons, stir well. Taste to check seasoning and add more as necessary. Check the thickness again. Add some hot water from the kettle if you want to thin it down, then serve immediately.

NOTES

Lentils - Split red lentils are best in this recipe (for texture and appearance), but you can use green or brown lentils if that's all you have. They will take longer to become tender though and they won't thicken the soup in the same way as red do. If using green or brown lentils I suggest giving the finished soup a quick whizz with a stick blender to thicken it up before serving. That will help replicate the texture you get when you make it with red lentils. Do not use French (Puy) lentils in this recipe. They are far too firm. 
Dried Herbs - A mixed blend is perfect for this recipe. Italian mixed herbs, or Herbs De Provence are usually the ones I have on hand. 
Fresh Greens - My go to green for soup is kale. It's robust and flavorful and works really well. Any other greens are ok to use though, including collard greens, Swiss chard, cabbage, fresh or frozen spinach. If using spinach add with the lemon juice right at the end because it needs barely any cooking at all. 
Sugar - Important for balancing the flavors. A little makes a massive difference so try not to skip it.  
Lemon - Although recommended the soup is still plenty tasty without it so if you don't have any lemons don't let it put you off making the recipe!
If using canned lentils -  Please try to use dried lentils if at all possible because their flavor and texture are so much better than canned. However, if you do want to make this soup with canned lentils, use 2 x 400g/14oz cans of lentils (drained and rinsed) and reduce the stock in my recipe by 2 cups. Add the lentils in the last 15 minutes of cooking time. Add more stock as necessary if it does get a bit thick. 
STORAGE AND FREEZING - Allow the soup to cool completely then store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in a pan on the stove top or in a microwave. It does thicken a lot as it cools, so add additional water or stock as needed. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw completely in the fridge then reheat as above.
To cook in a slow cooker - I recommend sautéing as per the recipe for the very best flavor. Then put everything in the slow cooker (except the lemon and greens) and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 5 to 6 hours. Once everything is tender, add the greens and allow them to wilt down. Turn off the heat. Add the lemon juice and serve
For my Instant Pot version of this recipe click here. 

NUTRITION

Calories: 232kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 9gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1795mgPotassium: 1249mgFiber: 9gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 4719IUVitamin C: 35mgCalcium: 116mgIron: 9mg

Nutritional information is provided for convenience & as a courtesy. The data is a computer generated estimate so should be used as a guide only.

Tried this recipe?Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @avirtualvegan on Instagram and hashtag it #avirtualvegan

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lauren Vaught says

    5 stars
    Great recipe, thanks for the inspiration. I broth sauteed all veggies and used baby kale with the lemon at the end for a truly delicious, power-packed and nutrient-rich soup!

    Reply

  2. suzi says

    5 stars
    What a great soup you have here!! Followed your recipe and warmed leftovers today for lunch.... added lots of extra broth and some steamed brown rice to make leftovers go further. YUM!!

    Reply

    • A Virtual Vegan says

      Thank you. I'm really pleased you enjoyed it Suzi!

      Reply

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