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Looking for a meal that’s simple, nourishing, and totally satisfying? This plant-based Red Lentil Soup is the kind of recipe that builds confidence in the kitchen and comfort in your bowl. It’s made with pantry staples, minimal chopping, and big flavor—so whether you’re new to plant-based cooking or just craving something hearty and wholesome, this soup has your back.
You don’t need fancy tools or complicated techniques. Just a few fresh ingredients, a pot on the stove, and a little simmer time. Red lentils cook quickly and melt into a rich, velvety texture, making this the perfect no-fuss weeknight dinner or meal prep go-to. Because eating more plants doesn’t have to be complicated—it can be cozy, flavorful, and deeply satisfying. Let this soup be your warm welcome into easy plant-based cooking.
Why this Recipe Rawks
Okay, hear me out—you may not be totally sold on lentils, but this red lentil soup might just change your mind. It’s cozy, flavorful, and totally plant-based (you won’t miss the meat, promise). Plus, it checks all the boxes: easy, healthy, and super satisfying. Here’s why I think you should give it a try:
- It’s quick and so simple to make: Red lentils cook faster than most legumes—no soaking required and ready in about 30 minutes. Perfect for busy weeknights or when you want a hearty meal without the wait.
- Packed with plant-based protein: This soup is naturally rich in protein and fiber, making it a filling, nourishing option for anyone looking to eat more plants and feel satisfied.
- Comfort food with clean ingredients: It delivers cozy, comfort food vibes without relying on heavy creams or processed ingredients—just simple, wholesome staples that taste amazing and fuel your body.
Red Lentil Soup Ingredients
While this spiced lentil soup has a long-ish ingredient list, they all work together to produce a tasty result. Trust me, you won’t want to miss out on these rawkin’ fresh vegetables and vibrant spices.
- Coconut Oil: My favorite healthy fat to help sauté a few of the ingredients.
- Yellow Onions: My go-to onion for its buttery, mild flavor.
- Celery Stalks: An often hidden, yet necessary ingredient to make any soup a success. Pro tip: use the leafy ends of the celery in the soup if you can! They bring even more flavor.
- Garlic: I always mince fresh garlic for the most nutrition. Garlic is a powerful health booster.
- Fresh Ginger Root: This anti-inflammatory root packs a powerful punch, so a little goes a long way!
- Spices: I use a blend of cumin, turmeric and red pepper flakes to add warmth, earthiness and just a bit of heat.
- Fire-Roasted Tomatoes: If you like heat then these are a no-brainer! Use regular diced tomatoes to tone my soup down a bit.
- Vegetable Stock: Homemade or store-bought, look for a stock with real ingredients.
- Red Lentils: These have a less-earthy flavor than green lentils do. Red lentils also get softer during cooking, which is what I wanted for this soup.
- Spinach: I’ll always add leafy greens, and this soup’s no exception!
Lentil Buying guide
I always look for lentils in clear packaging so that I can see how vibrant the color is. The brighter the color, the fresher the lentils. Green lentils can be used in this spiced lentil soup, yet they don’t get as soft as red lentils and have a much stronger flavor.
Look for lentils next to dried beans, or in the soup aisle. You can also look in the international aisle of most grocery stores. Skip over the ones in spices or other liquids, you want plain, dried lentils for this recipe.
How to Make Spiced Lentil Soup
This soup does have a few more components than some, yet it’s 100% worth it at first bite. Here’s how I make my Red Lentil Soup:
Step 1: Sauté the onion and celery in coconut oil (or the oil of your choice). This releases the flavors and adds a lovely warmth to your final product.
Step 2: Sauté the garlic and ginger, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn’t burn (this can happen quickly!). Use fresh minced garlic for the best results.
Step 3: Add spices and tomatoes, namely turmeric, cumin and fire-roasted tomatoes. Stir quickly to combine so that the spices don’t stick to the bottom.
Step 4: Add vegetable stock and lentils and give the soup a few stirs to cover the lentils. Now all you need to do is allow the soup to simmer until the lentils are soft (no crunch!).
Step 5: Add spinach and lemon juice once the soup is ready. Lemon juice is a #gamechanger so don’t forget it!
Feel free to taste the spiced lentil soup and add in a bit of salt and pepper, or just let people add it to their own bowls after serving.
Boom! Soup is served. I like to top mine with cilantro, avocado and red pepper flakes for a bit of healthy fat and spice to finish up this masterpiece.
Cooking Tips
My number one tip for the best-tasting soup all the time is this sauté the aromatic ingredients. Whether you are slow-cooking your soup or just simmering on the stove top, taking a few minutes to sauté a few of the veggies first opens them up nicely. I want my soup to be as flavorful as possible and this is the way to do it.
My second tip is to make extra! Whether you’re feeding one person or a family of five, make sure to have a few extra servings when you’re finished. This way you can freeze or refrigerate them to enjoy later in the week for quick lunches or dinners. No need to chop all that produce more than once.
Finally, use what you have on hand. Soup often contains several ingredients, yet they can easily be swapped for something that’s easier for you to find or less expensive to purchase in your town. Living in Florida gives me access to a wide variety of produce that I know isn’t available all over the United States. If you ever need help with a swap, just drop a comment below and let me help!
Common Questions
Mine is! I use as many fresh, whole food ingredients as I can so that this soup nourishes and helps boost your immune system during cooler weather.
Not in my soup. I do rinse my lentils before adding them to the soup pot, but they will soften nicely inside the simmering stock without the need to soak beforehand.
You can, but the texture will change. Brown or green lentils take longer to cook and hold their shape, so the soup won’t be as creamy. Stick with red lentils for that smooth, hearty consistency.
It will keep for up to 4–5 days in an airtight container in the fridge. It also freezes well—just let it cool completely, portion into freezer-safe containers, and reheat as needed.
More Soup Recipes
If you know me, you know I love soup. It’s a great way to pack in lots of different veggies at once. It also fills the whole house with amazing smells. Here are a few more vegetarian soup recipes I’ve created that have been hits on my blog:
Don’t forget to rate + review this Red Lentil Soup recipe once you’ve tried it. I can’t wait for your feedback!
Red Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coconut oil, unrefined
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 8 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tsp ginger root finely minced
- 1 tbsp cumin ground
- 1 tsp turmeric ground
- 1 ½ cup fire-roasted tomatoes
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 1 ½ cups red lentils uncooked
- 2 cups spinach roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp lemon juiced
Toppings
- ¼ cup cilantro
- ½ avocado diced
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Heat the coconut oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent.
- Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Add the cumin and turmeric. Stir for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and stir again.
- Add the vegetable stock and lentils. Lower heat to a simmer and partially cover the pan. Cook for 25-30 minutes or until the lentils are soft.
- Stir in the spinach and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper.
- Top with cilantro avocado and red pepper flakes for serving.
Equipment
- dutch oven
Notes
- Swap ground turmeric with fresh turmeric root for even more anti-inflammatory benefits.
- Swap fresh ginger root with 1/8 tsp ground ginger, though this will eliminate some of the nutrition found in fresh ginger.
- Omit the red pepper flakes and use regular diced tomatoes for a less spicy result.
I love lentils. I enjoy very much this soup. My mom used to make them with
apple plantain and pineapple.
Thanks for the recipe
Very delicious. I never ate lentils before they are quite tasty in this meal. The avocados give it the extra touch that makes it yummy.
I love a good lentil soup and this one is good. I don’t use onion or garlic and , since I’m a wimp when it comes to spice level from peppers, I used regular ones instead. I also added a couple of diced carrots. Love that the soup also has greens in it. All in all a very hearty and filling soup, even with my changes.
This soup hit every mark: spicy, savory, tangy and yummy. My husband, who *hates* lentils, even went back for seconds! A keeper! The recipe & the hubby 🙂
This was so good! I loved the spice, perfect for a cold fall day. The only change I made was to use a can of tomatoes with jalapeños for even more kick. It was delicious.
The spicy lentil soup was very good. I loved the cumin and turmeric spice – and think the next time I make the recipe I’ll add even more heat/spice with other Indian style spices. I’ll definitely make it again.
This is a decent recipe. The toppings really help to make it better – in addition to toppings listed, I added a little dollop of greek yogurt/sour cream. I thought the cumin flavor was quite strong and think that’s probably why I’m not a raving fan of this one. It’s a good recipe for freezing, though, which is always a ‘plus’ in my book…AND it is hearty and filling – no additional sides needed.
Delicious and oh so satisfying
Not a big fan of lentils so I’m going to have to not try this one at this time.
Great Indian-styled flavored Lentil soup, lightly spiced filled with nutritious veggies with the benefits of Cumin and Turmeric.
I found I needed extra vegetable stock to cook the Lentils to full doneness.
The toppings of avocado and Cilantro add freshness and creamy texture to the whole meal.
By the way, I just discovered how we are to respond to this challenge which was not clear from the beginning.
Delicious! Left out spinach for those that don’t like spinach. Made 3 meals worth for 3 seniors using 4 serving recipe. I was able to eat, store in the fridge, and freeze. Will make it again! Thank you!
Adding rating to previous comments!
This was delicious, I like things spicy so I added a bit more of those ingredients! Will make again!
A very good and filling soup for this week of rain we are getting, only swap I made was parsley instead of cilantro 🙂
Super yummy soup. My family and I really enjoyed it.
Colorful, delicious and so good or you! I didn’t think I was a lentil fan but I am now!! Definitely love the fresh taste of avocado and cilantro on top. Everyone in my house was a fan:)
Very easy to make; just heated the pot while I started chopping onions, added them as I continued with the other onion and then the celery, and did other kitchen tasks while it cooked, stirring and adding items as I went along. The simmering went quickly and then there was delicious soup. This is easy and I will use it again. I reduced the amount of broth so I wouldn’t have too much too store, and it made it more like a stew.
Very easy and yummy. There are a lot of flavor in this stew. I will definitely make it again.