Red Lentil Soup

Red Lentil Soup is a savory soup filled with aromatic spices and beautiful color. An easy soup recipe that will ‘wow’ your family and friends by how delicious it tastes and hide the nutrient rich red lentils. 

 

This Middle Eastern Lentil Soup recipe is one of my favorites, I don’t know why I don’t make it more often. Hot soup combined with garlic tzatziki and tangy lemon juice is a multi note dish your guests will rave about.

This easy lentil soup recipe is sometimes known as Middle Eastern Lentil Soup and also as Egyptian Lentil Soup. While Egypt is located in Northern Africa, it is commonly lumped with the other Middle Eastern countries and shares similar foods and food preparation methods. 

Lentil soup recipes can be made in a multitude of different ways and with a plethora of different ingredients. Anything from ham to sausage, or even just with spinach and pairs well with so many different proteins, or opt for a vegetarian meal with middle Eastern potatoes.

Why You’ll Love This Red Lentil Soup

A creamy, smooth soup that will warm you right to the core- what’s not to love!

• Comforting – If you need a soul-warming, delicious meal, this soup is just what you need. And it’s easy to make.
• Healthier option – Full of lots of good-for-you ingredients, this soup is a healthier option than heartier, creamier soups.
• Great for picky eaters – While this soup is full of vegetables, you blend it until smooth. Your veggie haters won’t even know they’re in there!

What are Red Lentils?

Lentils are a legume that come in a lens shape. In many areas they are referred to as dal. Red lentils are nutty and and sweeter than green lentils or brown lentils. Dried lentils take considerably less time to cook than other legumes, so they are always a winner in my book.

They also tend to get mushy when cooked, so they are perfect for making stews and soups. In fact, they are even used just to thicken sauces in some areas. 

There are many ways to cook lentil soup. You can use a slow cooker, a large pot, or a dutch oven. I prefer to cook my red lentil soup in a dutch oven. Dutch ovens help to keep a consistent temperature throughout the entire contents of the pot. 

Health Benefits of Lentils

I like including lentils in my diet because there are lots of health benefits. while I’m not a doctor, these are some of those benefits.

• Linked to lower cholesterol
• High in fiber which benefits weight loss and digestive health
• Diabetes friendly
• High in protein, magnesium and folate
• Good source of slow burning energy

Ingredients

With a handful of basic ingredients from your fridge or pantry, you’re well on your way to making this red lentil soup.

• Butter – I always prefer to use unsalted butter so that I can control the amount of salt that goes into the recipe.
• Vegetables – I like to use a blend of white onion, carrots, celery ribs, garlic cloves and plum tomatoes. Make sure everything is chopped and have stems removed. The hue of the other veggies you use will also play into the final color and it may change from batch to batch.
• Seasonings – A blend of ground cumin, ground coriander and ancho chile powder are all you need to season this soup.
• Red lentils – Red lentils are the softest lentils in the family, making them great for blending into soups and stews. Bonus- they give this vibrant color!
• Vegetable stock – You can use chicken stock if you prefer, this recipe will just no longer be vegetarian. Avoid using water as this is the base of the entire soup. Low-sodium is always prefered for salty reasons.
• Lemons – Cut this into wedges and serve alongside the soup. A squeeze of fresh lemon really brightens it up. If you don’t have lemon, consider adding a tablespoon of white, apple cider or champagne vinegar right before serving.
• Tzatziki – I like to swirl this is as a garnish. If you don’t have tzatziki, you can use plain Greek yogurt or even sour cream instead. 
• Fine sea salt – Make sure to do a taste test before adding additional salt. It’s much easier to add more than take it away.

How to Make Red Lentil Soup

Making this creamy soup could not be easier.

1. Sauté veggies. In dutch oven, melt the butter over medium-high heat.  Add onion, carrots, celery, garlic and tomatoes.  Sauté over medium heat, stirring as necessary until ingredients soften.
2. Add seasonings, lentils and stock. Add cumin, coriander and chile powder, cook until fragrant. Add lentils and vegetable stock. Simmer over moderately low heat until the lentils are very soft. Stir a few times to prevent lentils from sticking together.
3. Allow to cool. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.
4. Blend the mixture. Using an immersion blender, puree the mixture directly in the Dutch oven. Season with fine sea salt.
5. Garnish and serve. Serve in a small soup bowl with a dollop of cold tzatziki in the center and fresh lemon wedges. Add a squeeze of lemon juice onto soup right before eating.

What to Serve with Red Lentil Soup

Honestly, I don’t know why I don’t make soup more often. I think of it as an appetizer or light entree, but this lentil soup, especially with tzatziki topping, is just as filling and satisfying as many other entrees.

Because it’s packed with good-for-you ingredients, it’s super easy to make this soup your main meal. If you feel the need to add protein, you could add chicken, shrimp or even scallops.

If serving as a side dish or appetizer, it would taste great alongside most seafood dishes. It would also be a great accompaniment to a steak or chicken dinner.

Variations

There are plenty of ways you can make this red lentil soup recipe your own.

• Protein – If you feel the need for protein, top it with a few steamed or pan fried shrimp. Scallops would also be a good pairing. I promise you, it is satisfying without a protein. Even a sprinkling of crumbled bacon would be tasty.
• Herbs – To make this soup a little more herbaceous, try adding some fresh herbs like thyme, oregano fresh parsley or rosemary.
• Starch – While this is a smooth and creamy soup, you could certainly add some vegetables or starch for substance. Sweet potato or brown rice would be perfect. Make sure to boil them before adding to the soup.

Storage and Freezing

Storage: You can store any leftover red lentil soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last for up to five days.

Make ahead: You can make lentil soup in advance, but similar to freezing it, correct salt and acid seasonings before serving. Chilling utes flavors in soup considerably so while it was fine before you refrigerate it, it will dull.

Freezing: Cook it and place it in an airtight container. It will stay good for up to 4 months. Correct seasoning with salt and pepper and citrus after thawing and right before serving. 

Frequently Asked Questions

More Easy Soup Recipes

I crave easy soup recipes this time of year. They truly warm the soul- here are a few more to check out.