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Ready on the stove in under 60 minutes, this vegan lentil soup recipe is a hearty dinner great for feeding a crowd! Made with almost all pantry staples, you can have the ingredients for this cozy soup on hand all winter for when the soup cravings strike.
save this recipe!Lentil soup! Could any soup sound more boring? Probably not.
But where it lacks in naming, it makes up for in flavor. And simplicity. And hearty, bone-warming deliciousness.
The soup to feed your soul
This lentil soup is such a bowl of comfort – you’ll love it!
- Ready in under an hour, and most of that time is just spent letting it simmer away.
- A one pot meal, so cleanup is quick.
- Made with pantry staples, meaning you can keep the ingredients on hand for when you need soup, like, yesterday!
Reader rating
“Made this tonight for supper. Turned out delicious. Easy as promised. I have been looking for a recipe from this site that does not have heavy cream, coconut milk or full fat milk. In other words, heart healthy. This recipe fills the bill. Thanks.” —Janet
Grab these ingredients
This is just an overview. Jump to the recipe card for the full quantities.
- Mirepoix: This is just a fancy word to describe our flavor base – onion, carrots, celery and garlic!
- Spices: Smoked paprika, salt, pepper, coriander, and cumin bring major flavor to this soup.
- Vegetable Broth: You’ll need 8 cups of broth, which can come from bouillon cubes, 2 cartons of broth, or you can make your own veggie broth!
- Crushed Tomatoes: Did you know tomatoes are a great source of umami (savory) flavor? They add a delicious dimension to this lentil soup.
- Brown Lentils: The star of the show! You’ll need dried lentils here. We’re using brown, but you could use another type of lentil (black lentils work well here).
- Lemon Juice: Right before serving, lemon juice brightens up the flavors of this dish. Don’t skip it!
Are lentils healthy?
Hi friends, Sarah here (the nutritionist and food scientist behind the recipes!). Lentils are a nutritious legume that is a great source of plant-based protein! They’re also packed with fiber, so they’ll keep you full for a while.
How to make Lentil Soup
Making this soup is so simple. Here’s a quick rundown of how to do it. Jump to the recipe card for the full instructions.
- Cook the flavor base until soft and fragrant.
- Make it a soup by adding your broth, lentils, and tomatoes.
- Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon and some crusty bread!
Storage
- Fridge: This soup stores well in the fridge for about 5 days, so it’s great as a vegetarian meal prep!
- Freezer: This freezes well, thanks to the hearty texture of the lentils. It stays good in the freezer for about 3 months.
Serve It With
We’ve been loving serving this lentil soup with cornbread casserole. We’ve been reheating pieces of this cornbread in the air fryer until they turn a little crispy. Perfect for dipping!
Easy Stovetop Lentil Soup Recipe (Vegan!)
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, can sub dairy-free or oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup diced carrots, 2 to 3 carrots
- 1 cup diced celery, 3 to 4 ribs
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp each salt, pepper, ground coriander, and cumin
- 8 cups vegetable broth, 1.9 L
- 1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 lb pound brown lentils, 425 g
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- To serve: parmesan, Italian parsley, bread
Instructions
- Flavor Base: In a large pot, heat 2 Tbsp unsalted butter over medium. Add 1 medium yellow onion, 1 cup diced carrots, 1 cup diced celery, 4 cloves garlic, 1 tsp smoked paprika, and ½ tsp each salt, pepper, ground coriander, and cumin. Cook until onion is soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
- Make It Soup: Add 8 cups vegetable broth, 1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes, and 1 lb pound brown lentils. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 to 45 minutes, or until lentils are soft.
- Serve: Before serving, squeeze in fresh lemon juice and stir. Serve with grated parmesan, Italian parsley, and crusty bread.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
Hello 🙂
Why is there so much sodium in this soup?
The vegetable broth and salt add up! For a lower sodium version, try a low sodium broth and reduce the amount of salt 🙂
Made this tonight for supper. Turned out delicious. Easy as promised. I have been looking for a recipe from this site that does not have heavy cream, coconut milk or full fat milk. In other words, heart healthy. This recipe fills the bill. Thanks
So happy you loved it, Janet! Happy eating!
This was so quick to make and delicious! Great choice for dinner on a busy weeknight.
Hello, I want to learn about lentils. I’ve been browsing through recipes this afternoon, and yours look especially interesting, but the recipes all seem to be very high in carbs. Is that always the case?
I’m diabetic, so I have to avoid carbs.
Thanks for any info. Marcia Halio (mhalio@udel.edu).
Yes, lentils are pretty high in complex carbs—but they’re also packed with fiber and protein, which helps balance things out and keeps blood sugar from spiking as quickly as refined carbs do. A half cup cooked has around 12g net carbs, so it’s all about portion size and what you pair them with (like veggies, healthy fats, or protein). Some people with diabetes do great with lentils in moderation, but if you want something lower-carb, lupini beans or black soybeans are worth trying too.