Classic Red Lentil Soup

Name: Classic Red Lentil Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 41 min
Total time: 56 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1½ cups (225 g) yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 large onion); 1½ cups (200 g) carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice (about 3 medium); 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced; 1 tablespoon (16 g) tomato paste; 2 teaspoons (4 g) ground cumin; ½ teaspoon (1½ g) ground turmeric; ½ teaspoon (1.2 g) sweet paprika (optional); 1½ cups (300 g) split red lentils, rinsed and drained; 6 cups (1420 ml) vegetable broth; fine sea salt, to taste, about ½ teaspoon to start; black pepper, freshly ground, to taste; 1 large (120 g) large lemon, half juiced (about 2 tablespoons / 30 ml), half cut into 6 wedges for serving; ¼ cup (12 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A silky, golden Middle Eastern-style soup of red lentils, sweet carrot and onion, warmed with cumin and finished with lemon. It comes together in about an hour in one pot, with no soaking.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 41 min
Total: 56 min
Makes: About 8 cups (1.9 L), serving 6

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Ingredients

6 servings

3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1½ cups (225 g) yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 large onion)
1½ cups (200 g) carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice (about 3 medium)
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon (16 g) tomato paste
2 teaspoons (4 g) ground cumin
½ teaspoon (1.5 g) ground turmeric
½ teaspoon (1.2 g) sweet paprika (optional)
1½ cups (300 g) split red lentils, rinsed and drained
6 cups (1420 ml) vegetable broth
fine sea salt, to taste, about ½ teaspoon to start
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
1 large (120 g) large lemon, half juiced (about 2 tablespoons / 30 ml), half cut into 6 wedges for serving
¼ cup (12 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)

Equipment (6)

4- to 5-quart (3.8–4.7 L) heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven with lid
Fine-mesh sieve
Wooden spoon
Immersion blender or countertop blender (optional)
Chef's knife and cutting board
Measuring cups and spoons

Steps

Before you start

Rinse the lentils in a fine-mesh sieve until the water runs mostly clear, then drain well.
Chop all the vegetables before you turn on the heat so the aromatics don't scorch while you work.
Use a pot with a capacity of at least 4 quarts (3.8 L) so the soup has room to bubble without boiling over.
Taste your broth first. If it is salty, hold back on added salt until the end.

1
Sauté the vegetables
- Set the pot over medium heat and add the olive oil.
- When it shimmers, add the diced onion and carrots with a pinch of salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 8 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is soft and translucent, and the carrots have brightened and begun to soften at the edges, with no browning.
Tip: If the onion starts to brown, lower the heat. Browned onion changes the soup's clean, sweet flavor.
2
Bloom garlic and spices
- Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, cumin, turmeric and paprika (if using).
- Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes.
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Ready when: The mixture smells strongly toasty and fragrant, and the tomato paste has darkened slightly to brick red.
Tip: Add a splash of broth if anything sticks to the pot bottom, so the spices don't burn and turn bitter.
3
Add lentils and broth
- Add the rinsed lentils and pour in the broth.
- Stir well, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.
- Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil, about 5 minutes.
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Ready when: Liquid is bubbling across the whole surface and pale foam gathers on top.
Tip: Skim off the foam with a spoon for a cleaner flavor and smoother texture.
4
Simmer until tender
- Reduce the heat to medium-low so the soup bubbles gently.
- Partially cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar.
- Simmer for about 23 minutes (20 to 25), stirring every 5 minutes or so.
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Ready when: Lentils have collapsed into a thick, porridge-like soup and the carrots are completely tender when pressed with a spoon.
Tip: Stir often, especially toward the end, since the thickening lentils can stick and scorch on the bottom.
5
Blend to your texture
- Remove the pot from the heat.
- For a creamy soup, blend with an immersion blender directly in the pot for 30 to 60 seconds, leaving some small flecks of texture.
- For a rustic soup, mash a few times with a potato masher or leave it as is.
- If using a countertop blender, fill it no more than halfway, vent the lid, and cover with a towel.
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Ready when: Soup looks smooth and velvety, with a pourable consistency similar to heavy cream.
Tip: Hot soup expands in a sealed blender. Never blend with the lid fully closed.
6
Adjust and season
- Return the pot to low heat if needed.
- Squeeze the juice from half the lemon (about 2 tablespoons / 30 ml) into the soup and stir, then taste.
- Add salt in pinches and plenty of black pepper until the flavors taste bright and full.
- If the soup is too thick, stir in ¼ to ½ cup (60 to 120 ml) hot water or broth at a time until it reaches the thickness you like.
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Ready when: The soup tastes balanced: savory and warm from the cumin, with a fresh lift from the lemon rather than a sour edge.
Tip: Lentil soup thickens as it sits, so keep it a little looser than you want it at the table.
7
Serve
- Ladle the soup into warm bowls.
- Sprinkle with chopped parsley (if using), add a few grinds of pepper, and serve each bowl with a lemon wedge (cut from the remaining lemon half) for squeezing at the table.
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Tip: A drizzle of olive oil over each bowl adds richness and a glossy finish.

Good to know

Tips

Use split red (or orange) lentils. Brown or green lentils take longer and won't break down into a creamy soup.
Rinsing the lentils removes dust and excess starch, which reduces foaming and gives a cleaner taste.
Finish with acid (lemon) off the heat or at low heat so it stays bright and fresh.
For extra flavor, top with a quick spiced oil: warm 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil with ½ teaspoon cumin and a pinch of chili flakes for 1 minute and drizzle over.

Make ahead

Make the soup through step 6 up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate. Reheat gently, thinning with water or broth, and add a fresh squeeze of lemon just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Fridge: cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freezer: freeze in portions for up to 3 months (leave 1 inch / 2.5 cm headspace) and thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in a pot over medium-low heat, stirring often, adding water or broth to loosen, until steaming hot throughout.

Substitutions

vegetable broth → Water plus 1 vegetable bouillon cube per 2 cups (475 ml). Add salt gradually at the end, since bouillon can be quite salty.
large lemon → Lime juice or 1 tablespoon (15 ml) white wine vinegar. Add vinegar a little at a time and taste, as it is sharper than lemon.
extra-virgin olive oil → Unsalted butter or ghee. Gives a richer, nuttier flavor; the soup is no longer vegan with butter or ghee.
carrots → Diced sweet potato. Makes a slightly sweeter, creamier soup; cooking time stays about the same.