This Carrot and Lentil Soup delivers pure comfort in every spoonful. Packed with tender vegetables, protein-rich lentils, and aromatic spices, it's the kind of soup that is perfect for chilly nights in, when you need something equally as nourishing as it is delicious!
Once soup season rolls around, I seriously can’t get enough! While I love all kinds of soup, I particularly love easy vegetarian soups like this one. Lentils are one of my go-to options when I want something nourishing and delicious. You would never know it but this soup is actually vegan, too!
My easy carrot and lentil soup is a perfectly balanced blend of earthy lentils, sweet carrots, and bright tomatoes, all enhanced by some warming spices. The carrots melt into the broth as they cook, creating a naturally sweet base that complements the heartiness of the lentils!
What I love about this soup is that it is both light and highly satisfying at the same time, making it perfect for lunch or dinner any day of the week!
If you are soup crazy like me, be sure to try my chicken pastina soup and tomato pastina soup, too!
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Ingredients
You just need a handful of ingredients to make this cozy carrot and lentil soup recipe. Here's what you'll need:
- Olive Oil: To cook up the vegetables and aromatics!
- Onion: I used a white onion, but you can use a yellow onion as well.
- Red Bell Pepper: Diced small, red bell pepper adds a bit of color and a sweet flavor.
- Carrots: Choose bright orange, firm carrots!
- Garlic: To add an extra savory depth to the soup.
- Spices: You will just need ground cumin, dried oregano, paprika, salt and pepper to season this soup to perfection!
- Lentils: I used brown lentils here, but you can use brown, green or red lentils. They might each have a slightly different texture and cooking time may vary.
- Tomato Paste: For a bit of richness and depth!
- Tomatoes: I peeled and diced fresh tomatoes, but you can opt for a can of petite diced tomatoes for ease.
- Vegetable Broth: Vegetable broth is great here, and keeps things vegetarian. You can use chicken broth if you prefer, though!
- Cilantro: I stick a few sprigs of cilantro in the soup while it simmers, and then garnish with a bit more at the end!
- Lime Wedges: I like serving my carrot soup with a lime wedge to brighten things up. Opt for fresh lime juice rather than bottled!
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Spiced Carrot and Lentil Soup
- Sauté Vegetables: In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium to medium-high heat. Add in diced onion, red bell pepper, and carrots. Allow to sauté and soften for about 5 minutes. Then, add in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add Spices & Tomatoes: Add in ground cumin, dried oregano, paprika, salt and pepper. Then, add in the tomato paste and diced tomatoes and stir.
- Add Lentils: Rinse your lentils and add the lentils to the pot.
- Add Broth & Simmer: Then, add in the vegetable broth and sprigs of cilantro. Cover the pot with a lid, bring to a simmer, and cook until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes, depending on the lentils.
- Serve & Enjoy: Once the lentils are tender, remove the sprigs of cilantro, taste the soup and add salt if needed. Serve your carrot lentil soup with a lime wedge, some crusty bread, and enjoy!
Hint: Don't skip rinsing the lentils! It is important in case they have traces of dirt in there.
Tips for Success
- Try to cut the vegetables in uniform sizes! This will ensure that all of the vegetables are tender by the time the soup is done simmering.
- Make sure to not go overboard with the salt at the beginning. The lentils will absorb the salt and might get too salty at the end, so taste the soup at the end of the cooking process and add more salt as needed.
- Remove the cilantro sprigs from the pot before serving!
Recipe Variations
- Creamier Texture: For a creamier and thicken texture, you can smash some of the lentils in the pot with a potato masher, or take 1 cup of the soup to a blender and then add it back! It also works with an immersion blender, but only blend for a few seconds to keep some texture.
- Heartier Version: You can add a diced potato or diced sweet potato for an even heartier lentil soup!
- Spicy: To add some spice, you can add a dash of cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes.
- Creamy Lentil Soup: For a creamy addition, you can add a bit of full fat coconut milk, or serve your soup with a dollop of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt!
Storage
Store any leftover lentil soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or a saucepan!
To freeze, place the cooled soup in a freezer safe container or ziplock bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature just until you can release the soup from the container. Then, reheat in a pot and serve!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it tastes even better the next day. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Simply reheat in a pot or in the microwave and serve!
You can serve this soup with so many different things! Crusty bread, rice, quinoa, or a fresh green salad all pair well. For a larger meal, try serving it with a grilled cheese!
More Recipes to Try
Carrot and Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 white onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 3 large carrots diced
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 tsp salt add more to taste, at the end of the cooking process.
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ¼ cups dried lentils I used brown lentils
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 4 roma tomatoes peeled and diced, or a 15 oz can of petite diced tomatoes.
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 2-3 sprigs of cilantro
- lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium to medium-high heat. Add in diced onion, red bell pepper, and carrots. Allow to sauté and soften for about 5 minutes. Then, add in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add in ground cumin, dried oregano, paprika, salt and pepper. Then, add in the tomato paste and diced tomatoes and stir.
- Rinse your lentils and add the lentils to the pot. Then, add in the vegetable broth and sprigs of cilantro.
- Cover the pot with a lid, bring to a simmer, and cook until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes, depending on the lentils.
- Once the lentils are tender, remove the sprigs of cilantro, taste the soup and add salt if needed.
- Serve your carrot lentil soup with a lime wedge, some crusty bread, and enjoy!
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