Hearty, comforting and flavourful! This Mediterranean lentil soup is the perfect healthy lunch or dinner when the savoury cravings strike. The best part? It is ready in just 20 minutes and super easy to make.
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I’m always down for a comforting and nourishing soup, especially when they are as delicious as this Mediterranean lentil soup. Roasting the spices before adding the liquid takes this soup to new flavourful heights. And if you love your soups a bit spicy, this recipe is right up your alley.
It is the ideal nourishing low-carb lunch or dinner when you crave something hearty and comforting without being heavy. One serving of this easy lentil soup recipe clocks in at just 268 calories. Does it get any better than this? It can! A splash of lemon juice as a topping for this red lentil soup is the perfect counterpart to offset the spicy flavour and give it a fresh touch.
Like a comforting and deliciously healthy soup? This spicy cauliflower soup and vegan broccoli soup will satisfy your cravings. Discover more easy and flavourful soup recipes perfect for cold winter days.
Why you'll love this recipe
- deliciously lunch, dinner or appetizer
- vegan and gluten-free
- read in 20 minutes
- just a few ingredients needed
- perfect for meal-prep
Ingredients
- Red lentils – Dried red lentils are great to use for soups. They have a short cooking time to be tender and are a good source of plant-based protein.
- Onion – For a rich flavour profile, use a good amount of onion as a base.
- Garlic – This also goes for garlic. Roasted with the onion and spices before cooking the soup makes for an extra-flavourful bowl.
- Vegetable oil – Use light-tasting vegetable oil like a rapeseed or canola oil.
- Tomato paste – Not only does it give the soup a great colour, but tomato paste adds a slightly sweet and sour taste.
- Potent spices – Along with the tomato paste, sweet paprika, cumin and dried chilli flakes give this soup a heavenly Mediterranean taste.
- Salt – Adjust the amount of salt according to your taste.
- Water – To add even more flavour to the soup, you can substitute the water for vegetable stock.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Peel and chop the onion and garlic.
Heat the vegetable oil in a pot on medium to high heat. Add onion and roast for about a minute.
Turn heat to medium and add garlic, tomato paste, cumin, sweet paprika and chilli flakes. Roast for about a minute.
Pour in the red lentils and water, season with salt, and let cook on medium to low heat for about 15 minutes.
Remove the soup from the heat and blend with an immersion blender until smooth but not blended through completely.
Top with vegan cream, a splash of fresh lemon juice and lemon if you like, and serve.
Tips & substitutions
- Roast the spices with tomato paste, onion and garlic before adding the lentils and water. The hot oil awakens the ingredients, which makes the soup extra flavourful.
- If you want to add additional flavour, use vegetable or chicken stock instead of water.
- You can also make this soup thicker or thinner by adjusting how much liquid is used. This recipe is made to be on semi-thick and creamy soup.
- This dish is also ideal for meal prep. Make a big batch on the weekend and eat throughout the week.
Recipe FAQs
Transfer any leftovers of the lentil soup to an airtight container and store it in the fridge.
The soup will keep for up to 5 days if stored in the fridge. Or freeze for up to 3 months.
📖 Recipe
Mediterranean Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 2 small onions
- 2 garlic cloves
- 200 g red lentils (1 cup)
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon dried chilli flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 l water (1 ¼ cups)
Toppings (optional)
- olive oil
- fresh lemon juice
- dried chili flakes
Instructions
- Peel and chop the onion and garlic.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a pot on medium to high heat. Add onion and roast for about a minute. Turn heat to medium and add garlic, tomato paste, cumin, sweet paprika and chilli flakes. Roast for about a minute.
- Pour in the red lentils and water, season with salt, and let cook on medium to low heat for about 15 minutes.
- Remove the soup from the heat and blend with an immersion blender until smooth but not blended through completely.
- Top with vegan cream, a splash of fresh lemon juice and lemon if you like, and serve.
Notes
- Roast the spices with tomato paste, onion and garlic before adding the lentils and water. The hot oil awakens the ingredients, which makes the soup extra flavourful.
- If you want to add additional flavour, use vegetable or chicken stock instead of water.
- You can also make this soup thicker or thinner by adjusting how much liquid is used. This recipe is made to be on semi-thick and creamy soup.
- This dish is also ideal for meal prep. Make a big batch on the weekend and eat throughout the week.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only calculated with the recipe calorie and nutrition calculator provided by verywellfit.com. The author of this website is not a nutritionist nor a doctor. All nutritional data provided in the recipes and correspondent blog posts are for informational purposes only. Do not use the information as nutritional or medical advice.
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