Easy Lentil Soup
The Ultimate Spoonie Comfort Soup
This easy lentil soup is one I’ve been making for roughly 30 years regularly, and it’s definitely one of my favourites. Easy, filling, and comforting.
Vegan | GF | Soy-free | Nut-free | No rice
Why This Easy Lentil Soup is One of My Favourites
It’s a simple red lentil soup recipe that uses common pantry ingredients only, and takes very little effort—especially if you make it in the slow cooker or Instant Pot. But even if you make it on the hob, you still dirty only one pot in the 30 minutes it takes to turn these basic staples into a warm, filling, and incredibly comforting lentil soup.
It’s the kind of spoonie comfort soup that has saved many zero-spoon dinners for me: minimal prep, simple ingredients, and brain fog-resistant, it’s like a hug in a bowl.
Ingredients for This Simple Red Lentil Soup Recipe
Red lentils (the main ingredient of this lovely soup) are one of my favourite ingredients because they cook quickly and break down into a thick, creamy soup without needing any blending. The onion, tomato, garlic, and warming spices like cumin and coriander turn this easy red lentil soup into a delicious, nurturing meal you can rely on even on your toughest days.
Easy Lentil Soup Variations You Can Try
The recipe I’m sharing here is a very basic one, and while it’s already amazing just like that, there are half a million ways you can jazz it up. Some of my favourite variations are these:
- Add some fresh or frozen spinach near the end of the cooking time
- For a more rustic soup, add cubed potatoes, roughly chopped root vegetables, and leeks (you may need to add more water)
- If you prefer a velvety smooth soup, try blending it before serving (this is easily how I like mine best)
- Play around with the seasoning. Ginger instead of cumin and coriander, e.g. gives a very different result, and adding chili flakes or smoked paprika will turn up the heat.
- Use less water to create a thick, nourishing dal which you can serve with steamed or oven-roasted vegetables alongside a gluten free grain like rice, millet, or oat ‘rice’.
Serving Suggestions For Red Lentil Soup
While this soup is already lovely on its own, here are some ways to take it up a notch with almost zero extra effort.
- Serve in a nice bowl, topped with a dollop of (vegan) yoghurt and a few slivers of chopped spring onion
- Top with (vegan) cream, freshly ground pepper, and a spoonful of mixed seeds
- Serve with (gluten-free) naan or other flatbread, or a rustic slice of GF bread
Spoonie Notes for This Easy Vegan Lentil Soup
This is a very Spoonie-friendly recipe and not only because it takes so little effort to make it.
Since it uses common pantry items, there’s no need to go shopping first: you probably already have everything you need on hand.
But the best part is yet to come: we can easily make this recipe even more spoonie-friendly by doing one or more of the following:
- Chop the onion and garlic in advance (or use pre-chopped—there’s zero shame in that).
- Dump all ingredients in the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours
- Make this soup in the Instant Pot. Pressure cook 10 minutes on High, then allow 10 minutes natural release before venting. Tip: sauté the onion in vegetable oil first.
And last but not least: this recipe is perfect for batch cooking. Make as much your largest cooking pot will allow, and freeze what you can’t eat within the next 4 days.
If you love low-effort cooking like this, you might also enjoy my other slow cooker recipes for low-energy days, like this easy slow cooker polenta.
How to Store Vegan Lentil Soup
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Made more than you can eat in a few days? This soup freezes well. Portion it into containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave, adding a little water if the soup has thickened too much.
Allergy Information
This recipe is naturally free from: dairy, gluten, eggs, nuts, soy, sesame.
Note: always check labels for allergens. Some bouillon powders may contain gluten, so make sure to double-check.
How to Make This Easy Lentil Soup
Easy Red Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 1 onion peeled and chopped
- 1 tin tomato puree
- garlic to taste
- olive oil or other neutral cooking oil
- cumin
- coriander
- vegan bouillon powder
- 2 l water
- 3 cups red lentils rinsed
Instructions
- Fry onion in olive oil until tender
- Add a little water
- Add garlic, cumin, coriander, and bouillon powder
- Rinse and add lentils
- Add tomato puree and the rest of the water
- Stir well
- Bring to the boil, lower heat, and simmer on a low heat for about 30 minutes, or until lentils are tender
If you enjoy simple soups like this easy lentil soup, you might also like my other easy soup recipes like my slow cooker pumpkin soup or this slow cooker vegetable soup.
Looking for more meals like this? Browse my Spoonie comfort recipes for easy, nourishing dishes like my velvety smooth, creamy hummus or this ultra-decadent ABC pudding.
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