This crimson lentil soup recipe is cozy, flavorful, and vivid with lemon. Simple to make with easy elements, it is a scrumptious, wholesome one-pot meal.
This crimson lentil soup recipe is strictly what I’m craving today. It’s cozy and warming, however nourishing too. Blended crimson lentils thicken the broth (no cream right here!) and provides every bowl a lift of plant-based protein. Fragrant veggies and cumin add earthy depth of taste. This crimson lentil soup is wholesome and scrumptious.
The recipe is impressed by Turkish crimson lentil soup, which is one in every of my favourite dishes to order at Center Japanese eating places. Not like lentil soup made with inexperienced or brown lentils, it has a vibrant orange-yellow colour and vivid, lemony style. On a chilly winter day, it’s an ideal pick-me-up!
This crimson lentil soup is straightforward to make with primary pantry elements. Easy, filling, and flavorful, it’s an important recipe to have in your again pocket at the moment of 12 months. I hope you adore it as a lot as I do!
Purple Lentil Soup Elements
Right here’s what you’ll have to make this crimson lentil soup recipe:
- Purple lentils, in fact! The crimson lentils crumble as they cook dinner, giving the soup a thick, creamy consistency. Inexperienced or brown lentils won’t work right here. When you’ve got these, go take a look at this lentil soup recipe as an alternative!
- Onion, garlic, carrot, and celery – These fragrant veggies create the soup’s flavorful base.
- Yukon Gold potato – For texture.
- Floor cumin – For earthy depth of taste.
- Cayenne pepper – For warmth. Skip it when you’re delicate to spice, or substitute a pinch of gentle chili powder.
- Vegetable broth and water – You’ll want 5 to six cups of liquid to make this soup recipe. The precise quantity will rely upon how a lot liquid your lentils take up. I name for 4 cups broth and 1 to 2 cups water as a result of most store-bought inventory is available in 4-cup containers. When you’ve got additional inventory available, or when you’re utilizing do-it-yourself vegetable broth, be happy to switch the water with extra broth.
- Recent lemon juice – It provides the soup a scrumptious vivid end.
- Further-virgin olive oil – It provides pretty richness. Use some within the soup, and serve it with one other drizzle of oil on prime.
- Recent parsley – For garnish. You possibly can technically skip it, however I really like the freshness it provides to this easy soup. Recent cilantro can be good right here too.
- And salt and pepper – To make all of the flavors pop!
Discover the whole recipe with measurements beneath.
The way to Make Purple Lentil Soup
This crimson lentil soup recipe has three easy steps:
- Sauté
- Simmer
- Mix
Begin by sautéing the aromatics. Warmth the olive oil in a big pot over medium warmth. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook dinner till gentle, about 8 minutes. Stir within the potato, garlic, cumin, and cayenne and cook dinner for an additional minute.
Subsequent, simmer the soup. Add the lentils, broth, and 1 cup water to the pot. Convey to a simmer and cook dinner, uncovered, for half-hour, or till the potatoes and lentils are tender.
Then, mix. The trick to this crimson lentil soup recipe is simply partially mixing the soup. The blended lentils and potatoes will give it a pleasant creamy consistency, whereas the remaining complete potatoes and different veggies will depart a little bit of texture.
An immersion blender is ideal for this, however you might use an upright blender too. For those who’re going that route, switch a lot of the soup to a blender and mix till easy. Then, add it again to the pot with the remaining chunky soup.
Lastly, season and serve. Stir within the lemon juice and season to style with salt and pepper. Serve topped with a drizzle of olive oil and contemporary parsley.
Take pleasure in!
Recipe Ideas
- Cease mixing earlier than it’s completely easy. I wish to mix among the lentils and potatoes on this soup to make the broth thick and creamy. However I don’t completely puree it—leaving some chunks provides the soup a satisfying texture. An immersion blender is ideal for this!
- Add extra water for a thinner soup. I checklist a variety of water on this recipe. You could want much less or extra relying on how a lot water your lentils take up. Begin on the low finish and keep there for a thick crimson lentil soup. Add extra water for a thinner one. The ultimate texture is as much as you!
- Make it your personal. I really like this recipe as written, however it’s versatile. Be at liberty to make it your personal! Strive changing the cumin with floor coriander or paprika, or experiment with candy potato as an alternative of the yellow potato or carrot. Add a pair tablespoons of tomato paste for a bolder colour and tangier taste, or dump in a can of diced tomatoes. Simply don’t skip the lemon juice. Its vivid, tangy taste takes this recipe excessive.
What to Serve with Purple Lentil Soup
I like to serve this crimson lentil soup with crusty bread and a easy salad. Any of those salad recipes would pair properly with it:
Storage and Reheating
Leftovers preserve properly in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 4 days. You can even freeze this soup for as much as 3 months.
The soup will thicken after a day or two within the fridge, so you might have to stir in somewhat water to skinny it while you reheat.
Extra Favourite Soup Recipes
For those who love this crimson lentil soup, strive one in every of these straightforward soup recipes subsequent:

Purple Lentil Soup
Serves 6
This crimson lentil soup recipe is flavorful, comforting, and straightforward to make! Easy elements like crimson lentils, onions, cumin, and lemon juice give it a beautiful creamy texture and vivid, earthy taste. Leftovers freeze properly! Vegan and gluten-free.
Stop your display from going darkish
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Warmth the olive oil in a big pot or Dutch oven over medium warmth. Add the onion, carrot, celery, salt, and a number of other grinds of pepper. Cook dinner, stirring often, for 8 minutes, or till the greens are gentle.
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Stir within the potato, garlic, cumin, and cayenne and cook dinner, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the lentils, broth, and 1 cup water. Simmer for half-hour, or till the lentils and potatoes are gentle.
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Take away from the warmth and use an immersion blender to mix till largely easy. (Alternatively, mix the soup in an upright blender.) If the soup is just too thick, add the remaining 1 cup water.
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Add the lemon juice and season to style with extra salt and pepper as desired. Ladle into bowls and serve topped with a drizzle of olive oil and chopped contemporary parsley.