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Homemade Lentil Soup Recipe
5 from 159 votes

Homemade Lentil Soup Recipe

This Homemade Lentil Soup features green lentils cooked with caramelized onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and warming spices like cumin and coriander. Partially pureed, it balances a thick texture with tender vegetable chunks and a bright finish from lemon juice, making it a satisfying, nourishing soup.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 10 mins
Total Time
1 hr 20 mins
Servings: 8
Calories: 424 kcal
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil ghee, or clarified butter
  • 2 yellow onion peeled and medium diced
  • 2 carrot peeled and medium diced
  • 2 celery peeled and medium diced ribs
  • 3 garlic finely minced cloves
  • 1 ½ teaspoons cumin ground
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 3 cups green lentils rinsed
  • 1 potato large, peeled and medium diced
  • 2 bay leaf
  • 9 cups chicken stock
  • lemon juice of 1
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Add olive oil to a large pot over low to medium heat and cook the onions until completely caramelized. This may take up to 45 minutes.
  2. Next, add in the carrots, celery, and garlic and cook for 5-6 minutes over medium heat until very lightly browned and tender.
  3. Stir in the cumin and coriander until combined with the vegetables.
  4. Pour the rinsed lentils, potatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock and stir to combine.
  5. Add a lid and cook over low to medium heat for 35-45 minutes or until the lentils are very tender.
  6. Remove the bay leaves and then using a hand immersion blender, pulse blend the soup until about half of it is pureed. This will help thicken the soup.
  7. Adjust the seasonings of the lentil soup with salt, pepper, and freshly squeezed lemon juice.
  8. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

Notes

  • You can prepare this soup up to one day ahead and reheat on the stovetop before serving.
  • Store refrigerated for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 6 months; thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
  • Reheat over low heat, thinning with chicken stock as needed to reach desired consistency.
  • Use any lentil type (red, green, brown, yellow), noting that soup color will vary accordingly.
  • If using a blender for pureeing, vent steam by removing the blender lid center and covering the opening with a towel.
  • Potatoes can be substituted with red new potatoes or Yukon golds without affecting cooking times.

Nutrition Information

Calories 424kcal (21%) Carbohydrates 62g (21%) Protein 27g (54%) Fat 8g (12%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g (6%) Monounsaturated Fat 4g (20%) Cholesterol 8mg (3%) Sodium 405mg (17%) Potassium 1189mg (25%) Fiber 24g (96%) Sugar 8g (16%) Vitamin A 2596IU (52%) Vitamin C 12mg (13%) Calcium 71mg (7%) Iron 7mg (39%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 424

% Daily Value*

Calories 424kcal 21%
Carbohydrates 62g 21%
Protein 27g 54%
Fat 8g 12%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 4g 20%
Cholesterol 8mg 3%
Sodium 405mg 17%
Potassium 1189mg 25%
Fiber 24g 96%
Sugar 8g 16%
Vitamin A 2596IU 52%
Vitamin C 12mg 13%
Calcium 71mg 7%
Iron 7mg 39%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.