5.0 from 171 votes
Red Lentil Soup
Red Lentil Soup is made with easy pantry ingredients, and tastes like it came from a restaurant! It cooks in just about 30 minutes, for a fast weeknight meal.
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
35 mins
Servings: 6
Calories: 206 kcal
Course:
Soup
Cuisine:
gluten-free
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion (about 1 cup chopped)
- 2 carrots , chopped
- 2 celery stalks , chopped
- 3 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- pinch cayenne pepper (optional; omit if you don't like spice)
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 5 cups water
- 1 cup dry red lentils
- 1 ½ to 2 teaspoons fine sea salt (I use Real Salt brand)
- ½ cup canned coconut milk
- ⅓ cup fresh cilantro , chopped
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, and saute the onion, carrots and celery until they are soft, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add in the garlic, cumin, cayenne (if using), and tomato paste, and stir briefly, about 1 minute. Keep in mind the cayenne will make this soup spicy, so leave it out if you prefer something more mild.
- Add in the water, lentils, and 1 ½ teaspoons of salt. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and cover. Simmer until the lentils have expanded and are tender, about 15 minutes.
- Once the lentils are tender, stir in the coconut milk, cilantro, and lemon juice. Adjust seasoning to taste, adding more salt and some freshly ground pepper, if desired. Serve warm right away, with extra fresh cilantro on top, if you like.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. This soup will thicken in the fridge, but it will thin out again when it's heated. You can always add an extra splash of water, if needed, to thin it to a consistency you like again.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Nutrition information is for 1 of 6 servings, or roughly 1 1/4 cups of soup. This information is automatically calculated, and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.
- See the Substitutions section in the post above, if you need extra tips!
Nutrition Information
Calories
206kcal
(10%)
Carbohydrates
26g
(9%)
Protein
9g
(18%)
Fat
8g
(12%)
Saturated Fat
5g
(25%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
Monounsaturated Fat
2g
Sodium
710mg
(30%)
Potassium
608mg
(17%)
Fiber
11g
(44%)
Sugar
5g
(10%)
Vitamin A
3708IU
(74%)
Vitamin C
9mg
(10%)
Calcium
59mg
(6%)
Iron
4mg
(22%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 206
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 206kcal | 10% |
| Carbohydrates | 26g | 9% |
| Protein | 9g | 18% |
| Fat | 8g | 12% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Sodium | 710mg | 30% |
| Potassium | 608mg | 13% |
| Fiber | 11g | 44% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 3708IU | 74% |
| Vitamin C | 9mg | 10% |
| Calcium | 59mg | 6% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.