Name: Red Lentil Soup Recipe (Stovetop or Instant Pot)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 1 and 1/2 cups dry red lentils (rinsed); 1 onion (diced); 2 carrots – about 1 cup (diced); 2 tbs tomato paste; 2 garlic cloves (minced); 1 tsp cumin; 1 tsp paprika; 7 cups water or vegetable broth; 2 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice; 1 tbs oil; Salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

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This homemade Mediterranean vegan red lentil soup recipe is gluten-free, healthy, lemony, filling, flavorful, and also so easy to make! In addition, I will show you how to make this comforting soup on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot!

Jump to Recipe

So, one of my favorite ways to eat lentils is in soup. But I also love being creative and make something delicious with lentils such as my vegan lentil meatballs or red lentil dal!

I usually meal-prep this soup for healthy lunches or freeze the leftovers. Make it into a great meal by pairing it with cucumber tomato onion salad and also some bread.

But, before we jump into the recipe, let’s talk about red lentils and learn some tips on how to make this creamy recipe.

What Is The Difference Between Red and Green Lentils

Lentils are edible seeds from the legume family and also have a lot of health benefits. I love all types of lentils and they all taste different but my favorite is red lentils.

Green lentils have a stronger and earthy flavor than the red lentils. Also, when they are cooked, they stay firm. Red lentils will get softer and mushier which makes them perfect for creamy soups.

Do Red Lentils Need To Be Soaked

They do not need to be soaked but you can soak them. Since you don’t have to, they make a great quick-cooking meal on weeknights!

How to Make Red Lentil Soup Recipe Step by Step

Ingredients

Red Lentils

You can buy them in the bulk section of your store or also they come in small packages. They are affordable so it makes this recipe budget-friendly as well!

Onion & Garlic

I used a yellow onion but you can use white or red onion if you like. A couple of garlic cloves make this dish aromatic as well. Keep in mind, sauteeing the onions until very soft is an important part to achieve more flavor.

Carrots

Diced carrots give this dish a little sweetness. You can change up the amount and use more or less if you like.

Tomato Paste

Adding just a little tomato paste also gives some sweetness and a little depth to the flavors. You don’t want it to taste tomatoey but just give a little flavor.

Cumin & Paprika

Cumin gives so much flavor but you can omit it if you like. Paprika make this soup a little spicy, you can also use cayenne instead.

Lemon Juice

I feel like adding lemon juice takes this dish to the next level. It gives that fresh and citrusy taste so I don’t recommend omitting but you can use lime juice instead.

Water or Vegetable Broth

I tend to use water for soups but you can easily use vegetable broth instead for more flavor. You can also use vegetable bullion if you like.

How to Make Red Lentil Soup recipe on the Stovetop or in the Instant Pot

We’ll start by sauteeing the onions until very soft. This part is important since onions give a lot of flavor to this soup. If you are using an Instant Pot, you can just use the saute function.

onions cooking in instant pot — Stovetop

After onions are soft, you can add the carrots, tomato paste, garlic, cumin and paprika, saute for a couple of minutes.

cooking onions and carrots in the Instant Pot

Next, we will add the water/vegetable broth, lentils, salt, and cook the soup. For stovetop, you will need to simmer the soup for 25 to 30 minutes until the lentils are soft. Make sure to check them for doneness. For Instant Pot, you can cook it on high pressure for 10 minutes.

adding water and lentils into Instant Pot

Last, we will add the lemon juice and blend the soup with an immersion blender until very smooth and creamy. You can also blend it in a blender but be careful, the soup will be very hot transferring it to the blender.

I like garnishing mine with some more freshly squeezed lemon juice, chopped parsley, red pepper flakes and top with crispy roasted chickpeas!

Tips & Variations

If you want to make this soup even creamier, you can add one small potato when you add the carrots.
Make it spicy by adding smoked paprika or red pepper flakes.
Always adjust to taste, it may need lots of salt!

How to store and reheat Vegan Red Lentil Soup

You can store this soup in the fridge, covered, for up to 4 to 5 days. Freeze leftovers, covered up to 2 months. You might need to add a little water before reheating. Reheat on the stovetop until warm.

This recipe is so delicious and very easy to make. It is also :

Hearty & Warming
Gluten-free
Healthy
Filling & Satisfying
Lemony
Also, meal-prep & freezer friendly!

More healthy vegan soups & stews recipes to try

So did you make this? I’d love for you to leave a comment and rate the recipe. You can also share your photo of the recipe on Pinterest and tag me on Instagram using @avocadocentric or #avocadocentric! xo, Selin

Red Lentil Soup Recipe (Stovetop or Instant Pot)

Author: avocadocentric
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Category: Soup
Method: Cook or Pressure Cook
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Diet: Vegan

Description

This homemade Mediterranean vegan red lentil soup recipe is gluten-free, healthy, lemony, filling, flavorful, and easy to make! I will show you how to make this comforting soup on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot!

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