Creamy and cozy, this red lentil carrot soup is the kind of recipe you crave on chilly days. This soup comes together in just 40 minutes with simple pantry staples.
If you love wholesome, comforting soups like this, you will also enjoy my pumpkin potato soup, gochujang soup, or Chinese sweet mung bean soup to switch things up.
As we are slowly transitioning to the rainy season, I find myself gravitating towards soups. I have been making this lentil carrot soup repeatedly for a few weeks now, and I thought that it was about time I shared this amazing recipe!
It is packed with flavors, ultra creamy, and incredibly satisfying. Enjoy it as is, or top with roasted black beans, vegan bacon, or vegan sour cream to take it to the next level.
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💚Why you will love this red lentil carrot soup
- Creamy and luscious without the use of cream or other dairy products
- Super filling, nourishing, and high in protein
- An easy one-pot recipe ready in 40 minutes
- Refrigerates well and is freezer-friendly, making it the perfect meal prep recipe!
🥕What you will need
- Lentils - Split red lentils work best as they cook quickly and turn creamy.
- Paprika - I am using regular paprika, but feel free to substitute it with smoked paprika to give the soup some smoky flavor.
- Vegetable broth/bouillon - Not pictured, but they add tons of flavor to the soup! I personally love using the Better than Bouillon no-chicken base reconstituted in 4 cups of water.
📃Ingredients substitutions and add-ins
Lentils - You can substitute with yellow split lentils, though whole red or yellow lentils will need 5-10 extra minutes. Green lentils can be used in a pinch, but will take up to 40 minutes to soften.
Curry lentil soup - To make it curried, add 2-3 teaspoons of curry powder. You can add extra chili powder or chili flakes for extra heat.
Make it spicy - Add a generous pinch of chili flakes or a heaping teaspoon of chili powder. Top it off with hot sauce if desired.
Make it even creamier - Substitute 1 ½ cups of broth with a can of full-fat coconut milk. You might need to add more broth if your soup thickens too much.
Higher protein - Stir in chunks of my vegan Italian sausage, vegan roast beef, or other meat substitutes for a heartier soup.
🔪How to make
Step 1: Heat a tablespoon of oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, and saute until translucent.
Step 2: Add garlic and spices next. Fry for a minute until aromatic.
Step 3: Add carrot and celery to the pot. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.
Step 4: Pour in broth and lentils, then bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
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Step 5: Cook for 12-15 minutes, covered, or until lentils are soft and mushy.
Step 6: Blend soup using an immersion blender. Give it a taste and season with salt and pepper. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and serve while warm.
✅Helpful tips
- Blend soup with a blender - Allow soup to cool slightly before blending to prevent damage to your blender's body. You can reheat the soup right before serving.
- Enjoy immediately - Soup is best enjoyed warm and will thicken significantly after sitting out for a while. If it does get too thick, thin out the soup with a splash of broth or water, then heat it before serving.
- Keep it chunky - For a chunkier soup, only blend half the soup. Or skip the blending altogether.
- Instant Pot version - Using the sauté function, fry your aromatics and vegetables. Add lentils and broth, then cook at high for 10 minutes. Release pressure naturally and blend it before serving.
🍞How to serve
Top lentil carrot soup with toppings like roasted lentils, croutons, or yogurt (Greek or coconut), for extra texture and flavor. Serve with sourdough, flatbreads (like my vegan roti), or other bread of your choice on the side.
To make a heartier meal, pair soup with sandwiches, wraps, or heartier meat-based mains. I like serving mine with my homemade vegan steaks.
❄️Storing suggestions
Fridge - Leftover lentil carrot soup can be refrigerated for 3-4 days in an airtight container.
Freezer - Soup can be frozen for 3 months. Portion them out using containers or souper cubes, so you only heat up what you need.
Reheating - Allow frozen soup to thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of water or broth to thin if the soup has thickened too much.
❔Commonly asked questions
Lentils, especially split red lentils, soften quickly. Hence, it is not necessary to presoak them before cooking.
The best substitute for red lentils is yellow lentils, as both cook and soften easily. Green or brown lentils can be used, but they will take longer to cook, up to 40 minutes.
Keep in mind that green and brown lentils have a firmer texture, so the soup will turn out chunkier or slightly grainy when blended.
📖 Recipe
Creamy Red Lentil Carrot Soup
Equipment
- Dutch oven or soup pot
- immersion blender or blender (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika or regular paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 large carrot diced
- 2 stalk celery diced
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup split red lentils rinsed and drained*
Instructions
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, and saute until translucent.1 medium yellow onion
- Add garlic and spices next and fry for a minute until fragrant.4 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- Now, add carrot and celery to the pan. Saute for 2-3 minutes.2 large carrot, 2 stalk celery
- Add broth and lentils to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, and lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook, covered, for 12-15 minutes or until the lentils are soft and mushy.1 cup split red lentils, 4 cups vegetable broth
- Cook, covered, for 12-15 minutes or until the lentils are soft and mushy.
- Blending (optional) - Blend the soup until smooth using an immersion blender or a high-speed blender. Give it a taste, seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve your red lentil carrot soup with chopped basil, chili flakes, or whatever else you fancy!
Notes
- Keep it chunky - For a chunkier soup, only blend half the soup. Or skip the blending altogether.
- Instant Pot version - Using the sauté function, fry your aromatics and vegetables. Add lentils and broth, then cook at high heat for 10 minutes. Release the pressure naturally, then blend before serving.
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Also get a FREE high-protein vegan recipe eBook + weekly new recipes! Unsubscribe anytime.
Nutrition
Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.
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