Weeknight · One pot · About 45 minutes

Red Lentil Soup

Name: Red Lentil Soup
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 45 ml olive oil; 1 large onion; 2 garlic cloves; 1 tbsp tomato paste; 1 tsp ground cumin; ¼ tsp salt; ¼ tsp black pepper; pinch chili powder or cayenne; 950 ml vegetable broth; 200 g red lentils; 1 large carrot; ½ lemon; 3 tbsp fresh cilantro

The weeknight lentil soup worth keeping — onions and tomato paste bloomed with cumin, red lentils simmered soft, half blended for creaminess, and lemon to lift it all. Vegan, one pot, freezer-friendly.

~45 min total 10 min prep 30 min simmer

Effort ●○○○ Time ●●○○ Anytime

VeganGluten-Free

Servingsamounts scale to match

Units

Ingredients

Bloom the tomato paste and spices, then purée just half. Frying the tomato paste, cumin, and chili with the onion deepens the whole pot. After the lentils are soft, blend only half so the soup is creamy but still has some texture. Finish with lemon — it wakes the whole thing up.

Easier, if you like

Pre-diced onion and a bag of matchstick carrots cut the prep to a few minutes.
It's a true one-pot — and it freezes well, so make a double batch.

Method

Cook's notes

Red lentils need no soaking and cook in about 30 minutes, breaking down into a natural creaminess.

Blend only half for the best texture — creamy but still a little chunky. Skip blending for a brothier soup.

Lemon at the end is essential — it lifts the earthy lentils. A drizzle of olive oil and a dusting of chili on top is the classic finish.

Vegetable broth keeps it vegan; chicken broth adds body if that's what you have.

Already vegan and gluten-free

Vegan: use vegetable broth (the default here). Heartier: stir in a handful of spinach at the end, or top with yogurt (non-vegan).