This spiced Vegan Red Lentil Soup is a warm, comforting meal that comes together in just 45 minutes. It’s full of flavor from ginger, garlic, and spices, with a luxuriously rich texture. It’s perfect with a squeeze of lemon to brighten things up!
Happy Monday! Hope you guys had a wonderful weekend :) I let myself take a weekend-work break (which doesn’t happen too often…even though I guess I am writing this on a Sunday) and it was so nice. I hope yours was equally relaxing and rejuvenating.
I’ve been long promising more savory recipes, and I’ve come through a few times, but I’ve definitely not gotten as many savory recipes on this site as I’d hoped. I’m actively working on changing that because I’ve chatted with you guys, gotten comments, and emails, and taken Insta polls, and you guys definitely want MORE healthy, easy, savory meals.
And I want to make you happy! I’m also actively working on upping my cooking skills. I’m a pretty good cook, but I feel much more comfortable developing dessert recipes than I do “real-food” recipes. I never want to give you a recipe I’m not stoked on, and I can be a bit of recipe perfectionist.
I promise, more are in the works though, and I’m v excited about some of the dinner recipes I’ve got in the pipeline. But first! Let’s start with this one because it’s a WINNER:
VEGAN RED LENTIL SOUP!
It’s so hearty, thick, and absolutely delicious. I’ve been eating bowls of it all week and I’m not sick of it yet. It’s filling, without being heavy, and rich without being too much. You can also blend half of it to make it a little more rich and luxurious, which is what I did or leave it be if you want it on the brothier side.
Even if you do leave it be though, it’s still hearty and stick-to-your-ribs good. It’s got a major flavor dose from fresh garlic and ginger, and a few key aromatic spices take the flavor to the next level – a hearty dose of turmeric, ginger powder, cumin, and garlic powder.
It doesn’t take too long to come together either. Most of the work is front-loaded, and then you’re just letting things simmer until the lentils are soft. A quick stirring in of some greens and a squeeze lemon finishes it off, and you’re ready to devour.
The Vegan Red Lentil Soup is hard to resist, and it makes the perfect standalone meal. You can make it even BETTER by serving with a hunk of bread or a side salad, but you don’t need them to make a meal. It’s hearty and filling enough to stand on its own. I hope you’ll give this one a try, and love it as much as I do. Off to have another bowl for dinner! :)
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Vegan Red Lentil Soup
This spiced Vegan Red Lentil Soup is a warm, comforting meal that comes together in just 45 minutes. It's full of flavor from ginger, garlic, and spices, with a luxuriously rich texture. It's perfect with a squeeze of lemon to brighten things up!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 large carrot diced
- 2 stalks of celery diced
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 (15 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cups red lentils sort and rinse before using
- 3 cups spinach or mix of greens I used a “power greens” blend of spinach, arugula and baby chard
- 1 lemon zest and juice
To garnish
- Lemon wedges
- Microgreens
Instructions
In a soup pot, heat the avocado or olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook for about 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent.
Add the garlic, grated ginger, cumin, turmeric, garlic powder, ginger powder, and salt, and stir to combine and coat all the veggies in the spices.
Let cook for 2 minutes, until fragrant, and then add the vegetable broth, water, tomatoes, and red lentils. Stir and bring to a boil, then turn down and let simmer for 30-40 minutes, until the red lentils are soft. Taste, and add more salt to your tastes if desired.
- If desired, puree half the soup to help make it creamier. You can also just leave it as is if you prefer a more broth-y soup. I pureed some of mine with an immersion blender.
- Stir in your greens and let them wilt, and then add in lemon juice and zest. Serve with more lemon if desired (I recommend), and garnish with some microgreens!
