This easy red lentil soup recipe comes together in 15 minutes. Add a touch of cream, greek yogurt or coconut milk (for vegan red lentil soup) and you have a satisfying, easy soup in no time. Serve with crusty bread or over brown rice.
We’ve all had gloopy lentil soup before and hate it! So make sure you dont over cook the lentils. They should be cooked through, but still holding their shape. Their texture and taste is so much better when you dont over cook lentils and make them mushy.
The ingredients are simple for this fuss free soup – carrot, celery, garlic, onion, and red lentils. Then you add a pinch of paprika for heat, if you like, and a little drizzle of cream, greek yogurt or coconutmilk for creaminess. Thats it!
I used masoor dal from the Indian store, which is usually cheaper than other local brands of split red lentils. If you dont have an Indian store near you, Bob’s Red Mill brand red lentils are great.
More lentil soup recipes
Alton Brown’s Lentil Soup recipe with cumin
Giada De Laurentiis Lentil Soup recipe with pasta
Lentil soup recipe from 101 cook books using beluga lentils
Lentil soup recipe with Cajun flavors on Food Mayhem
Red lentil soup recipe with curry on New York Times
Red lentil soup recipe by Aarti Sequeira
Red lentil soup recipe with sumac on eCurry
Cream of red lentil soup Recipe
serves 2 as a main dish
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 carrot, peeled and chopped finely (about 1/2 cup)
1 celery rib, chopped finely (about 1/2 cup)
1 small onion, chopped finely (about 1/2 cup)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 cup dry split red lentils (either Bob’s red mill red lentils or masoor dal from Indian store)
1/2 teaspoon paprika or to taste, optional
salt
2 tablespoons heavy cream or greek yogurt or coconut milk for vegans
For garnish – chopped cilantro or parsley or dill
Heat olive oil in a pan. Add the carrot, celery, onion and garlic. Stir on low heat for about 3 minutes, or till the vegetables are soft. Dont let them brown.
Add the red lentils to the vegetables, and stir for about 1 minutes. Add paprika, salt and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to low, place a lid on the pan, and simmer for 10 minutes or till the lentils are cooked but still holding their shape. Dont let the lentils get mushy. Add more water during cooking, if needed.
When the soup is done, stir in your choice of heavy cream or greek yogurt or coconut milk and turn off heat.
Serve hot, garnished with chopped cilantro, or parsley or dill. Drizzle more cream or yogurt or coconut milk – whichever you are using - over the soup if desired.
