Easy Lentil Soup

This is a great basic recipe for lentil soup, and much appreciation to the poster for sharing it. As with almost any recipe, I started with the original recipe, then tweaked it to our tastes. The original recipe is decent, and a great base, but for us it was too bland. However, with the changes, it was one of the best lentil soups I’ve ever had. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined my husband saying lentil soup was “delicious,” but here we are. What I did differently: Sauteed the whole chopped onion with the garlic in a little EVOO before adding everything else. Used the entire 6oz can of tomato paste. Used more cumin, as well as some salt, pepper, curry powder, and a dash of coriander. A small dash of hot chili sauce. Added a bag of frozen peas & carrots. And, what probably made it so good, I added a stick of butter. Yes. Made this totally unhealthy, but SO good. After bringing to a boil, I let it simmer for about an hour. Served with some warm rolls.

I improvised with what I had on hand, replacing some of the broth with tomato sauce since I didn’t have paste. I also sautéed the onions and garlic with whole cumin seeds, then added more ground cumin later. I looked at other recipes for seasoning suggestions and added bay leaves, parsley and paprika. I added sliced carrots, as well. It made a hearty soup that tasted good on a chilly spring night.

This was a great template for me. Modifications: Soaked lentils for ~2 hours in Spring Water, rinsed Added lentils to crock pot 1 quart Vegetarian Broth 2 Cups Spring water doubled the cumin dried oregano carrot celery chopped jalepeno small tin of tomato paste (used the whole thing) Served like a chili with green onions as a garnish Greek yogurt/cheese/salsa/avocado

I love this soup! Made a a double batch. The cumin really kicks it up and is delicious I added a cup diced carrots. I used 2 qts vegetable broth and 2 qts vegetable stock . I will chop up spinach and add to the bowl for color and nutrition. I do add a squeeze of lemon just before serving. 🙂

This was amazing! My son and husband are the pickiest eaters I know, and they both loved this. I cooked this in my instant pot with two chicken breasts cut into cubes. This was so cheap, relatively healthy, and EASY. This will definitely be a staple in my house from now on. Next time I think I may add some chopped kale.

Excellent base recipe. I used all the same ingredients, but changed the method. I chose t saute the onions, garlic, and cumin in olive oil first until onions were opaque. Then I added lentils, tomato paste (or sauce) and chicken broth. I’ve also added carrots, or celery or both. This is a “go to” soup for my house.

I really liked this soup. Very hearty and filling. I added some carrots, basil, black pepper, and an extra clove of garlic.

I’ve made it a few times “as is” and it’s great. This last time I added sliced carrots, one yellow pepper and added fresh parsley as a garnish. The lentils I used were red lentils. Very yummy.

This was really good. I added a 10 ounce can or diced tomatoes with green chiles. I will make this again soon and put some in the freezer.

I, just like everyone else, took this recipe and made some additions. I added 4 garlic cloves and 1/2 a white onion. I sautéed them with 2 small bay leaves. I added 3 carrots, 1 large potato, I added 1 small can of tomato paste and 1 can of salt free tomato sauce. I added 1 packet of Goya Sazon (for the rich red color) and 1 tbs of Sofrito (green pepper, onion, garlic, cilantro paste) I added 1 tbs oregano, garlic powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Seems like a lot, but it is delicious! It’s very savory and thick and hearty. Perfect with a crusty baguette!

I added some carrot and celery, as well as some curry, turmeric, and cayenne pepper. It was awesome!

I love lentil soup, but never had it with curry powder. This is a delicious recipe. I made it just as the recipe calls for, and my family loved it!

I made this with Pace salsa instead of tomato paste, and I also added some chili powder. Oh yeah and I browned the garlic and onion in the saucepan before adding the rest of the ingredients and simmering to make soup. Yum!! Very easy and simple to make with ingredients I usually have on hand!!

This is such a great recipe, I have been making it as written for the past year. The only tweaks I recently discovered that add a lot of flavor: use vegetable broth instead of chicken, add 2 dashes of salt, and 3-4 cloves of garlic. Just can’t beat the health benefits, affordability, and flavor all rolled up into one!

I made this but added celery and carrots to it.. Other than that it was a great soup for a cold day!

Delicious! A really great basic lentil soup recipe that can be easily altered to suit personal tastes! I added more garlic, sauteed it with the onion, used a whole 6oz can of tomato paste, and added 2tbsp of a salt-free multipurpose seasoning I had on hand. I also didn’t have broth on hand, so I used water + butter and it came out wonderfully. I will definitely be making this again. Next time, I’m thinking coconut milk and curry seasoning… 😀

good – used it over rice but it could have used some heat or some other nuance flavoring to make it great. I’ll experiment with it some more

My husband and I love putting in sliced Nathan beef dogs.

I make this recipe every cold season. I absolutely love this soup. the only thing I do to tweak it is I add sausage to it for extra flavor. The next day, after its had time to sit and is really thick I put the soup over rice. Amazing! And it’s super easy to make.

The basic soup recipe is really good. But I too added a few of my own things to give it more flavor. I added a little cilantro and shredded cheese on top before serving. You could also add a dollop of sour cream think that would be good. But I hate having to come up with good lunch meals. This is a cheap, easy alternative. I will add a small salad and will be a complete meal.

I’ve been making this for years now! I always use the whole can of tomato paste (because what would you do with the paste that remains??), add chopped carrots, and add whatever greens i have on hand (spinach, kale, etc.). This soup freezes great, so I always make a giant batch and stock my freezer with several containers of it for the future.