Creamy Carrot and Lentil Soup

Carrot and lentil soup, topped with pistachios, red onion, cilantro, and red pepper flakes, in a dark blue bowl.

5 from 1 vote

A cozy, nourishing, feel-good soup! Creamy Carrot and Lentil Soup is packed with fiber (20 grams per serving!), plus plant-protein. It's naturally gluten-free, vegetarian, dairy-free, and vegan.

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Total Time40

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Soup

Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern

Diet: Gluten Free, Low Fat, Vegan

Keyword: lentil soup

Diet: dairy free option, DASH, Gluten Free, MIND Diet, Vegan Option, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 290kcal

Author: EA Stewart, RD

Equipment

1 Blender
1 Dutch oven

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup finely chopped red onion divided
1 1/2 pounds carrots chopped well in a food processor or by hand
2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground corriander
3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper or to taste
1 1/2 cups dried red lentils rinsed and drained
6 cups vegetable broth
2 1/2 lemons divided
Chopped cilantro, yogurt (regular or plant-based), chopped pistachio nuts, red pepper flakes optional for serving

Instructions

Heat a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, 3/4 cup of the chopped onion, and the chopped carrots. Sauté for 5 minutes to soften the vegetables.
Stir in the spices-cumin, coriander, and cinnamon-along with salt and pepper. Sauté for 1 minute.
Add the rinsed, drained dry lentils to the pot along with the vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and cover the pot. Cook for ~ 20 minutes or until the lentils soften.
Carefully transfer the soup to a blender in batches. Cover the blender with a lid, and blend until smooth. Alternatively, blend the soup in your pot with an immersion blender.
Stir in the lemon juice and additional salt if desired.
Divide the soup into 6 serving bowls. Serve with lemon wedges, extra chopped onions, and any additional toppings as desired.

Notes

Recipe Testing Notes

This red lentil soup is pretty darn thick, and it gets even thicker as leftovers-almost like a refried bean consistency. If you prefer it thinner, just add more vegetable broth. I also added extra spices after thinning it out.
You can also add coconut milk, either low-fat or regular, to thin the soup if you want. I tried it with low-fat coconut milk, and while it tasted good, I prefer the version without it.
And don’t forget to add all the toppings!

Serving Ideas & Storage

Serve it with a big leafy salad and olive oil and lemon dressing.
Try it with gluten-free sourdough or seed crackers. Or, serve it with my favorite Brazilian Cheese Bread—it’s so good!
Store leftover soup in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months. Add more vegetable broth when reheating to thin the soup out. See recipe testing notes below.

Nutrition