Vegan Red Lentil Soup (Gluten-Free + Easy to Make)

Two bowls of Vegan Red Lentil Soup topped with microgreens and lemon, with a striped napkin. Also a pot of healthy lentil soup next to the bowls!

Vegan Red Lentil Soup (Gluten-Free + Easy to Make)

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!

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American, Indian

Keyword creamy soup, healthy soup, red lentils, vegan red lentil soup

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings servings

Calories 238kcal

Author Rachel Conners

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
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 (15 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
1½ 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.
2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil, 1 small onion, 1 large carrot, 2 stalks of celery
Add the garlic, grated ginger, cumin, turmeric, garlic powder, ginger powder, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine and coat all the veggies in the spices.
4 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon ginger powder, 1 teaspoon salt, Freshly ground black pepper
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.
4 cups vegetable broth, 2 cups water, 1 (15 oz.) can crushed tomatoes, 1½ cups red lentils
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!
3 cups spinach or mix of greens, 1 lemon, Lemon wedges, Microgreens

Notes

If you want to prep this recipe ahead of time:

You can keep it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

To make and freeze:

This soup freezes fantastically! I like putting it into individual airtight containers or zip-top bags and then freezing. That way, you can also defrost in individual portions for a quick meal!

More topping options

If you want to take this soup to the next level, you can also add other toppings, like a spoonful of yogurt or coconut yogurt for creaminess, or a dukkah blend for extra crunch and spice.

Nutrition