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I made this at 8 AM after reading the recipe. It’s is absolutely delicious! The combination of coconut milk and Paprika makes it taste much more decadent than it is.
Jennifer
Yes, we are here! Our kitchens are full of warm smells, pots are simmering, the mirepoix is chopped, our aprons are splattered, and we are full-on soup fiends right now. The list of soup-joys is long, but hearty, scoopable, rich, creamy vegan bowl-hug? TOP O’ THE LIST, PALS.
This soup is ultra creamy and super smoky, full of vegetables, vegan, gluten-free, and the perfect blend between chunky and smooth with those little red lentils that just gently melt into soupy deliciousness. The final squeeze of lemon juice wakes everything up, and the honey is the perfect subtle sweet finish that you didn’t even know you needed. It begs to be dunked and dunked again with all kinds of breads, crackers, and flatbreads. So much flavor, so much nutrition, so many good feelings all around.
Don’t get us wrong here, we love a soup with a good bacony start like this one or yummy Italian sausage bits (stay tuned!), but this one boasts big, big flavors while still being totally plant-based.
In This Post: Everything You Need For Red Lentil Soup
- VIDEO for Making This Lentil Soup
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- The Different Types of Lentils
- How to Make This Recipe
- What to Serve with Lentil Soup
- Frequently Asked Questions About This Recipe
Prefer To Watch Instead Of Read?
Ingredients In This Red Lentil Soup
The best part of this recipe is that it comes together almost entirely from your pantry, making for an easy, simple, cozy weeknight dinner.
Here’s what we’re working with:
- Veggies (onion, carrots, celery, spinach)
- Spices (garlic, smoked paprike, cumin, turmeric)
- Lentils
- Vegetable broth
- Coconut milk
- Lemon to finish it all off
The Different Types Of Lentils
We love lentils! I mean, obviously we do.
But what’s the deal with all the different types? Red, green, brown, French, black, huh?
Here’s a quick breakdown and why red works so nicely here:
- Red Lentils: The fastest-cooking lentils of them all! As you can see in this recipe, and this Instant Pot Cauliflower Curry, the lentils almost dissolve into the rest of the ingredients – leaving a perfectly textured soup. ❤️
- Brown Lentils: The most common type – essentially, if it’s not specified what lentil you should use in a recipe, this is probably it! Super tender but hold their shape, making them perfect for these Red Curry Lentils and this Lentil Greek Salad with Dill Sauce.
- Green Lentils: Very similar to brown lentils, but a little earthier and take a little longer to cook. These are also ideal for salads!
- French Lentils: Essentially green lentils, but a little smaller!
- Black Lentils: Another similar one to green or brown with a striking black color. We love them in this Perfect Baked Salmon with Lentils and Lemon Herb Sauce.
How To Make This Delicious Red Lentil Soup
Okay, so this is actually a pretty straightforward soup party. There’s the classic carrot/onion/celery trio who always show up early, then the garlic, cumin, and turmeric come in with a special guest – a clomp of beautiful smoked paprika. Once your cutie little red lentils join, the simmering does all the work and you get to quietly ghost away to your couch (or maybe stay and dance around if you’re a party person).
To make it happen:
- Build your smoky rich veg and spice base.
- Add your lentils and broth.
- Simmer away and enjoy all the cozy house smells.
- Pile in a couple handfuls of fresh spinach and coconut milk for creaminess.
- Finish with onion powder, garlic powder, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a honey drizzle (optional).
Fresh spinach and yummy dreamy coconut milk are always welcome on the guest list, but it’s really those party favors at the end that clinch it (are we going too far with this party analogy? possibly.) The onion and garlic powder add just a hint more concentrated flavor, and then you get that bit of acid from the lemon juice cutting through the richness.
Of course, if you’re going for a totally vegan get-together (okay, we’re done now), you’ll have to leave this out, but that honey drizzle at the end is such a unique surprise.
“I’m sorry, drizzle honey into my SOUP?!” you say. And yes. Yes, that is what we’re saying. The tiniest hint of sweetness to cap off this smoky soiree (whoops, did it again) is a real *chef’s kiss* moment.
What To Serve With Lentil Soup
This soup is so cozy and filling that it really doesn’t need anything else, BUT listen, it is also so extremely dippable! Thanks to the lentils it really thickens up making it IDEAL for soup dips.
- Crispy Socca that’s (also) gluten-free, crispy, and just…so good.
- No Knead Bread for a quick but elevated rip and dip situation
- Storebought naan or flatbread for ease.
- Simple Green Salad for something fresh.
- Chopped Greek Salad for a little step up!
A Deliciously Vegan Protein Powerhouse
There’s just so much to love about this one. So nutritious and satisfying thanks to the piles of veg and the nutrient-dense, full of good-for-you, powerhouse lentils.
It tastes like it should have taken hours to make with the complexity of the smoky spice, the tinge of coconut in the background, but it really comes together so easily. Creamy rich while being completely vegan (if you omit the honey, of course) and it will keep you filled up in belly and heart all the day through.
The deep richness from the spices, the creamy coconut milk finish, and the serious meatiness of the never-let-you-down lentils make this one not to be missed. Yes please forever.
Hello fall, we’re so very ready for you. ❤️
Red Lentil Soup: FAQs
Different types of lentils cook differently, so we’d really recommend red lentils in this case for the right texture. They’re just so good!
Sauté your carrots, celery, and onions in the Instant Pot with a little bit of olive oil. Add in your garlic and spices and cook for an additional minute or two. Add in the broth and lentils and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes with a quick release when the soup finishes. Stir in the coconut milk, chopped spinach, salt, and lemon juice to finish.
Add onion, carrots, celery, garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, turmeric, red lentils, and vegetable broth to a slow cooker, and cook on high for 4 hours. Stir in the coconut milk, chopped spinach, salt, and lemon juice to finish.
Chicken would be delicious! Just cook it in with everything else and then shred. And beans or crispy tofu bits would be delicious to keep things vegan-friendly!
Absolutely! Just freeze in a freezer-safe bag or container.
Source notes: This recipe was inspired by a smoky red lentil soup our friends Alex and Sonja and their veg-friendly cookbook called Pretty Simple Cooking (affiliate link). I left out the balsamic, upped the amount of lentils, and added some extra finishers because this is just how I live my life, but the base of this soup came from their very lovely recipe.
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Smoky Red Lentil Soup with Spinach
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
This Smoky Lentil Soup is ultra creamy and totally vegan! Packed to the brim with veggies, red lentils, coconut milk, and lots of spices, it’s a total win for the coziest months of the year!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- half of an onion, minced
- 2 carrots, peeled and minced
- 2 stalks celery, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 1/2 cups red lentils, rinsed
- 5 cups vegetable broth
- one 14-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
- 1–2 cups of fresh spinach, chopped
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt (more or less to taste)
- juice of one lemon
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons honey to taste (optional)
For serving (optional):
- 6 pieces of flatbread, naan, or crispy socca for dipping
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery; sauté until softened, about 5-10 minutes.
- Add the garlic, spices, and lentils. Stir to combine and let it stay on the heat for just a minute to get the garlic smelling really good.
- Add the broth. Bring to a simmer; place lid partially on the pot and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice during cooking time.
- Add coconut milk, spinach, salt, lemon juice, and season to taste. (I like a little drizzle of honey, and a couple shakes of garlic powder, onion powder, and cranks of freshly ground black pepper.)
- Serve with socca or some other flatbread for dipping and dunking. Wholesome, colorful, and SO yummy!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: lentil soup, vegan soup, red lentil soup
More Delicious Lentil Recipes
- Red Curry Lentils (perfect for cozy szn)
- The Best Detox Crockpot Lentil Soup (one of our most-loved recipes on Pinch of Yum!)
- Simple 5 Ingredient Baked Falafel (super easy to make!)
- Instant Pot Cauliflower Curry (throw it all in the Instant Pot and done)
Time To Show You Off!
One More Thing!
This recipe is part of our collection of luscious coconut milk recipes. Check it out!
Made this exactly as suggested and it is AMAZING! New soup in the fall/winter rotation. Well done! Needs more salt than I used, but I added when it was in the bowl, ha ha. Really great soup! Thank you!
Can you make the smoky red lentil soup with spinach in a soup maker? If so, what setting do you recommend? Thanks.
Delicious and easy!
I’d love to make this! Would it be ok to leave the spinach out and add potato and/or zucchini?
Thank you
M
diced zucchini would be good!
Looks great. I’ll have to give this a try. But, does the sodium per serving seem high? Is the 2 teaspoons causing it to be over 50% of our daily intake? Any way to reduce that?
Yum. Made this for lunch with zero changes to the recipe. Then had it for dinner that same day. And for dinner the next! Be sure to use fresh lemon juice. So delicious!!
I made this recipe today, I had some green lentils I had on hand, and just cooked the soup for a little longer. I used a bagged soup veggie mix that had carrots, celery, onion, turnips, and leeks, and the soup is very good. I will be making this again.
Excellent meal. Great recipe. I ran low on smoked paprika and used ancho chili which added spice to the smoke. Thank you!
Really good. Thank you
I made this for a soup exchange, and it was a huge hit! A friend said it was her favorite of all the soups at the exchange. I’ve now made this several times, and it will be in my regular rotation. My one alteration is to add a bay leaf or two, and occasionally I’ll add an extra clove of garlic.
So delicious and so easy! I made this a year ago and revisited it today. Wish I would have made it again sooner. Can easily add some chicken into it if you want more protein. I also did 6 cups broth.
This was very good. I was trying to use what I had on hand and not go to the store. I doubled the cumin/turmeric amounts plus one more clove of garlic. I did not add garlic powder/onion powder at end. I didn’t have any spinach on hand, but I did have a bit of arugula in the frig and some baby chard from the winter garden so used those. Served with some leftover jalapeno/cheese focaccia bread.
I wanted to love this soup, but found it lacked depth of flavor. Good taste on the surface, but nothing developed or lingered on the palate. It was bewildering trying to supply what was missing; herbs & salt were not the answer. Tomorrow I’ll try adding some red curry paste (mentioned by another reviewer) and see if it helps. With such great ingredients, this should be a clear winner…
I don’t know that anyone will ever see this, given that comments are in oldest –>newest order. I did add Maesri Panang Curry paste, and it utterly transformed this soup! It now has the complex warm, spicy, and savory notes it needed. From meh to moreish!
That said: if you use evaporated milk or half & half instead of coconut milk, you could find the soup perfect as is . But I felt the coconut milk flavor demanded a curry presence, and LOVED the result.
Taste is subjective, so my experience may not be yours!
I am on a low potassium diet, but I made this soup anyway. Truly enjoyed the soup. Loved the veggies, the color, the spices.
Oops! I forgot to add a rating! LOVED this soup!
I rarely leave comments on recipes, but this soup was so spectacular! I skipped the honey to make it vegan but followed the rest of the recipe to the letter. When I make a batch of soup, I always have leftovers. Not this time! I ate the entire batch myself! Thank you for a new favorite soup recipe!
Amazing! Absolutely delicious and so simple to make.
Should I double this for a party with about 20-30 adults? It won’t be the main course.
This was so delicious and such a comfort meal! I love how the smoked paprika, coconut cream and lemon balance and compliment each other. I followed the recipe except I used chicken broth instead of vegetable since that’s what I had. I will definitely make this again.
Looking forward to trying. Do you think adding a little Red Thai curry paste would work well with the flavors?
Definitely!
Do you think butternut squash could be added in?
Yes! Diced small.
Can yellow lentils be substituted for red? If so is that true for any recipe that calls for red? Are they interchangeable?
Hi! I actually have yellow lentils in my pantry. They are quick cooking! I may substitute here and see how it goes?
I just made this Smoky Red Lentil Soup with Spinach, and it turned out amazing! The flavors are so rich and comforting. I love how easy it was to prepare too. This recipe is definitely going into my regular rotation. Thank you for sharing!
I made this for the first time and really enjoyed it! The cook time was about 10 minutes longer than scoped (I used green lentils because I couldn’t find red at the store). Loved how nutritious and hearty this soup was, and I thought it was even better the next day. I have several friends who are pregnant (some with dairy restrictions) so I am planning to make a big batch to bring to them once the babies arrive. The naan was also delicious. I love naan.
If making in the instant pot using green lentils, would you adjust the cook time at all? Thanks!