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    You are here: Home » Soup Recipes » Jason’s Best Red Lentil Soup

    Jason’s Best Red Lentil Soup

    Last Modified: November 8, 2024

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe·5 from 3 reviews

    This very simple red lentil soup in one of my all-time favorites. We use split red lentils, fire-roasted red peppers, and a few simple pantry ingredients to make the most delicious homemade soup. Not only that, but it’s also very good for you! This soup is loaded with fiber, protein and fresh vegetables. No creams or thickeners are necessary.

    Recipe for Jason's best red lentil soup

    I love soup recipes. There’s just something so satisfying about making homemade soup and using fresh ingredients. And for a recipe such as this one, the soup can definitely be a meal. The fiber and protein will see to you feeling full.

    What are Red Lentils?

    Lentils are members of the legume family. A legume, basically, is a plant which produces pods. Lentils are sort of a cousin to the pea, especially the split pea, which shares a similar texture and appearance. Red lentils have a mild flavor which can be described as earthy with a subtle sweetness as well. They are excellent for cooking and wonderful in terms of nutrition. They are an excellent source of fiber, protein and potassium.

    Ingredients

    For this recipe, the red lentils are going to be the star of the show but will share some of the spotlight with fire roasted red peppers. Fire roasted red peppers commonly are found in jars at most supermarkets. They have a wonderful, deep flavor which really brings the natural flavor of the red lentils to life. And don’t worry, they’re not hot at all. They’re simply regular red peppers which have been roasted over a flame and have had the skin removed.

    All the ingredients to make Jason's red lentil soup.

    The foundation of our soup of is a traditional mirepoix which is simply sauteed onion, celery and carrots. We’ll add a little minced garlic, some turmeric, black pepper, zest of a lemon and fresh lemon juice. Again, none of these flavors overwhelm and all work so wonderfully together to give us a most vibrant and delicious soup.

    Of course, we’ll need a liquid base and I like to use a good chicken broth. Specifically, I really like a good chicken bone broth. It’s very full flavor and gives us a great foundation for the soup. But feel free to use any chicken broth or stock. You can also use vegetable broth to keep the recipe vegetarian or vegan.

    Preparation

    This homemade soup requires very minimal preparation. Chop up an onion, a couple of carrots and a few ribs of celery. Rinse the lentils and you’re ready to get cooking.

    Cooking the vegetables for Jason's red lentil soup recipe.

    You can use a large pot or Dutch oven. Place over medium heat on the stovetop and add the vegetable oil. When hot, add the onions, celery and carrots and sauté for about 5 minutes or until the onions become translucent. Then add the garlic and sauté for another 1 minute. Garlic can burn quickly so it only needs about a minute on the heat. Add all the remaining ingredients, stir well and bring to a boil. As soon as it reaches a boil, reduce the heat low and simmer, covered for 30 minutes.

    Simmering red lentil soup

    Blend to Desired Consistency

    Once the soup is done, it’s ready to be blended. The absolute best way to do this is with an immersion blender. If you don’t have one, it’s a simple to use, affordable appliance that is perfect for soups such as this. I usually blend the soup to a very creamy consistency. If there’s a few chunks of vegetables, that’s totally fine. In fact, it’s common to leave a portion of the soup out of the blending process, then add back in to give the soup some additional texture. If the soup is too thick, you can add some water to thin it out.

    Using an immersion blender while making red lentil soup.

    If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a standard blender, but be certain to let the soup cool first. You do NOT want the blend hot soup and it will build up pressure and can blow the top off of the blender. You can also use a food processor for this step.

    If you don’t have any kind of a blender, you can use a potato masher and just mash away. The lentils break apart easily and you’ll still get a very fine soup.

    Serving

    Your soup is now ready to serve! As with most soups, you can add any favorite toppings. I especially like to add some fresh chopped parsley. Other popular toppings for lentil soup include bacon bits, pepitas/pumpkin seeds (my favorite!), nuts, and watercress.

    Easy recipe for red lentil soup

    Freezing and Storage

    We love to enjoy this soup year round, and it’s also perfect for a meal later in the week as part of meal planning. This soup is excellent for freezing. Place the desired amount in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 4 months. It will also keep well in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

    Make it in an Instant Pot!

    Want to use your favorite electric pressure to make this great soup? No problem!

    1. Set Instant Pot to sauté mode and add oil. When hot, sauté carrots, celery and onion for 5 minutes. Add garlic and continue sauteeing for another 1 minute.
    2. Press cancel (to stop the saute mode). Add remaining ingredients, secure the lid (make sure the vent is in the sealed position), and pressure cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
    3. When pressure cooking cycle is complete, quick release the pressure, remove lid and blend with an immersion blender.
    Print

    Recipe

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    Jason’s Best Red Lentil Soup


    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    5 from 3 reviews

    • Author: RecipeTeacher
    • Total Time: 40 minutes
    • Yield: 6-8 servings
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    This amazing homemade soup features split red lentils, fire roasted red peppers and is loaded with wholesome goodness. Perfect for a meal any night of the week.


    Ingredients

    • 1 cup split red lentils, rinsed
    • 4 cups chicken broth
    • 1 medium onion, chopped
    • 2 medium carrots, diced
    • 2 celery stalks, diced
    • 1 clove (1tsp) minced garlic
    • 1.5 tbs olive oil
    • ½ cup fire roasted red peppers, diced
    • 1 tsp turmeric
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • Juice of 1 lemon (about 1 tbs)
    • Zest of 1 lemon
    • Salt to taste (about 1 tsp)
    • ½ tsp ground ginger (optional)

    Instructions

    1. Place olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
    2. Once oil is hot, add celery onion and carrots. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté an additional 1 minute.
    3. Add broth, red lentils, turmeric, pepper, fire roasted red peppers, lemon zest and lemon juice and salt (and ginger if using). Stir well.
    4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
    5. After 30 minutes, remove from heat and blend soup with an immersion blender to desired consistency.
    • Prep Time: 10 min
    • Cook Time: 30 min
    • Category: Soup
    • Method: Stovetop
    • Cuisine: American

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    Comments

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    1. Sandy says

      April 10, 2024 at 7:53 pm

      Love the simplicity of this soup and how healthy it is. I make this soup on a weekly basis!

      Reply
    2. Terry says

      November 07, 2023 at 10:09 am

      Great recipe! I sometimes use sweet potato instead of carrots

      Reply
    3. Carolyn says

      March 05, 2023 at 3:48 pm

      My husband and I loved this soup! It was rich and hearty and very filling. We did include bacon as a sprinkle on top and that extra burst of salty yumminess really enhanced it. What a great way to use red lentils.

      Reply
      • RecipeTeacher says

        March 05, 2023 at 8:44 pm

        Hi Carolyn. I so happy you liked this recipe!! We absolutely love it and have made it SO many times in just the past couple of months. It really is a great way to use red lentils. And yep… the bacon adds a great dimension to the flavors. Thanks so much for the feedback!

        Reply
    Jason of Recipeteacher.com

    Hi, I’m Jason and i’m here to help you make easy, delicious homemade recipes. My approach is to provide the easy-to-understand instructions, use simple ingredients, and have you make the best meals possible.

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