One-Pot Lemon Lentil Soup Recipe (Vegan + Gluten-Free)
Inside: Get an easy lemon lentil soup recipe, made in one pot with inexpensive pantry staples. This makes a tasty meatless meal!
Featured Review
“Made this last night and the family LOVED it.”
I didn’t think I liked lentils until I had this soup at a friend’s house.
As a former picky eater, I’d never tried lentils before. Then I had this tasty soup and asked for the recipe.
I love that this lemony lentil soup is inexpensive, uses staples I can keep in my pantry, and requires only about ten minutes of hands-on prep.
This recipe also makes enough for two meals–so you can have leftovers or freeze half for another night.
Ingredients You Need
- Olive oil
- Onions: I puree them through my mini food-chopper until they’re smooth
- Dry red lentils
- Brown rice: You can also use bulgur (but it won’t be gluten-free if you use bulgur, which is wheat)
- Tomato paste
- Vegetable stock
- Paprick
- Cayenne pepper
- Fresh lemon juice
How to Make Lemon Lentil Soup
Finely chop the onions (or put them through a mini chopper or food processor to nearly puree them–that’s our personal preference).
Heat olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat on the stove top. Add the onions and sauté for a few minutes until they soften.
Rinse the lentils, then add to the saucepan, along with the brown rice, tomato paste, and paprika. Stir to combine.
Add the vegetable broth, stir well. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook about an hour, stirring occasionally.
Squeeze the juice of two lemons into the soup and add several shakes of cayenne pepper. Taste and add more lemon juice or cayenne to taste. You can garnish with another sprinkle of paprika, some lemon zest, or fresh parsley.
Questions About Red Lentil Soup
Why do I need to rinse the lentils?
Rinsing lentils helps remove any dust or debris that might be on them.
Are lentils healthy?
Yes! Lentils are a great source of plant-based protein. They’re also rich in fiber and iron. Beyond the health benefits, lentils are also a sustainable food because they need minimal water to grow. Plus, they’re a nitrogen-fixing crop, which means they turn nitrogen in the air into a nutrient in the soil. That cuts back on the need for fertilizer.
Can I use a different type of lentil?
There are several varieties, including brown lentil and green lentils. But I like red lentils for this soup because they get very soft and almost dissolve. So if you have picky eaters at your table who may be iffy on lentils, they’re a great way to introduce lentils.
How do I store leftovers?
Cool soup a bit, then pour into an airtight container and keep in the fridge. Enjoy the leftovers within 3-5 days. This soup also freezes well.
Can I make this in the Instant Pot or other pressure cooker?
Yes! I’ve made this soup in my Instant Pot. Follow the same directions, just reduce the amount of vegetable stock by one cup. Cook at high pressure for 20 minutes and allow for a natural pressure release.
What can I serve with lentil soup?
This soup is great with a piece of crusty bread (such as this No-Knead Bread) and a green salad.
Do you have other lentil recipes?
Yes I do–Lentil Chocolate Chip Cookies!
How do I store leftover lentils?
You can store dry lentils up to a year in the pantry.
One-Pot Lemon Lentil Soup
This simple, hearty soup is gluten-free, vegan, and has a bright lemony flavor.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 onions, finely chopped*
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
- 1/2 cup brown rice**
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 8 cups vegetable stock
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 lemons, juiced
Instructions
- Saute onions in olive oil.
- Add paprika, lentils, brown rice, and tomato paste. Stir well.
- Add stock, stir, and cook about an hour over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
- Squeeze lemon juice into soup, add a few shakes of cayenne pepper (to taste). Serve.
Notes
*I puree them in a mini food-chopper until they're smooth
**You can also use bulgur (but the soup will not be gluten-free)
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 ServingAmount Per Serving: Calories: 181Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 973mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 4gSugar: 5gProtein: 5g
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can’t wait to try both of these!!
Thanks Lindsay. Let me know how it goes!
Hi Sally, I am also a “recovering picky eater” with an aversion to beans and lentils! I’ve written about this on my blog, too…lentil soup is SUCH a great “gateway” dish to legumes…other successes for me have been garbanzo burgers and falafel, and I have also found I can deal with pinto beans if they are mashed up in taco meat :). Btw, found your blog through links to your soccer snacks posts as I begin to take on the food issues my daughter’s preschool…thanks for the inspiration and confirmation that I’m not the only crazy one out there that doesn’t see why kids need to eat junk every day!
Thanks Alissa! I like the idea of mashing up pinto beans–I can totally do mashed up beans (like hummus and falafel), it’s the whole-bean texture I have issues with. Would love to hear more about what you’re doing at your daughter’s preschool!
Hi Sally, so far I’m pretty much running into brick walls at my daughter’s school đŸ™‚ Only positive change is eliminating flavored yogurt and yogurt drinks as a snack option for the weekly shabbat celebration, but I didn’t even succeed when requesting that teachers can’t bring in cupcakes for their OWN birthdays (nevermind all the cupcakes the kids bring in). If you have any advice I am totally open – my oldest just turned 3 so I’m a newbie at all this stuff!
Made this last night and the family LOVED it. (It was easy too!)
Thanks
Dina
So glad to hear it! It’s become one of our favorites (though Sam is still not sold…huge shocker, I know). đŸ™‚
Yum! I can’t wait to make these!
Is there a recipe for the bread as well?
Sorry Angela–there used to be, but I’m doing it as a separate post this week with a more detailed recipe and better photos. Stay tuned! It’s a keeper.
Could I sub barley or farro for the bulgur? Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Hi Sarah–I’m sure you could sub in your favorite grain. I have done brown rice when I’m out of bulgur and it’s been great.
Sally, I made this soup tonight and it was a big hit with my family, which includes three picky eaters, one vegan and two dairy-allergy sufferers. When I told the kids that they were to squeeze the lemon slice into the soup, my 10-year-old said, “Well, this is fun!” Much lemon-eating hilarity followed — good thing I had extra. đŸ™‚ I think the lemon novelty helped set them up to like the soup — they raved about it. Thanks for a great addition to our recipe rotation! You also might want to tag this recipe as vegan/dairy free.
Jess–that’s great to hear! So glad it was a hit. Love the lemon squeezing antics. Thanks for letting me know. đŸ™‚
Sally, I just wanted to let you know that I made it with the barley substitute, and it was so yummy! This is definitely joining the dinner rotation list. Thanks for the great recipe!
Thanks for letting me know Sarah! I’ll have to try that version too. I usually have barley on hand because we also like beef barley soup.
I grew up eating meat and beans. But I was always slightly averse to beans…until..I became a vegetarian. Then suddenly, stuck, I grew to love them AND ethnic cuisine like Mexican (which I hated before) and Indian, etc. I’m no longer a pure vegetarian, but I still love beans đŸ™‚
Have you tried freezing this? My friends and I are doing a vegetarian soup exchange and this would be perfect if it can be frozen.
Yes–many times. Turns out great.
for those of you meat eaters who want to incorporate lentils in your diet, trying preparing your favorite beef stew and add 1 or 2 handful to it and let them cook together (I use a pressure cooker or a slow cooker). The lentils will taste like the stew :). Little by little (like every 2 weeks) add more of the lentils and a little less of meat. That was the way to train my family and the kids did not notice the transition from a lot of meat to just a little. For some family the success is that the lentils don’t taste like lentils. If you don’t eat meat skip this post.
Great tip, Silvia. Thanks!
I’ve been meaning to tell you how much my family loves this soup. It’s by far the easiest dinner to make. The second time I made it I added diced carrots and they were a great addition. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Jennifer–thank you so much for letting me know! I really like the diced carrot idea.
I know this is an old post so I’m hoping you’ll still respond! Why does it call for cooking for an hour when red lentils cook in 15-20 minutes and split lentils in half that time? I’m trying to make this in my pressure cooker and can’t figure out how to convert it without understanding why it cooks for so long. Thanks!
Hi Jen–I’m assuming the longer cooking time just allows the flavors to blend, and that you could remove it from the heat as soon as the lentils and the bulgur are tender.
Going to try this with quick cook bulgur and red split lentils… assume I should just cut the cooking time til tender? Have never prepared bulgur and it’s been awhile with any lentils. Thanks…
Yes you could just cook until lentils and bulgur are soft. Hope you like it!
Have you ever tried putting this in the crockpot?
I haven’t yet, sorry.
This is such a great soup! And the recipe is so flexible! I’ve used all.different grains in lieu of bulgar, and I have made it in both the crock pot and instant pot and it’s turned out great each and every time. It also freezes well. My whole family loves it! The lemon is key, dont leave.it out!
So glad you like it!!!
Hi Sally,
Have you made this recipe with rice or quinoa when you don’t have bulgur on hand?
I have not. I would think they would work, you just may have to adjust cooking time.
I’ve been making this soup for several years now – I have probably made it a half dozen times or more. Like a previous commenter, I also like to add several chopped carrots. I just made it today for our New Year’s Day dinner – delicious!
Carrots are a great addition–thanks for letting me know!