Red lentil soup
Lentils cook down into a thick, cheap, filling soup. Makes 4.
- Hands-on
- 15 min
- Total time
45 min, show breakdown
- Prep 10 min
- Cook 30 min
- Clean up 5 min
- Pans
- 1
- Ingredients
- 9
- Cost/serving
- $1.77
Per serving
- Calories
- 287
- Protein
- 15 g
- Fiber
- 8.8 g
- Net carbs
- 40 g
- Fat
- 5.4 g
High in (% Daily Value per serving): Vitamin A 38%, Iron 34%, Folate 32%, Thiamin (B1) 31%, Vitamin B6 27%, Zinc 21%
Whole recipe (): . Full nutrition facts, vitamins and minerals. All nutrition is estimated; check your own labels.
Everything else is scaled from this.
Nutrition per serving is the whole batch divided by this.
Already vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free.
Ingredients for 4
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You changed this recipe. Nutrition and cost include your changes. This combination hasn't been tested.
200 g red lentils, dry
Same amount as: 7 oz, about 1 cup.
- 1 medium onion (110 g)
- 2 medium carrots (120 g)
3 cloves garlic, smashed (9 g)
Same amount as: 3 tsp fresh minced garlic, 1½ tsp jarred minced garlic, ⅜ tsp garlic powder.
2 tsp ground cumin (4.2 g)
Same amount as: 10 mL.
½ can canned crushed tomatoes (397 g)
Same amount as: about 1¾ cups.
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (960 g)
Same amount as: 960 mL.
1 tbsp olive oil (14 g)
Same amount as: 15 mL.
2 tbsp lemon juice (30 g)
Same amount as: 30 mL, ¾ lemon squeezed from fresh lemons.
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
Use the menu next to each ingredient to skip it, halve it or add more. Nutrition updates as you go. The main ingredient changes with servings instead.
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Healthier swaps
Optional. Nutrition and cost update as you choose; the recipe was written with the original.
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Adds about 0 kcal per serving.
Quantities are for 4 servings. Keeps 4 days in the fridge or 3 months frozen.
Nutrition Facts
4 servings per recipe
Serving size 1 plate (461 g raw)
| Nutrient | Per serving | % DV* | Whole recipe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 287 | ||
| Total fat | 5.4 g | 7% | |
| Saturated fat | 0.7 g | 4% | |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% | |
| Sodium | 506 mg | 22% | |
| Total carbohydrate | 48 g | 18% | |
| Dietary fiber | 8.8 g | 31% | |
| Total sugars | 9.4 g | ||
| Net carbs† | 40 g | ||
| Protein | 15 g | 30% | |
| Vitamin D | 0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 101 mg | 8% | |
| Iron | 6.1 mg | 34% | |
| Potassium | 873 mg | 19% | |
| Vitamin A | 341 mcg | 38% | |
| Vitamin C | 17 mg | 19% | |
| Vitamin E | 2.2 mg | 15% | |
| Vitamin K | 12 mcg | 10% | |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.37 mg | 31% | |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.14 mg | 11% | |
| Niacin (B3) | 2.6 mg | 16% | |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.46 mg | 27% | |
| Folate | 130 mcg | 32% | |
| Vitamin B12 | 0 mcg | 0% | |
| Magnesium | 66 mg | 16% | |
| Zinc | 2.3 mg | 21% | |
| Selenium | 5.3 mcg | 10% |
Estimated, not verified. These numbers are calculated from typical ingredient data and haven't been checked against a lab or your brands. Check the labels of what you buy and confirm anything that matters to you, especially sodium, sugar and allergens.
* % Daily Value shows how much one serving adds to a 2,000-calorie day. † Net carbs is not on US labels; it is total carbs minus fiber, allulose, erythritol and half of other sugar alcohols. "To taste" amounts are counted as written. Counted items (eggs, cloves, spoons) use the rounded amount shown in the ingredient list. Vitamins and minerals are from raw ingredients; cooking lowers some, especially vitamin C and folate. How this is calculated.
Steps
Rinse the lentils in a sieve. Dice the onion and carrots. Mince the garlic.
Heat the oil in the pot on medium. Cook the onion and carrot, stirring now and then, for 6 minutes.
Done looks like: Onion soft and see-through. Add the garlic, cumin, lentils, tomatoes and broth. Turn the heat to high.
When it boils, turn it down so it bubbles gently. Cover with the lid slightly open. Simmer 20 minutes, stirring now and then.
Done looks like: Lentils have fallen apart and the soup is thick. Stir in the lemon juice. Taste, then add salt and pepper.
Equipment
Large pot or Dutch oven, 5 L (5 qt) $30–80
What to look for
- Heavy base so soups and chili do not scorch
- Lid that fits
Skip: Enameled cast iron is lovely but not needed. A heavy stainless pot works.
Chef's knife, 20 cm (8 in) $15–50
What to look for
- Comfortable handle that does not slip when wet
- Blade you can sharpen, or a cheap one you replace every few years
Skip: Knife blocks with 12 knives. A chef's knife and a small paring knife cover almost everything.
Cutting board $10–30
What to look for
- At least 30 × 40 cm (12 × 16 in), so food stays on it
- Wood or plastic; plastic goes in the dishwasher
Skip: Glass or stone boards. They dull knives fast.
What goes wrong
| What | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Lentils stuck and scorched | Heat too high, or not stirred. | Keep bubbles small and stir the bottom every 5 minutes. |
| Too thick | Lentils keep soaking up liquid, even in the fridge. | Add water ½ cup at a time when you reheat. |
| Flat taste | Needs salt and acid. | Add salt a pinch at a time and more lemon. |
Notes
Allergies: removing an allergen from the recipe does not remove it from your kitchen or from other products. Check labels for "may contain" warnings.