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This Vegan Red Lentil Recipe is the BEST quick and easy meal you'll ever make! You don't have an idea for today's lunch or dinner? This delicious recipe is just for you. It's super simple to make in just 25 minutes in 1 Pot, yet so incredibly healthy and filling! Plus, it's so creamy and indulgent made with few wholesome ingredients. You'll definitely love this cheap-and-easy plant-based meal!
I find that having certain common food staples in our pantry or fridge saves us when we have no idea or much time to cook some long preparation and exciting meals. That is why I always have in store a couple of jars full of whole plant-based pantry staples like lentils, chickpeas, beans, buckwheat groats, millet seeds, or oats.
Healthy Ingredients for this Hearty Red Lentil Soup
- Red lentils
- Spring onions
- Garlic
- Carrot
- Dried tomatoes
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Spices of choice: salt, ground cumin, freshly ground black pepper, turmeric powder, paprika powder
Time needed: 25 minutes
How do you make a vegan red lentil soup recipe from scratch?
Red lentils are perfect for weeknights, or whenever you're in a hurry to get a meal for your family. This creamy vegan red lentil meal is a fast, tasty, and cheap way to make food in bulk. It's full of flavor, packed with plant-based protein, and low in calories. Perfect, right?
- Sauté the vegetables
First, thoroughly rinse lentils in a fine-mesh strainer and set aside. Dice up your onions, garlic, and carrot. Heat a large pot over medium heat adding the olive oil, garlic, green onions, and carrot. Sauté for 5 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and fragrant.
- Add the spices
Next, add the spices: salt, freshly ground pepper, turmeric powder, cumin, and red paprika powder, stirring frequently, to prevent burning.
- Cook your red lentils
After that, add red lentils, dried tomatoes, and water. Bring to boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer, covered, for 15 minutes or until lentils are tender. Stir occasionally to incorporate flavors, and add more water if needed. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
- Serve it and enjoy
Finally, serve your rich and creamy lentil soup with a slice of crusty bread and your favorite salad. It pairs perfectly with fresh garlic or avocado slices as well. This recipe yields 2 big, nourish bowls. You'll stay full for hours thanks to the lentil's high protein and fiber content. Enjoy your hearty, protein-packed meal for lunch or dinner. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I recommend you reheat on the stovetop stirring frequently until hot.
This Vegan Red Lentil Soup Recipe is:
- Quick and Easy
- Healthy and Nourishing
- Vegetarian and Vegan
- Perfect as Lunch, Dinner or Side Dish
- Cheap and Affordable
- Budget-Friendly Meal
- Rich in Plant-Based Protein
- Good for Weight-Loss
- Hearty and Filling
- So flavorful!
Why You'll love this Vegan Red Lentil Recipe
From start to finish, this recipe takes only 25 minutes to prepare. The ingredient list is very short, you'll need only 6 plant-based ingredients and some spices to cook this vegetarian and vegan dish. At the same time, this red lentil soup is warm and cozy, hearty and so nutritious! The best part of all is that it is so quick and easy to make.
How do you serve red lentils
This creamy red lentil dish makes a delicious lunch or dinner, particularly in the cold months. But it really is an all-season super nutritious vegan meal. This simple recipe yields a hearty red lentil soup with an extra thick and creamy texture. I always serve this naturally gluten-free and filling lentil soup with some fresh salad like this mixed green salad and a slice of crusty bread. Or you could try to make your own warm flatbread without yeast that is extremely easy to make.
Absolutely! Red lentils are rich in protein and dietary fiber while low in calories and fat. In fact, lentils are made up of over 25% protein. That makes them a healthy meat substitute. Additionally, these healthy legumes are packed with iron, B vitamins, folate, potassium, zinc, copper, magnesium, manganese, and phosphorus.
Because red lentils are high in fiber which supports the increase of healthy gut bacteria and regular bowel movements. This improves your overall gut function. Likewise, this will improve your digestion, make you feel full longer, and avoid hunger-induced cravings. After all, adding lentils to your diet is good for weight loss and your overall health.
Unlike other pulses, red lentils do not require soaking. Just rinse them well with fresh water before boiling to remove any dust or debris. Be sure to check if there are any small hidden rocks between the lentil seeds, no one wants a broken tooth!
📖 Recipe
Best Vegan Red Lentil Recipe (Quick Lunch Idea You'll Love)
Equipment
- Cooking pot
Ingredients
- 1 cup red lentils rinsed
- 3 cups fresh water
- ⅛ cup olive oil extra virgin
- 4-5 stalks green onions finely chopped
- 1 large carrot diced
- ⅓ cup dried tomatoes you can use crushed tomatoes if you like
- 2 coves of garlic finely chopped
- Spices of choice: salt, ground cumin, freshly ground black pepper, turmeric powder, paprika powder to taste
Instructions
- First, thoroughly rinse lentils in a fine-mesh strainer and set aside. Dice up your onions, garlic, and carrot. Heat a large pot over medium heat adding the olive oil, garlic, green onions, and carrot. Sauté for 5 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and fragrant.
- Next, add the spices: salt, freshly ground pepper, turmeric powder, cumin, and red paprika powder, stirring frequently, to prevent burning.
- After that, add red lentils, dried tomatoes, and water. Bring to boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer, covered, for 15minutes or until lentils are tender. Stir occasionally to incorporate flavors, and add more water if needed. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
- Finally, serve your rich and creamy lentil soup with a slice of crusty bread and your favorite salad. It pairs perfectly with fresh garlic or avocado slices as well. This recipe yields 2 big, nourish bowls. You'll stay full for hours thanks to the lentil's high protein and fiber content. Enjoy your hearty, protein-packed meal for lunch or dinner. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I recommend you reheat on the stovetop stirring frequently until hot.
Nutrition
You may also like these vegan recipes:
- Creamy Broccoli Soup
- Golden Potato Soup
- Protein-Rich Red Pepper Hummus
- Weight-Loss Friendly Purple Soup
- 15 Minute Vegan Spaghetti
- Crispy Potato Latkes
- Cozy Green Peas Soup
- Vegan Frittata with Chickpea Flour (No Eggs, No Tofu)
- Delicious Spinach and Rice Meal
- Low-calorie Oyster Mushroom Dish
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Made this healthy vegan red lentil soup? If yes, please rate it, leave a comment below, and share your photo on Instagram with the tag @go_eatgreen and hashtag it #go_eatgreen. I would love to hear about your experience and your comments just make my day!
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Love, Marinela💚
Kayla DiMaggio
I don't often cook red lentils because I always turn them into mush. However, your recipe was so easy to follow and they came out so delicious!
Marinela
Oh, That's awesome, I'm glad you liked my easy red lentil recipe, Kayla. Thank you for sharing your experience!
Emily
This Vegan Red Lentil Recipe is so delicious and easy to make!. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Marinela
I'm glad you like it, Emily! Thank you, too, for your lovely comment.
Shilpa
I love lentils and this recipe looks so flavourful and delicious.
Marinela
Thank you, Shilpa!
Jacqui
This is such a perfect comfort meal! Super flavorful and easy to follow.
Marinela
I'm glad you loved it, Jacqui. Thank you for your lovely comment!
Michelle
I love making red lentils and am always looking for new vegan recipes to enjoy. This is so quick to make in one pot and great for weeknight dinners.
Marinela
Oh, yes, it's a super quick, last-minute meal. Thank you, Michelle, for your lovely comment!
nancy
not sure if i like eating this on its own or on a salad / rice bowl!
Marinela
It'd be great with a rice bowl or some fresh salad! Thank you, Nancy, for this excellent idea!
Jennie
This recipe was absolutely divine. I followed the recipe exactly although wasn't sure on the quantity of spices to use, so eyeballs it using a heavy hand. I also tried your suggestion to add avocado, which was spot on. I highly recommend serving with a few lemon slices on the slide, the citrus really brightens it up and complements it very well. We paired it with whole wheat pita bread and Greek yogurt for a full meal. I Highly recommend this recipe, I'm making it for the second time in 3 days tonight! Thank you so much for sharing it 🙂
Marinela
I'm so glad you like it, Jennie. Lemon slices would be a perfect addition to this red lentil soup. Thank you so much for your lovely feedback, I appreciate it a lot! 🙂