Red lentil soup with cumin is ready in about half an hour, in one pot. It is fully vegan: no meat, chicken or dairy, and water serves as the base instead of stock.

Why red lentils and not green

Red lentils are hulled and split, so they fall apart on their own in 15 to 20 minutes and need no soaking. After cooking they turn into a thick, smooth soup even without a blender. Green or brown lentils keep their shape and take longer to cook.

Rinse the lentils in a strainer until the water runs clear. That keeps the foam in the pot low and the soup clean.

Cumin at the right moment

Fry the cumin with the onion and garlic in olive oil for about a minute before adding water. The heat wakes up the spice's aromatic oils, and the soup gets a deeper smell than when the cumin goes in at the end. Slice the carrots thin so they soften in the same time the lentils take to cook.

At the end, squeeze in half a lemon. The acidity balances the sweetness of the lentils and carrots. If you want another soup for the first days of fall, the simple vegetable soup for early fall is one more single-pot recipe.

Serve with bread or warm pita, and top with a little olive oil and ground cumin. The soup thickens as it sits, so it tastes even better the next day. For a spicier soup, add a pinch of dried chili during the frying step. The amount makes four servings, and it is easy to double and freeze.

Red Lentil Soup with Cumin

Red lentil soup with onion, carrot and cumin, ready in about half an hour in one pot. Vegan.

Red Lentil Soup with Cumin
Servings: 4 servingsPrep time: 10 minCook time: 20 minTotal time: 30 min

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups red lentils (about 10.5 oz / 300 g, rinsed)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion (peeled and chopped)
  • 2 carrots (peeled and sliced thin)
  • 3 garlic cloves (crushed)
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 0.5 tsp ground turmeric
  • 6 cups water (about 1.5 liters)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 0.5 lemon (juiced)

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a medium pot and cook the onion for 3 minutes.

  2. Add the garlic, cumin and turmeric and cook for a minute, stirring.

  3. Add the carrots, lentils, water and salt, and bring to a boil.

  4. Lower the heat, partially cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until the lentils fall apart and the carrots are soft.

  5. Squeeze in the lemon, taste for seasoning and serve hot.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I blend red lentil soup?
Yes. Use an immersion blender for a few seconds for a velvety texture, or leave it as it is for a soup with half-whole lentils.

What if my lentil soup is too thick?
Add hot water, half a cup at a time. The soup thickens further as it sits, so thin it out again when you reheat leftovers.

How long does lentil soup keep?
Up to four days in the fridge and up to three months in the freezer.