Carrot Lentil Soup
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This easy carrot lentil soup combines hearty lentils with tender, sweet carrots. It’s thick, nourishing, and delicious.
An economical, protein-packed meal the whole family will love!
Let me start by saying this recipe might be your new favorite soup. I’ve made it twice in a row this week, and it was a huge hit.
It’s everything you could want in a warming bowl of soup: comforting, nutritious, and almost embarrassingly easy to make with a few pantry staples in about 35 minutes.
I love the combination of the ingredients: the lentils bring tons of plant-based protein and texture, while the soft carrots release their sweet flavor and are great to fill you up without weighing you down.
The result is so rich, filling yet light.
Make a big batch and freeze some for later, or serve it with crusty panini bread, warm focaccia, or stovetop croutons. This is soup heaven during the cold winter nights!
List of the ingredients
- Green or brown lentils
- Carrots
- Vegetable broth
- Onion
- Garlic
- Spices (paprika, cumin)
- Herbs (thyme, bay leaf, parsley)
- Tomato paste
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt & pepper
- Lemon juice
How to make carrot lentil soup
(Note: this is a quick description; the full recipe is at the bottom of the page)
- Sauté the diced onion in olive oil until soft.
- Add the garlic and spices, and cook for about 1 minute.
- Toss in carrots and lentils.
- Add broth, herbs, tomato paste, and seasoning.
- Cook for about 25-30 minutes until lentils and carrots are soft.
- Stir in onion powder and lemon juice.
- Optional step: for a creamier texture, let it cool slightly, blend 2 cups of the carrot lentil soup until smooth, and add it back to the pot.
- Taste, adjust the seasoning if desired, and finish with fresh chopped parsley.
- Serve with easy golden croutons, crusty bread, or warm focaccia. Enjoy!
Recipe notes
Carrot lentil soup ingredients
Onion & garlic: The recipe starts with a flavor base made with onion, garlic, and extra virgin olive oil. This is a crucial step in building the flavor.
At the end of the cooking time, I also love adding some onion powder to enhance the soup’s sweetness.
Lentils: Both dried brown or green lentils are fine for this lentil carrot soup, but make sure to rinse and drain them well before using in this recipe.
Carrots: Of course, we need one pound of carrots!
Herbs: Bay leaf and dried thyme infuse the broth, and fresh parsley is added for its fresh aroma.
Spices: The combination of paprika and cumin works well with lentils and makes the broth flavourful.
Tomato paste: A touch of tomato paste for richness and depth of flavor.
Broth: The recipe uses low-sodium vegetable broth, but you’re welcome to use your favorite broth. Adjust the seasoning accordingly since some broth can be pretty salty.
Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice is essential to brighten up and balance the overall flavor.
Salt & pepper: Make sure you adjust the seasoning before serving.
Look below at how rich and delicious this is?!
How to store leftovers
This carrot and lentil soup keeps well in the fridge for about 3-4 days and freezes beautifully. I suggest dividing the soup into single portions, cooling completely in the refrigerator overnight, then transferring it to the freezer.
I use this type of glass containers to freeze every soup and sauce!
If you love carrots…
You might want to check out these delicious recipes featuring convenient, versatile carrots:
- Carrot celery soup
- Moroccan carrot salad
- Peas and carrots
- Pasta with carrots
- Carrot fritters
- Tomato carrot soup
Lentil soup recipes you’ll love!
- Vegan lentil soup
- Sweet potato lentil soup
- Spicy tomato lentil soup
- Italian pasta with lentils
- Red lentil pasta recipe
- Green lentil soup
- Swiss chard lentil soup
If you’re looking for more delicious ways to eat lentils, these collections of 25+ lentil recipes and 25+ green lentil recipes are perfect for you!
If you make this carrot lentil soup or have any questions, let me know! Leave a comment, send me a message, or rate it.
I would love to hear from you! x
Lentil Carrot Soup
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium-sized onion, chopped (any color)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lb (450 grams) carrots, sliced or cubed
- 1 ⅓ cup (250 grams) green or brown lentils, rinsed and drained
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 (1.5 lt) low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 to 1 ½ teaspoon fine salt, to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, or to taste
- 3 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes, reducing the heat to low as needed.
- Add the garlic, paprika, and cumin and cook, stirring, until fragrant for about 1 minute.
- Add the carrots, lentils, tomato paste, thyme, bay leaf, broth, 1 teaspoon salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover with a lid, and cook until the lentils are tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Turn the heat off, stir in lemon juice and onion powder, and if the soup is too thick, stir in some water or broth to reach the desired consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your taste with extra salt, pepper, or more lemon juice if desired.
- An optional step for a creamier texture is to let the soup cool slightly, then transfer about 2 cups to a blender. Puree until smooth, then return the pureed soup to the pot and stir until combined.
- Finish with fresh chopped parsley, and serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (optional), and plenty of crusty bread for dunking or croutons.
