This Green Lentil Soup is hearty, smoky, a little spicy, and made mostly with pantry staples. Green lentils simmer with carrots, celery, fire-roasted tomatoes, cumin, oregano, basil, and crushed red pepper for a flavorful soup that’s simple enough for a weeknight.
A splash of apple cider vinegar at the end brightens everything up, and the soup can easily be made vegan by using vegetable stock. If you’re looking for more ways to use lentils, try my lentil pasta salad or this sweet potato wrap with lentils. For another hearty meatless soup, my minestrone vegetable soup is a good one too. It’s filling enough to serve on its own, but still great with crusty bread or a sandwich.
Recipe Summary: Easy Green Lentil Soup
- ✅ Recipe Name: Easy Green Lentil Soup
- 🕒 Ready In: 55 minutes
- 👪 Serves: 6 (easy to scale)
- 🍽 Calories: 169 per serving
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Green lentils, carrots, celery, onion, fire-roasted tomatoes, vegetable stock
- 📖 Dietary Info: Vegan-friendly, vegetarian, dairy-free, make-ahead friendly, freezer-friendly
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: Hearty, smoky, and a little spicy, this easy green lentil soup is made with simple pantry staples and is perfect for meal prep or a cozy weeknight dinner.
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
This Easy Green Lentil Soup is one of my favorite pantry-friendly dinners when I want something hearty, flavorful, and low effort. Green lentils simmer with carrots, celery, onion, fire-roasted tomatoes, cumin, oregano, basil, and crushed red pepper for a soup that’s smoky, a little spicy, and deeply savory.
A splash of apple cider vinegar at the end brightens everything up, and using vegetable stock keeps it completely vegan. If you love cooking with lentils, try my lentil pasta salad or this sweet potato wrap with lentils next.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Big flavor from simple ingredients. Cumin, Italian herbs, fire-roasted tomatoes, and red pepper flakes give the broth plenty of depth.
- Pantry-friendly. Most of the ingredients are inexpensive staples you may already have on hand.
- Easy to make vegan. Just use vegetable stock.
- Great for meal prep. The soup reheats well and makes an easy lunch for the next few days.
- Mostly hands-off. Once everything is in the pot, the lentils do most of the work.
Jump to:
Key Ingredients
- Green lentils. Green lentils hold their shape well during cooking and have an earthy flavor that works especially well in hearty soups. There’s no need to soak them first.
- Fire-roasted tomatoes. These add a little smoky flavor and acidity without needing a long simmer. I also use them as the base of my chunky sauce for spicy sausage pasta.
- Spices. Cumin, oregano, basil, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper flakes give the soup its smoky, savory, slightly spicy flavor.
- Apple cider vinegar. A small splash at the end brightens the soup and balances the earthy lentils.
See the recipe card at the end for the full list of ingredients with the quantities.
Variations
| Make it less spicy | Reduce or omit the crushed red pepper flakes. |
| Add greens | Stir in baby spinach, chopped kale, or Swiss chard during the last few minutes of cooking. |
| Add more vegetables | Diced zucchini, mushrooms, or chopped bell pepper can be added with the carrots and celery. |
| Use a different stock | Vegetable stock keeps it vegan, but chicken or beef stock will make the broth a little richer. |
| Make it thicker | Simmer uncovered for a little longer, or mash a small portion of the lentils into the broth before serving. |
How to make Green Lentil Soup
- Step 1: Sauté the vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, and onion and cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften.
- Step 2: Add the seasonings. Stir in the cumin, oregano, basil, garlic powder, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Step 3: Add the lentils and liquids. Stir in the green lentils, fire-roasted tomatoes, and vegetable stock.
- Step 4: Simmer the soup. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover partially and cook for 40–50 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender.
- Step 5: Finish and serve. Stir in the apple cider vinegar, then taste and adjust the salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes as needed. Ladle into bowls and serve hot with crusty bread, a sandwich, or your favorite soup toppings.
Expert Tips
- Don’t overcook the lentils. Green lentils should be tender but still hold their shape.
- Taste before adding more salt. Stock and canned tomatoes can vary quite a bit in sodium.
- Add the vinegar at the end. Adding it after the lentils are tender keeps the flavor bright and prevents the acidity from interfering with cooking.
- Expect the soup to thicken as it sits. Lentils continue absorbing liquid in the refrigerator, so add a splash of stock or water when reheating if needed.
Green Lentil Soup FAQS
Yes. Green lentils are great for soup because they hold their shape well, have a hearty, earthy flavor, and don’t need to be soaked before cooking.
No. Just rinse them well and add them straight to the pot.
Green lentils usually take about 40–50 minutes to become tender, though older lentils can take a little longer.
The biggest ones are under-seasoning the broth, adding too little liquid, and overcooking the lentils until they lose their texture. Taste as you go and add more stock if the soup gets too thick.
For this recipe, it’s apple cider vinegar. A small splash at the end brightens the earthy lentils and balances the smoky, savory flavors.
Yes. Brown lentils are a good substitute and cook similarly, though they tend to soften a little more.
The lentils continue absorbing liquid as the soup rests and chills. Add a splash of stock or water when reheating to loosen it back up.
Yes. Just use vegetable stock.
What to Serve with Green Lentil Soup
This soup is hearty enough to eat on its own, but I especially like it with crusty bread, cheddar cheese biscuits, grilled cheese, or a simple sandwich.
It also works well for meal prep since the flavor gets even better after a day in the refrigerator.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store cooled soup in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Warm gently on the stove or in the microwave. Add a splash of stock or water if the soup has thickened.
More Cozy Soup Recipes
If you tried this Green Lentil Soup or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting today!
Easy Green Lentil Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 medium carrots, chopped into ¼" pieces
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 ribs celery, finely chopped (with leaves)
- 1 cup green lentils
- 32 oz vegetable stock, (can use chicken stock or beef stock as well)
- 1 14.5 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar, (preferably organic)
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a 5 quart saucepan or stockpot, heat olive oil over medium-low heat.
- Add celery, onion, and carrot- season with salt and pepper, and cook until slightly softened and translucent, about 7 minutes.
- Add spices, stir to combine and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add rinsed lentils, fire roasted tomatoes, 1 tablespoon vinegar (reserve ½ tablespoon for end of cooking) and stock- turn heat to high and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook on low until soup is thickened and lentils and veggies are fully cooked, 45 minutes.
- Finish soup with salt and pepper to taste, stir in reserved ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar and serve!
Notes
- Lentils: No soaking needed. Rinse the green lentils before adding them to the pot.
- Stock: Use vegetable stock to keep the soup vegan, or substitute chicken or beef stock if preferred.
- Spice level: Reduce or omit the crushed red pepper flakes for a milder soup.
- Vinegar: Add the apple cider vinegar at the end so it stays bright and doesn’t interfere with the lentils softening.
- Consistency: The soup will thicken as it sits. Add a splash of stock or water when reheating if needed.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Sharon says
This is one of those soups that tastes even better than the ingredient list makes it sound. I love the smoky flavor from the fire-roasted tomatoes and cumin, and the little splash of apple cider vinegar at the end really wakes everything up. It’s hearty without feeling heavy, and it reheats really well for lunch the next day.
Abv says
Is a serving 1 cup?
Sharon Farnell says
probably closer to 1.5-2 I would say.
Emily says
This recipe was the best and most flavorful lentil soup I have ever made. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Sharon Farnell says
Thank you so much, Emily! So happy you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂
Chip says
Made it for tonite's dinner. A keeper, for sure!
Sharon Farnell says
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!