Spicy Lentil Soup Recipe

Preparing a lentil soup recipe is a healthy diet habit; tasty, full of fiber, vegetables, and vegetarian/vegan friendly. The majority of Americans rarely eat lentils because they not a cultural tradition. Other cultures eat them heartily. I lived in Morocco for many years. I had never eaten lentils because my mom is southern, and that would be way too out of the box for her genes.

In Morocco, I ate lentil soup and lentil tajeen on a frequent basis. They were not bland, but nicely spiced with cumin, lemon, and herbs. Meat is eaten in very small amounts there. The bulk of meals consist of farm to souk, fresh, seasonal vegetables, spiced and cooked to perfection. This soup is one that I prepare often and the key is using more spices, lemon, and fresh herbs!

Ingredients for Lentil Soup Recipe

• 1 lb bag lentils
• 10 to 12 cups water or mix with vegetable broth
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 1/4 cup prepared garlic
• 1 pound bag carrots finely chopped
• 1 large red pepper finely chopped
• 2 to 3 T cumin
• 1 t. turmeric (gives the nice yellow color)
• 1/2 t. cayenne pepper (optional)
• 2 cups tomato puree (I used Pomi pureed tomatoes but you can use fresh or canned and blend them)
• 1 bunch chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup lemon juice
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions for Lentil Soup Recipe

• Combine the lentils and water/stock in a large soup pot. Bring to boiling; reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until lentils are almost done (30 minutes).
• While the lentils are cooking, prepare vegetables. Sauté the finely chopped vegetables in olive oil for a few minutes until they are softened. Stir in the spices and mix well.
• Add the vegetables and tomato puree to the soup pot. Simmer for about 15 minutes until the lentils are done.
• Stir in the juice of the lemons and the chopped parsley right before serving. I would add 1/4 cup of lemon juice and taste the soup before adding the second 1/4 cup. I like it very lemony, but you may not. You can serve it with extra lemon wedges too for those that love lemons.
• Salt and Pepper to taste

See my 7 Quick & Easy Soup Tips that will help you to prepare healthy soup recipes quickly! From the broth to vegetables, beans, whole grains, and meats. Find shortcuts to help!

This lentil soup recipe is very filling and will warm you up on chilly nights and keep you full for hours. I have a picky eater and if he is visiting, I blend all of the vegetables with the tomato puree in my blender and add them to the pot. If picky son sees anything resembling an onion, he simply will not eat it. It’s great that way too. I also change up the parsley with cilantro usually. Both work well.

This soup also works with other added vegetables. I have added chopped zucchini and spinach to the vegetables because to me healthy recipes need to be loaded with vegetables. I often add chopped potatoes to the boiling lentils too! It’s all good! Get creative!