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This Red Lentil Carrot Soup is easy to make, flavorful, and bursting with good-for-you ingredients. It’s simple to make and ready in less than 45 minutes, the perfect way to warm up on cool fall and winter days!
Cool, short days are here, and I’m warming up how I know best: with bowls of this red lentil carrot soup! Seasoned with warm and earthy spices like cumin, coriander, turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon and full of satisfying lentils and carrots, this carrot lentil soup recipe is comforting, delicious, and filling.
If you’re like me, shorter days mean less energy in the evenings, but this soup is ready in easy steps and less than 45 minutes. I love that I can get a healthy, warm dinner on the table with minimal fuss. This simple carrot and lentil soup recipe is beginner-friendly, so if you can chop veggies, measure spices, and stir a pot, you can make it, too!
For more red lentil recipes, check out my Red Lentil Curry with Sweet Potatoes or Raw Red Lentil Hummus.
Ingredients
Carrots: Scrub or peel and dice 2 cups of carrots, or about 2 medium-sized whole carrots. If needed, you can also use baby or rainbow carrots.
Red Lentils: These small lentils get tender and creamy when cooked, making the best soup! Use raw lentils and rinse them well before adding them.
Vegetable Broth: For superior flavor (and a great way to use up food scraps!), use homemade vegetable broth, though water mixed with vegetable bouillon paste is also delicious!
Tomatoes: You will need 1 14 oz can of diced canned tomatoes or 3 ripe medium tomatoes, diced.
Seasonings: Ground cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, and smoked paprika add dimension, smokiness, and warmth. Kosher or sea salt brings the soup to life and ground black pepper adds a light, peppery kick. For the fullest flavor, always use spices with a good expiration date.
Aromatics: Chopped onion, fresh ginger, and garlic add nuttiness and zest. Use fresh garlic and ginger for the best carrot and lentil soup, though bottled can work in a pinch.
Lemon Juice: A touch of acid brings the soup to life, brightening and enhancing it. Use fresh juice if possible.
How to Make Red Lentil Carrot Soup
- Toast Spices. Warm the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, and cinnamon and toast for 30 seconds, stirring gently.
- Sauté Aromatics. Add the onions, garlic, and ginger. Season with a pinch of salt, and stir. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Add Soup Ingredients. Add the tomatoes, carrots, red lentils, water and bouillon paste or vegetable stock, and salt.
- Simmer. Cover the pot and bring to a boil on high heat. Then, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 30 minutes until the lentils and carrots are tender.
- Season to Taste. Stir in the lemon juice and pepper, and season to taste with salt.
- Serve. Garnish the carrot lentil ginger soup with freshly chopped herbs, black pepper, flaky salt, and sourdough croutons, and serve hot!
Jenné’s Recipe Pro-Tips
- Lightly toast the spices. Since they are fine and delicate, spices can burn quickly. Measure them all out before adding to the pot. Warm them for only 30 seconds, stirring them gently. Reduce the heat or add the aromatics if they start to smell bitter.
- Simmer covered. Not only will the soup come to a boil faster when covered, but less water will evaporate as it simmers, giving the red lentil carrot soup the perfect texture.
- Season to taste. Before serving, taste the soup and add sea salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed. Salt is a crucial soup flavoring component!
Recipe Variations
Adapt this carrot red lentil soup to fit your preferences with any of the following adjustments:
- Rainbow Carrots: Add vibrant color and extra nutrition by swapping rainbow carrots for orange. Yellow, white, red, and purple are all great picks!
- Creamy Red Lentil Soup: I love the contrast of creamy lentils and tender carrots, but you can make creamy soup if desired by partially or fully blending the soup with an immersion or high-speed blender.
- Spicy: Enjoy a kick of heat by using Aleppo pepper instead of smoked paprika or adding a pinch or two of crushed chili flakes or cayenne pepper. You can also garnish the soup with a teaspoon or two of harissa paste for a zesty Moroccan twist.
- Extra Veggies: Sauté 1 cup of diced celery with the aromatics or stir in a large handful of chopped kale or baby spinach during the last few minutes of simmering for a tasty serving of greens. Enhance the sweetness of the carrots by adding a diced red or orange sweet pepper to the sautéing mixture.
Serving Suggestions
Serve bowls of lentil and carrot soup hot, garnished with freshly chopped herbs, cracked black pepper, flaky sea salt, and crunchy sourdough croutons for a comforting yet light meal. Make it a nutritious, full-spread dinner occasion by serving it with any of these sandwiches, salads, and veggies:
Storage Directions
- Refrigeration: Cool the red lentil and carrot soup to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container and refrigerating for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: The soup can also be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost it overnight in the refrigerator or in a saucepan over low heat.
- Reheating: Warm the soup in the microwave on gentle heat or in a saucepan over medium-low heat until hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, red lentils are very delicate and quick-cooking, so they do not need to soak as beans and some other legumes do.
You can use green lentils instead of red in this carrot lentil soup recipe, but the texture will be very different. Green lentils are heartier than red and won’t break down when cooked, so though the soup will still be tasty, it won’t be as creamy.
More Vegan Soup Recipes
- Sweet Potato Soup
- Vegan Corn Chowder
- Lentil Soup
- Kabocha Squash Soup
- Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut Milk
- Instant Pot Black Bean Soup
- Curried Parsnip Soup
Red Lentil Carrot Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp avocado oil, or extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
- 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes, or 3 ripe medium tomatoes, diced
- 2 cups diced carrots, about 2 medium carrots
- 2 cups red lentils, rinsed
- 6 cups water plus 2 tbsp vegetable bouillon cube, OR 6 cups vegetable broth (without bouillon)
- 1 tsp kosher or sea salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more to taste
- 1 tsp black pepper to garnish, plus more to taste
- 1 handful chopped fresh herbs, like cilantro, parsley, or mint; to garnish
- flaky sea salt, to garnish
- red chili flakes , to garnish
- sourdough croutons, optional, to garnish (see notes below)
Instructions
- Warm the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, and cinnamon and toast for 30 seconds, stirring gently.
- Add the onions, garlic, and ginger. Season with a pinch of salt, and stir. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, carrots, red lentils, water and bouillon paste or vegetable stock, and salt.
- Cover the pot and bring to a boil on high heat. Then, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 30 minutes until the lentils and carrots are tender.
- Stir in the lemon juice and pepper, and season to taste with salt.
- Serve the soup hot and garnish it with fresh herbs, black pepper, flaky salt, and sourdough croutons.
Notes
- Refrigeration: Cool the red lentil and carrot soup to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container and refrigerating for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: The soup can also be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost it overnight in the refrigerator or in a saucepan over low heat.
- Reheating: Warm the soup in the microwave on gentle heat or in a saucepan over medium-low heat until hot.
- Lightly toast the spices. Since they are fine and delicate, spices can burn quickly. Warm them for only 30 seconds, stirring them gently. Reduce the heat or add the aromatics if they start to smell bitter.
- Simmer covered. Not only will the soup come to a boil faster when covered, but less water will evaporate as it simmers, giving the red lentil carrot soup the perfect texture.
- Season to taste. Before serving, taste the soup and add sea salt or pepper as needed. Salt is a crucial soup flavoring component!
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp sea salt Preheat oven to 325°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the sourdough croutons on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sea salt, and use your hands to toss.
Place in the oven and toast for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
Delicious! Loved the warm spice blend—great flavor without being too spicy hot….yum…keeping me warm in the Colorado winter…
Thanks for sharing, Myra! I’m happy you liked it.
This may have been the best soup I’ve ever made. The lemon juice at the end is the perfect pop! Thank you!
Yay, I am so glad you like it!! Happy New Year!
Do any of your recipes have calorie and/or sodium counts? I have to closely watch both.
Thanks,
Hi Susan. No, but we are considering adding. In the meantime, I recommend copy and pasting the recipe into a calorie calculator. For sodium, the only added is from the bouillon paste and salt. I recommend removing them both if you need to, and salting to taste. Instead of bouillon paste you can use a homemade veg broth (Salt-free), or store bought salt free broth. Here’s my homemade one: https://sweetpotatosoul.com/homemade-vegetable-broth/ Good luck!
OMG, I made this soup and I absolutely loved it. I served it with my homemade crusty Ciabatta .FIVE stars Thank You Love you recipes ,Keep it coming Girl