This creamy red lentil soup, prepared Greek-style, will surprise your taste buds in the best way possible! Red lentils, combined with onions, garlic, and sweet carrots in a tomato-based broth. Infused with cumin, oregano, and rosemary. Finished with a bright splash of lemon juice and fresh parsley. Keep it vegan, or add a sprinkle of salty feta, if you like.
Watch the video for how to make red lentil soup and read through for important tips below!
Lentils: a Mediterranean diet staple
One of the main foods we eat regularly when following the Mediterranean diet are legumes, including lentils.
Lentils are easy to use and are a great way to get a wide range of nutrients, from B vitamins, to iron, fiber and more. And because they are made of up over 25% protein, lentils are an excellent meat alternative.
I love that lentils are fast-cooking and can be used in many ways–salads, soups, and even vegan sauces (black lentils make a great substitute for meat in my vegetarian moussaka!)
A couple of fan favorites here on the blog are Turkish lentil soup, chunky vegetable lentil soup and this spicy spinach and lentil soup made with black lentils.
Today, I’m leaning into sweet, fast-cooking red lentils. Because of their creamy consistency, I think red lentils shine best in a hearty soup like today’s Greek red lentil soup.
And if you ever thought lentils were boring, this tasty red lentil soup with lemon, cumin, fresh herbs, and a dash of chili flakes is anything but bland. It hits the perfect balance of warm, tangy, and just a bit spicy (although, you can totally leave the chili flakes out if they’re not your thing.)
Best part, this easy red lentil soup takes one pot and comes together in less than 30 minutes!
Let’s dive into more about red lentils, and how to make this tasty soup while achieving the ultimate creamy consistency…
What are red split lentils and what do they taste like?
Red lentils have a lot going for them in my book.
Like other lentils, red lentils are brimming with nutrition. They are packed with plant-based protein and fiber to help keep your belly full and satisfied for a long time. Not to mentioned they are packed with potassium, folate, iron, and magnesium.
What do they taste like? Red split lentils are nutty and sweet tasting, and they have a great creamy consistency that makes them perfect for hearty soups and stews.
Plus, they cook so fast, and you never have to soak them in advance. That’s why, they make a perfect go-to on busy weeknights.
How to cook red lentils?
I used all-natural red lentils that you can find here at our online shop. Generally, to cook red lentils you’ll use 1:3 ratio lentils to liquid, meaning 1 cup of dry lentils to 3 cups water or broth. You do not need to soak red lentils for any amount of time, because they’re split they are fast-cooking and require just a few simple steps. Here is what you do:
- Rinse red lentils off in the water in a fine-mesh strainer or colander.
- Add the lentils to a pot with water or broth. Make sure your pot is large enough, so it does not boil over.
- Bring the pot to a boil, cover, and then reduce to a simmer. This will be on low heat.
- Cook for 15 minutes or until tender.
Using water to cook the lentils is totally fine and works well. Water is particularly good when you want the flavor of the lentil neutral or the natural flavor to shine through.
But you can also use the cooking opportunity to infuse lots of flavors right into the lentils. You can do this by cooking them in a flavorful broth! You can use beef, chicken, veggie, or even bone broth for the liquid instead of water.
And, of course, we’re going the extra mile today and doing our red lentils up in a Greek-style red lentil soup!
Greek-style red lentil soup
This easy red lentil soup takes on a bold Greek twist! A creamy, extra smooth red lentil soup with a few ingredients that bring about the robust Greek flavors we love:
– Aromatics: garlic, onion, and sweet carrots are sauteed in quality extra virgin olive oil until tender and fragrant. This starts the flavoring process.
– Spices & herbs: a combination of dry oregano, warm cumin, piney rosemary, bay leaf and just a pinch of red chili pepper for subtle heat.
– Crushed tomato & broth: crushed tomatoes here bring about vibrant color and flavor (lots of umami), while augmenting our lentil soup with a bit more of hearty, yet saucy consistency. And I used a low-sodium vegan broth as the liquid base here (you can use chicken or even beef broth if you prefer.)
-Red lentils: the star ingredient here, obviously. I used 2 cups of split red lentils, which are plenty to feed a crowd! The lentils are thrown into the broth in the last 15 minutes to 20 minutes or so of cooking (remember, they don’t take long to cook). And to achieve the perfect creamy consitency without adding a drop of cream, once the lentils are finished, give the soup a blitz or two using an immersion blender.
-Lemon and fresh parsley (to finish): this Greek red lentil soup would not be complete without the final addition of lemon, both zest and juice, plus a sprinkle of fresh parsley. This final layer bright flavors sorta wakes this soup up.
-Feta cheese (optional): you can totally keep this as a vegan red lentil soup, but if you want the added benefit of creamy, salty feta, sprinkle a little bit over your bowl of soup and enjoy. A pleasant surprise, trust me!
Important tips
This lentil soup is pretty straight forward to put together, and it doesn’t require big “chefy” skills. But a few small tips for you:
1. Make sure the lentils are fully cooked before blending. Again, red lentils do cook quickly (15 to 20 minutes tops), so allow them the time they deserve, otherwise, if you have under-cooked your lentils, they won’t blend properly and the soup may be more gritty than creamy.
2. Use an immersion blender to create a creamy lentil soup. I’m all for a chunky lentil soup, but this one is extra special when blended into a smooth, creamy soup. I like to use an immersion blender right in my pot (but do this carefully on lower speed, and make sure the heat is off.) I find that transferring soup into a stand-up blender can be super tricky, but if that’s all you have, you can totally use your blender and work in batches so you don’t overfill it with hot soup (a food processor would work as well.)
3. Don’t skip the lemon juice! All the flavor makers in this recipe are important, but I know some may be tempted to skip that last squeeze of lemon juice before serving. It’s amazing what a little bit of acid, added at the end of cooking, can do to brighten up your lentil soup and bring about just the right balance.
Can I make red lentil soup in the instant pot?
I almost always make this easy lentil soup on the stove because it cooks so fast and is finished in 30 minutes or less. But if you’re a fan of the pressure cooker, you can totally use it here.
Just make sure to leave out the lemon, parsley, and feta till after the soup is done. Here’s how to make this vegan lentil soup in your Instant Pot:
1. Put your pot on the sauté function and add the onions, garlic, chopped carrots and extra virgin olive oil. Cook for 3-4 minutes while stirring.
2. Add in your spices and bay leaf and stir until they are fragrant. Stir a lot to make sure they don’t burn.
3. Add the tomatoes, broth, and lentils. Season with a pinch of salt. Give it a good stir. Lock the lid and set the pot to high pressure and cook for 10 minutes. Allow it to release naturally.
4. Blend the soup, return to the instant pot, and stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and parsley. Transfer to serving bowls and add crumbled feta, if you like.
Leftovers and reheating
Store leftover lentil soup in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the fridge. When you are ready to heat the soup again, place in a pot and heat on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until bubbly. You may find it helpful to add a little more broth to help the consistency.
What to serve along?
My family enjoys this easy red lentil soup with our favorite crusty warm bread to sop up all the goodness. And it never hurts to start with a plate of simple Greek salad.
You may also like these recipes:
Foul Mudammas: Egyptian Fava Beans
Greek braised eggplant and chickpeas
Watch the video for how to make this easy red lentil soup:
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Easy Greek Red Lentil Soup Recipe
- Total Time: 33 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6
Description
This creamy red lentil soup, prepared Greek-style, will surprise your taste buds in the best way possible! Red lentils, combined with onions, garlic, and sweet carrots in a tomato-based broth. Infused with cumin, oregano, and rosemary. Finished with a bright splash of lemon juice and fresh parsley. Keep it vegan, or add a sprinkle of salty feta, if you like.
Ingredients
- Extra virgin olive oil (I used Early Harvest)
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 3 tsp dry oregano
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp rosemary
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 dry bay leaves
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes (from a can)
- 7 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 cups red lentils, rinsed and drained
- Kosher salt
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of 2 lemons
- Fresh parsley for garnish
- Crumbled feta cheese to serve, optional
Instructions
- Heat 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil until shimmering but not smoking. Add onions, carrots and garlic. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring regularly. Add spices and bay leaves. Cook for a few seconds till fragrant, keep stirring so spices don’t burn.
- Add crushed tomatoes, broth, lentils. Season with kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until lentils are fully cooked.
- Remove from heat. If you have the time, let soup cool a bit before using an immersion blender to puree. Pulse a few times till you reach the creamy consitency you are looking for.
- Return soup to heat, and stir to warm through. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and fresh parsley.
- Transfer soup to serving bowls and top with extra virgin olive oil. If you like, top each bowl with a generous sprinkle of feta cheese. Serve with your favorite crusty bread!
Notes
- Cook’s Tips: Be sure the lentils are fully cooked before blending. To achieve creamy consistency, don’t skip blending the soup. I find using an immersion blender on low speed (and while heat is off) is an easier and less messy way to blend the soup. But if you need to, you can use a food processor or a stand-up blender. If you do so, blend the soup in batches to avoid it overflowing.
- Vegan option: simply omit the feta cheese.
- Leftovers & reheating: Store leftover lentil soup in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the fridge. When you are ready to heat the soup again, place in a pot and heat on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until bubbly. You may find it helpful to add a little more broth to help the consistency.
- Visit our online shop to browse Mediterranean ingredients, including our all-natural red lentils, extra virgin olive oils, including Early Harvest EVOO, and all-natural and organic spices, including cumin and rosemary!
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 23
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Greek
This turned out so well! The final addition of lemon rind and juice takes it to another level! 5 stars! We look forward to hearing whether this can be frozen. <3
Yes… it can be frozen! Yay! 🙂
Hi we’re excited to make this today-will leftovers freeze ok?
Absolutely! I often make a big batch, split up, and freeze in smaller containers. Hope you love it!
Hi Suzy,
I’m trying to make the red lentil soup but I’m confused by the instructions on my lentil packet compared to what your recipe says. It says to boil them for 10 mins and then change the water. Then to boil them for another 30 minutes! Sounds like ages to me. They are red split lentils. which I think is the right type.
What do you recommend?
Thank you,
Chloe
Hi, Chloe! Yes, those are the right type of lentils. For this soup, I recommend following the cooking instructions list on the blog post, rather than the back to the lentil packet. Hope that helps!
Thanks Suzy, love the recipe about to make a second batch! 🙂
This is my new favorite lentil soup! The feta cheese adds a superb touch. Thank you so much! Really lovely!
Thanks, Nadika!
The pickiest eater in my family came and said he was excited for dinner because it smelled soooo good. And, honestly, I couldn’t stop taking sips of the broth while it was simmering. It was just that good. Unfortunately I made one mistake, I squeezed the lemons directly into the soup. I should have squeezed them into a bowl and added the lemon to taste. The lemon over powered the other flavors. I do want to try this recipe again (adding the lemon little by little). The origional broth was just toooo good to not try again.
Thanks for sharing, Anet! So glad you enjoyed it!
I have tried dark lentils before but did not care for them; this recipe was different. The lentils cooked beautifully and combined with the other ingredients to make a tasty, satisfying soup that was smooth and satisfying. Thank you for sharing and recommending this recipe to those of us who were lentil-skeptics!
My pleasure, Miquela! So glad you enjoyed it!
Made this soup last night and it was absolutely delicious! The lemon zest and juice really intensified the flavor! Will be making this again and again. I added some cut up boneless chicken thighs to have the soup for dinner with some crusty bread! I love how easy it was to prepare.
Thank you!
This is probably the best thing that has every happened to me! I made this soup to have for lunch throughout the week and it is incredible! It’s easy to make, and it has so much flavor! It’s surprisingly filling too. It kept me full all the way through to dinner. The only change I made was that I used chicken broth in place of vegetable broth just for personal preference. This soup is bowl licking good! Love it!
Oh, wonderful, Christine! So glad you enjoyed this soup!
Hi Suzy.
I’m actually making your glorious looking soup now as I’m typing….It smells gorgeous so far!
Two Questions for you: On the stovetop method; do you leave the lid on to simmer?
and do you use level or heaped teaspoons in this and all your recipes?
Many thanks.
Pete.
Hi, Peter! For this recipe, I simmer with the lid mostly on. I leave it a bit open for some venting. As for the heaping teaspoons… it really depends on the recipe. When I’m baking, I try to be more leveled/precise, but with other things, I’m a bit more flexible. Most of my recipes are forgiving in this way. Hope that helps!!!
Excellent soup the variety of flavors are amazing thank you for sharing
So glad to hear it! Thank you.
Just made this soup. The absolute best. Lots of my favorite flavors. Perfect for this time
Of year. Looking forward to trying some of your other recipes.
Thanks so much! Hope you find more recipes you love here!
Amazing recipe! Perfect way to welcome the colder seasons 🙂
Definitely!!! 🙂
Best Lentil Soup I ever had! Also try with a pinch of cilantro.
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Thank you for your kind words, Roseline! I am so glad you’ve found helpful information here!!
I don’t have a immersion blender. Will the soup still be good without pureeing?
Hi, Melinda! It will still be delicious and flavorful, it just won’t be quite as “creamy” without pureeing. As an alternative, if you have a regular blender, you could use that in place of an immersion blender.
Delicious every time! A family favorite on rotation at our house. Served with a crusty sourdough… Absolutely heaven!
Wonderful! Thanks, Shayla!
Delicious! The combination of spices and lemon give this soup a nice balanced flavor of tanginess and mild spice. Adding feta was surprisingly good and added a touch of saltiness to the flavors. Served it with toasted baguettes. Perfect for lunch or dinner.
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Jana!