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Smoky Chickpea, Red Lentil & Vegetable Soup
A warming, satisfying lentil and vegetable soup to cure your winter blues.
If you’re in need of a little pick-me-up, this soul-satisfying lentil and vegetable soup is just the ticket. Here’s what I love about it: you can make it with ingredients you likely have on hand; it’s ready in 30 minutes yet tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen, and it’s vegetarian and healthy. What’s more, along with a salad and good bread, it’s hearty enough to be a complete meal.
What you’ll need to make lentil and vegetable soup
Before we get started, a few words about the ingredients. It’s important to use red lentils, as opposed to another variety: they cook quickly, add wonderful flavor and thicken the soup nicely. The recipe only calls for a third of a cup; don’t be tempted to add more or your soup will turn to sludge.
As for the green vegetables, I like to use frozen peas and green beans but you can use any quick cooking, frozen or leftover vegetables you have on hand. The recipe is very flexible!
How to make lentil and vegetable soup
Begin by cooking the onions in olive oil until soft. Add the carrots, garlic, smoked paprika and cumin and cook until fragrant, a few minutes.
Add the broth, tomatoes, lentils, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the chickpeas and continue cooking 10 minutes more.
Remove a few cups of the soup and place in a blender or food processor.
Purée until smooth.
Pour the puréed soup back into the pot. Stir and taste; if you want the soup to be thicker, purée a bit more. Add the vegetables.
Bring the soup back to a simmer and serve.
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Smoky Chickpea, Red Lentil & Vegetable Soup
A warming, satisfying lentil and vegetable soup to cure your winter blues.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- Heaping 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1/3 cup red lentils
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup cooked vegetables, such as frozen peas or chopped green beans
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, carrots, smoked paprika and cumin; cook, stirring frequently so the garlic doesn't brown, about 2 minutes more.
- Add the broth, diced tomatoes, red lentils, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer; cook for ten minutes. Add the chickpeas, cover the pot and cook 10 minutes more. Fish out the bay leaves, then transfer 2 cups of the soup to a blender and purée until smooth (be sure to remove the center knob on the blender and cover with a dishtowel to avoid splatters). Add the puréed soup back to the pot and stir. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary; if you want the soup to be thicker, purée a bit more soup. Add the cooked vegetables and simmer until the soup is hot and the vegetables are warmed through. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The soup can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator for 12 hours and then reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until hot. through.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Serving size: about 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 222
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Sugar: 7g
- Fiber: 10g
- Protein: 10g
- Sodium: 622mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Oh my goodness 🤤 That was one of the most delicious soups I’ve had. It was so good my husband and I finished it all then made a second batch the next day and doubled it. You’re recipes have never failed me. They’re always so delicious! A bit time consuming but worth it. All in all great job!!
I made this and it was amazing! It’s staple I already have in my pantry and takes no time to make a delicious dinner with your artisan bread. I added spinach and kidney beans as well. Planning to make a tripe batch which would be a rotation in our household. Another great delicious recipe. Thanks so much Jenn.
Jenn, this soup was a home run!! My husband wants it weekly. I followed recipe exactly except added a pinch of red pepper flakes for an extra kick. Love everything I have made from your recipes. Ordered your cookbook after this soup. Many thanks Jenn!! You’re the best!
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We love lentils & cumin in this house. I made this as is and it was such a big hit! will be part of my rotation for sure. One little change I would make, I will add a little more stock, and puree the whole thing instead of the 2 cups only, to hide the chickpeas, as my daughter is not a fan. Otherwise, fabulous soup!
Hi! The only red lentils I could find are “split” rather than whole. Does that change the recipe/ directions at all?
Hi Chris, I’ve never used split lentils before; I suspect they should work but will need less cooking time. I’d add them along with the chickpeas. Please LMK how it turns out!
I have to admit. I make this soup once or twice a week. It is so delicious. The soup is great without adjusting the recipe. However, I make it so often that I change it up by adding whatever veggies I have in my frig: Frozen corn, broccoli, cauliflower, whatever. Instead of taking some of the soup out to blend, I just use an immersion blender on half of the pot of soup. Sometimes I’ll add a teaspoon of turmeric or use a can of diced fire roasted tomatoes instead of plain diced tomatoes.
This soup is absolutely delicious (and healthy!). It also froze really well. I used chicken broth (but I am sure veggie broth would be just as good), French lentils, 1c frozen peas, 1/2c frozen peaches and cream corn. The corn adds a wonderful sweetness and textural contrast.
We loved it! Another winner from Jen! Thank you for never disappointing!