Easy Carrot and Lentil Soup Recipe

5 from 11 votes

Easy Carrot and Lentil Soup is so flavorful and cooks in under 30 minutes, using all pantry-friendly ingredients. It's packed with plant-based protein, iron, and fiber. Perfect for meal prep.

Published: Mar 4, 2023 by Nisha Melvani, RDN · I earn commissions from purchases via links on this post.

👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients

Flaxseed meal, orange and green herbs and spices, vegetable broth, chopped onion, chopped red bell pepper, chopped carrot, dry brown lentils, and diced tomatoes in white bowls and jars with one head of garlic on a grey backdrop.

Ingredients for Easy Carrot and Lentil Soup.

Lentils are an excellent source of plant-based protein. This lentil soup was made with brown lentils, but you can also use Puy, French, or any variety of green lentils.
Flaxseed meal is made by grinding whole flaxseeds into a fine powder. Flaxseeds are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, protein, fiber, and lignans, which are plant compounds with antioxidant properties. As well as being a nutrition powerhouse, flaxseed meal serves as a thickener and adds body to this soup.
Fresh lime juice (not shown) is essential for bringing the flavors together. Do not skip it!

See recipe card for quantities.

🥕 Substitutions

Carrots - substitute with chopped sweet potato as desired

Red bell pepper - This is an optional ingredient. It adds a distinct flavor and smokiness to the soup.

Flaxseed meal - This is an optional ingredient. Ground flaxseed thickens the lentil soup and adds heart healthy omega-3.

For more protein-packed recipes, visit my Vegan Soups and Stews Recipes page.

📖 Instructions

Chopped red bell pepper, carrots, onion, garlic and spices cooking in a large white saucepan.

Step 1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook the onion, carrots, and bell pepper until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, and oregano and cook for 1 minute more.

Chopped red bell pepper, carrots, onion, garlic, spices, and brown lentils cooking in a large white saucepan with a wooden spatula.

Step 2. Add the lentils and cook for another minute, stirring constantly. Mix in the vegetable broth and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Simmer partially covered for about 15 minutes, or until the lentils are al dente.

Brown broth with onions and diced tomatoes in a white saucepan.

Step 3. Stir in the diced tomatoes and cook until warmed through. Optional: Transfer about one-half of the soup to a large blender and blend until smooth. Add the puréed soup back to the saucepan.

Lentil and carrot soup with red bell peppers, diced tomatoes, onion, and broth in a white bowl.

Step 4. Season the lentil soup with fresh lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste.

💡 Expert Tips

Do not add the tomatoes or lime juice until the lentils are al dente. Adding an acidic ingredient too early in the cooking process can prevent the lentils from reaching their peak tenderness.

For a thicker soup, blend a portion of the soup. You can blend it directly in the saucepan using an immersion blender, or let the soup cool before transferring it to a standing blender in batches. Blend until the desired consistency. Add more vegetable broth as needed.

Lime juice is essential in this recipe for bringing the flavors together. Don't skip it.

Serve over potatoes: Prick small-medium Yukon Gold potatoes all over with a fork. Microwave in a covered microwave-safe dish for 5 minutes. Flip over and cook for about 2 minutes more, or until they can be pierced with a knife without resistance. Otherwise, bake the potatoes in an oven at 450ºF for about 45 minutes, or until fork tender.

For freezing: Let the soup reach room temperature before freezing. Leave a little space when transferring the soup to a freezer-safe container as foods tend to expand upon freezing.

Storage: Refrigerate leftover Carrot and Lentil Soup in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Or freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. Remember to mark the date on the container.

🙋🏽‍♀️ Recipe FAQs

Do I need to soak lentils?

You do not need to soak the lentils for this Carrot and Lentil Soup recipe. In general, lentils do not require soaking but can be soaked to reduce the cooking time by about one half.

Should you rinse lentils before making soup?

Always rinse and sort your lentils to ensure there are no impurities. Sift through them to make sure there are no rocks. No one wants to break a tooth by biting down on a rock!

How do you cook lentils without them getting mushy?

Gently simmer lentils over low heat. Cooking them at a rapid simmer can lead to them splitting their skins from the pressure, and may result in them becoming mushy. Cook them until al dente. They will continue to soften even after they are removed from the stovetop.

📖 Recipe