Carrot and Lentil Soup Recipe
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.
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 358kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable broth
- 1 large yellow onion small dice
- 2 medium-large carrots small dice
- 1 large red bell pepper small dice (optional)
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 ¼ cups dry brown lentils or green, Puy, or French lentils (16 ounces)
- 6 cups vegetable broth plus more to taste (preferably low sodium)
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal (optional)
- Juice of 1 large lime plus more to taste
Instructions
- Cook the mirepoix: Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook the onion, carrots, and bell pepper for about 4 minutes, or until the onion is translucent.
- Season: Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, and oregano and cook for 1 minute more, stirring constantly.
- Cook the lentils: 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.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes more, or 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.
- Add the flaxseed meal, and season with lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste.
Video
Notes
- 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 legumes from reaching their peak tenderness.
- Blend a portion of the soup for a thicker 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.
- 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 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.
Nutrition
Calories: 358kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 58mg | Potassium: 1173mg | Fiber: 27g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 4878IU | Vitamin C: 59mg | Calcium: 121mg | Iron: 8mg