Vegan Lentil Soup Recipe
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Best vegan lentil soup made with coconut milk and sumac featuring savory notes of garlic and ginger in a fire roasted tomato broth. Finish with plenty of baby spinach (or kale) to boost up the nutritional profile and maybe a drizzle of cultured vegan sour cream or yogurt. Easy, from scratch, must add recipe into your weekly winter rotation.
Vegan Lentil Soup
It’s undeniably soup season and this is one of the best soups to cozy up with on a chilly night. Hearty, protein packed, naturally thick and creamy and since it features red lentils it also comes together in no time. From scratch, no canned lentils allowed here, perfect 1-Pot recipe (no slow cooker, no instant pot or crock pot required).
Best Lentils for Soup
Although all lentil varieties are great in soups, this recipe features quick cooking creamy red lentils. They aren’t quite as earthy as the green, brown and black varieties so their mild flavor works really well with all the other flavor components. The texture is soft and creamy and as they cook they naturally thicken the soup without any need to puree. All things considered you can make this soup with any lentils you have available, in which case adjust to cooking time to 45 minutes or so as those take way longer to cook.
The Seasonings
The depth of flavor in this super delicious soup comes comes from a base of aromatics: onion, garlic and ginger + a coconut based fire roasted tomato broth. The pleasant tart element is all thanks to the addition of ground sumac which is used in lieu of citrus although you can certainly use both if desired.
Ingredient Tips + FAQ
- Can I use kale instead of spinach? – Any dark leafy greens you love can work here. Take your pick from kale, chard, mustard greens, bok choy and even dandelion greens.
- Should I soak the lentils? – Red lentils in particular cook very fast, they achieve ideal soft texture in about 15 minutes, give them a quick rinse and into the soup they go. The only pulses I ever soak are beans and split peas, never any lentils.
- Soup Consistency – If a smoother silkier soup is desire you can certainly puree about 1/3 of it on the hot blender setting and mix back into the soup. For a creamy puree blend the entire batch. Alternatively for a thinner consistency just stretch out the original recipe with some veggie stock.
- Can you freeze lentil soup? – Yes, this is a great make ahead recipe freeze for later. Allow the soup to cool then portion into freezer safe containers up to 3 months for best results.
- Toppings + Add Ins – Fresh herbs like basil or cilantro, chives or scallions, thin slices or red chili pepper, a drizzle of vegan sour cream or cultured yogurt, crispy roasted broccoli, lemon zest and citrus wedges on the side for extra zing. Mop your bowls clean with some of these fluffy dinner rolls, potato flatbread or homemade bread.
On Storage
The soup keeps well in the refrigerator up to 5 days in airtight lidded containers and reheats beautifully on the stove top pr microwave oven. If using the microwave just make sure to use safe ceramic or glass dishes, never plastic.
Plant Based Soups + Stews
- Red Lentil Stew with Spinach and Potatoes
- Broccoli Potato Soup
- Spiced Chickpea Stew
- Potato Leek Soup – Vegan
- Best White Bean Soup
- Pasta and Chickpea Stew
- Sweet Potato Lentil Stew.
how to make the best vegan lentil soup
Vegan Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk and Sumac
Ingredients
- 1 onion diced
- 5 garlic cloves grated
- 1.5 inch ginger root grated
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp coriander
- 3 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp sumac (+ more to taste)
- 1 pinch chili powder
- 1 cup red lentils
- 14 oz can coconut milk (full flat unsweetened)
- 15 oz can fire roasted tomatoes (diced or pureed)
- 2 cups water
- 4 cups baby spinach packed
- S + P to taste
- Garnish: vegan yogurt lime wedges, sliced red chili pepper, fresh cilantro or basil.
Instructions
- Preheat a heavy bottom stock pot over medium heat with a light drizzle of olive oil. Sautee the onion until translucent then stir in the garlic and ginger. Cook just until fragrant.1 onion, 1.5 inch ginger root, 5 garlic cloves
- Add in the turmeric, coriander, onion powder, chili powder and sumac. Toast around for a minute for the spices to bloom.2 tsp turmeric, 2 tsp coriander, 3 tsp onion powder, 1 pinch chili powder, 2 tsp sumac
- Add the lentils, tomatoes, water and coconut milk and a good pinch of salt. Bring to a gentle boil and cook until the lentils have softened, about 15 minutes. (If using brown, black or green lentils you’ll need to adjust cooking time to 30 to 45 minutes).1 cup red lentils, 15 oz can fire roasted tomatoes, 2 cups water, 14 oz can coconut milk
- Once the lentils have softened make sure to adjust seasonings to taste with salt and pepper. You can add more sumac if desired too.S + P to taste
- Stir in the spinach and remove from heat. Cover with a lid and allow to sit for a few minutes for the spinach to completely wilt from the steam.4 cups baby spinach
- Serve with a swirl of vegan yogurt, fresh herbs like basil or chives, slices of red chili pepper for heat and a pinch of sumac.Garnish: vegan yogurt
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Notes
- Can I use kale instead of spinach? - Any dark leafy greens you love can work here. Take your pick from kale, chard, mustard greens, bok choy and even dandelion greens.
- Should I soak the lentils? - Red lentils in particular cook very fast, they achieve ideal soft texture in about 15 minutes, give them a quick rinse and into the soup they go. The only pulses I ever soak are beans and split peas, never any lentils.
- Soup Consistency - If a smoother silkier soup is desire you can certainly puree about 1/3 of it on the hot blender setting and mix back into the soup. For a creamy puree blend the entire batch. Alternatively for a thinner consistency just stretch out the original recipe with some veggie stock.
This soup is delicious! It’s loaded with anti-inflammatory ingredients and is easy to make too. Thank-you for this recipe, Florentina!
I added veggie sausage and used coconut curry milk, it was delicious
This looks delicious! I love soups that are full of flavor like this one! I’ll have to try the recipe soon!