This is the kind of soup with broth that tastes just as good, if not better, than the actual add-ins. Is it normal to want to guzzle the broth? Well, it is now, my friends. It’s actually a miracle I have any taste buds left because I’ve burned my tongue so many times since dedicating the last two weeks for cookbook soup makin’. After concocting 6 different soups and stews my freezer is very happy. Just don’t open it because you’re likely to get pummeled in the face by glass Tupperware. I was never one for patience and organization, but I can make a mean soup.
Chili powder, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper create a downright irresistible flavourful broth bursting with nutrition. I tell ya, it’ll clear your nose in no time. Have tissue nearby! While it does contain a medley of spices, I wouldn’t say it’s overly “spicy”, unless of course you go crazy with the cayenne pepper. I just added a bit of each spice at a time and tasted, adjusted, tasted, adjusted. That’s the beauty of soup – the recipe is never set in stone. Go wild.
Since most vegetable soups don’t hold me over very long, I added a cup of red lentils to amp up the protein (and fibre). Red lentils are one of my favourite ingredients to add into basic soups! They take a mere 15 minutes to cook and it’s all made in one pot. No pre-cooking. No soaking. They also “fluff up” (technical term) and add a lot of body to the broth. This soup went from having almost no protein to over 10 grams per serving. Add a hunk of bread/crackers + piece of fruit and you have yourself a nice little meal to enjoy with loved ones.
Featuring all new, protein-packed salads, hearty toppers, flavour boosters, and dressings you'll want to drink, my new cookbook will transform the way you think about salads. Oh, and be sure to flip to the back for a surprise dessert chapter!
Spiced Red Lentil, Tomato, and Kale Soup
Yield
6 cups (1.4 L)
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
A flavourful, quick-to-prepare vegetable soup amped up with protein and fibre-packed red lentils. It's so good you'll want to drink the broth!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon (15 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 3 celery stalks, diced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika, to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 1 (14-ounce/398 mL) can diced tomatoes, with juices
- 5 to 6 cups (1.25 to 1.5L) low-sodium vegetable broth, as needed
- 1 cup uncooked red lentils, rinsed and drained
- Fine grain sea salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 handfuls destemmed and chopped kale leaves or baby spinach
Directions
- In a large pot, sauté the onion and garlic in the oil for about 4 to 5 minutes over medium heat. Add in the celery and sauté for a few minutes more.
- Stir in the bay leaf and the spices (cumin, chili powder, coriander, paprika, cayenne).
- Stir in the can of tomatoes (including the juice), broth, and lentils. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and then simmer, uncovered, for about 20 to 25 minutes, until lentils are tender and fluffy.
- Stir in kale or spinach and cook until just wilted. Serve and enjoy! The cooled soup can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days, or you can freeze it in a freezer-safe container (leave 1-inch at the top for expansion) for 1 to 2 months.
Tip:
- * This soup is even more satisfying when served with a hunk of toasted bread.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)…and in the words of Stephanie Tanner, whoa baby!
I just made this and I’m eating it right now this is fantastic!! Every recipe I’ve tried by you has been absolutely delicious! Keep and the great work you’re doing!!
Thanks for the kind words, Toya!
Angela, I’ve been making this soup since you first posted it in 2012 and I love and adore its reliable deliciousness… I just want to express my gratitude for your steadfast recipe on what is a cold night in Melbourne.
Tonight’s version has been super amped up with extra tumeric, ginger, cinnamon, chick peas and parsley, to cure a week of caffeine and pastries as Mother’s Day just passed and I’m a florist!
Your recipes are dynamite! Keep up the good work. Finding your website has been lifechanging.
Thanks for the lovely comment, Zoe! Hope the soup helps you stay warm :)
Just wanted to say thank you for this delicious recipe! I just made it today as my lunches for the week and it’s extremely tasty! The only thing I did was add baby bella mushrooms. :D
It’s in the freezer now, looks like it will freeze just fine. Thanks again!
Oh, I’m sure those mushrooms were a great addition, Nikki!
I just bought the cookbook a couple weeks ago and this is the first recipe I made … and it was SO GOOD. How can something so simple be so tasty! I had everything on hand already. You were right about the broth – it was just drinkable. My mom loved the soup, too.
Thanks so much for the kind words, and for your support for the cookbook, of course! It’s so wonderful to hear you loved this recipe. I hope you enjoy whatever recipe you try next just as much!
Made this soup for dinner last night, and just finished having it again for lunch today. Like other lentil soups with this flavor profile, it benefits from sitting in the pot overnight and allowing the flavors to really meld together. This is an easy, delicious, and filling recipe that I can see myself throwing together in a hurry. I typically use plain ol’ brown lentils, but the use of red lentil here makes this an even speedier recipe to execute. Thanks for another dinner/lunch staple! =)
This is really good soup, nice and savory. I always double it with intentions to freeze half, but then I just end up eating it all before that happens. Thank you!
Lol, it happens ;) Thanks for the recipe love, Lili!
I tried this recipe a few months after it came out and it has fond memories as one of the ones that helped me transition to veganism. It is still one of my favorite soups and I’m making it tonight for my sick husband. It’s so satisfying and comforting. Your recipes have also helped me get through finding out I’m allergic to soy and developing a wheat allergy. Your recipes are so allergy friendly and I can always trust they will be delicious and a hit with anyone I feed them to.
Hey Sarah, I appreciate your kind words so much…thank you! I’m thrilled you enjoy the recipes (and this soup) so much. Happy cooking!
Just had to leave a comment before I go to make this soup for maybe the 20th time? Love this recipe, and as we got our first snow here in Denver yesterday and it’s the kind of cold that kept me working from bed till almost noon, I’m excited to make it yet again to gain some warmth and some yum. Thanks!
I feel so cozy just reading this comment! haha. Love it. I’m so happy you enjoy it so much Rose!
This has been my absolute favorite soup for a couple of years now. I have a pot going right now. I added ONE little thing, but it added another layer of flavor. 1 jar of roasted red peppers which I used an infuser to blend before adding to the soup. Be still my heart! I could eat this 5 out of 7 days!
OMG, why have I never added roasted red peppers before….genius!! I love roasted red peppers in soup…totally agree with you on another layer of flavour. Roasty goodness. I think I have to make it this weekend (why not right?)
This is still my favorite soup from Angela. It’s nice and spicy which is perfect for the mid-winter “blah I’m sick of eating root veggies” and/or “I have a cold and can’t smell anything anymore”. This soup will cure it all. I added extra spinach, because – why not! Eat it with a crusty piece of bread and it’s perfect.
Hi! Love your recipes! Can I use chard instead of kale or spinach? I have some I’d like to get rid of.
I can’t see why not as long as you enjoy the flavour :)
Just wanted to let you know that, years later, this is still one of my all time favorite soups! I make it and share the recipe with friends often. It is just divine!
Hey Jessica, Oh that’s great! So happy you still love it so much. :)
I just made this soup today and it’s amazing!!! I love the spice and heartiness of it – the chunks of tomato and the lentils were a win in my book. It was super easy to make and I can’t wait to dig into another bowl.
Hey Frankie, So glad you enjoyed it so much…thanks!
I have been trying to find a recipe for lentils for some time now and this one is the best! I couldn’t even let it cool and burnt myself twice eating it before it was done!
So glad to hear you love it Joe! And I can relate about not being able to wait for things to cool… ;)
I was really nervous to try this because I’ve never had lentils but OH MY GOSH. The flavor and combination in this soup are delicious. It’s seriously my new favorite soup. My goal is to eat only plant-based recipes this week and all of the meal-prep I did is your recipes. I’m so excited to try more.
Hey Kayla, Aw thank you so much! I’m so happy you enjoyed it so much. :)
Has anyone done this in the crockpot?
My fam are not lentil fans (I know, poor me!), and I happened to have some leftover cooked quinoa and butternut squash. So I added both and skipped the lentils. I cubed the squash, then steamed it separately while the soup simmered before adding it and the quinoa with the kale at the end. I also added some carrot with the celery and onion at the start. The result was delightful!
Oh that sounds amazing, thanks for sharing!
I’ve been making this soup for a few years and when I pulled up the recipe to make it again today I figured I should thank you for sharing it. This is one of my favorite soups of all time and it makes me feel like I’m taking such good care of my body. I served it to a friend a couple of months ago and it blew her away. I had never tried smoked paprika before but turns out I love it so much I add a few extra teaspoons. So thank you for an awesome recipe!
Hey Katie, Aww thank you! This was such a lovely comment to read on a Monday morning. I’m so glad you and your friend love it so much. Thanks for your review!
This is one of my favourite soups!! We’ve been making it for years! After a pretty snowfall here in southern Ontario, playing in the snow and shoveling, this soup hits the spot. Super delicious and the little ones love it. We top it with toasted pieces of baguette.
Oh yes isn’t this first snowfall pretty!? I was loving watching it fall last night. So glad this soup hit the spot!
I’m not sure if it’s been posted already, but thought I’d share how I successfully made this in an instant pot! I used the sauté function for everything up until the simmering step, then instead of simmering, cooked it for 1 minute at pressure. I let it release naturally for 15 minutes (because that’s just how my night went haha), then quick released the rest of the way and wilted the greens in with the residual heat. So easy! Thanks for the handy weeknight recipe :D
Awesome! Thanks so much for sharing Nathalie! :)
This has become one of my favorite go-to recipes. It is absolutely delicious and yes, I practically guzzle the broth! It is especially yummy when I am feeling a bit under the weather. Super comforting. Thank you so much for sharing, Angela!!
Hey Lisa, haha good to know I’m not alone in the broth guzzling! Thanks so much for your review :)