This purple lentil soup recipe is cozy, flavorful, and vivid with lemon. Simple to make with easy elements, it is a scrumptious, wholesome one-pot meal.
This purple lentil soup recipe is precisely what I’m craving as of late. It’s cozy and warming, however nourishing too. Blended purple lentils thicken the broth (no cream right here!) and provides every bowl a lift of plant-based protein. Fragrant veggies and cumin add earthy depth of taste. This purple lentil soup is wholesome and scrumptious.
The recipe is impressed by Turkish purple lentil soup, which is considered one of my favourite dishes to order at Center Jap eating places. In contrast to lentil soup made with inexperienced or brown lentils, it has a vibrant orange-yellow coloration and vivid, lemony style. On a chilly winter day, it’s an ideal pick-me-up!
This purple lentil soup is straightforward to make with primary pantry elements. Easy, filling, and flavorful, it’s a fantastic recipe to have in your again pocket right now of 12 months. I hope you like it as a lot as I do!
Crimson Lentil Soup Substances
Right here’s what you’ll have to make this purple lentil soup recipe:
- Crimson lentils, after all! The purple lentils collapse as they cook dinner, giving the soup a thick, creamy consistency. Inexperienced or brown lentils won’t work right here. If in case you have these, go try this lentil soup recipe as an alternative!
- Onion, garlic, carrot, and celery – These fragrant veggies create the soup’s flavorful base.
- Yukon Gold potato – For texture.
- Floor cumin – For earthy depth of taste.
- Cayenne pepper – For warmth. Skip it should you’re delicate to spice, or substitute a pinch of delicate chili powder.
- Vegetable broth and water – You’ll want 5 to six cups of liquid to make this soup recipe. The precise quantity will rely on how a lot liquid your lentils take up. I name for 4 cups broth and 1 to 2 cups water as a result of most store-bought inventory is available in 4-cup bins. If in case you have further inventory available, or should you’re utilizing do-it-yourself vegetable broth, be at liberty to exchange the water with extra broth.
- Contemporary lemon juice – It offers the soup a scrumptious vivid end.
- Additional-virgin olive oil – It provides beautiful richness. Use some within the soup, and serve it with one other drizzle of oil on high.
- Contemporary parsley – For garnish. You would technically skip it, however I really like the freshness it provides to this easy soup. Contemporary cilantro can be good right here too.
- And salt and pepper – To make all of the flavors pop!
Discover the entire recipe with measurements under.
Learn how to Make Crimson Lentil Soup
This purple lentil soup recipe has three easy steps:
- Sauté
- Simmer
- Mix
Begin by sautéing the aromatics. Warmth the olive oil in a big pot over medium warmth. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook dinner till gentle, about 8 minutes. Stir within the potato, garlic, cumin, and cayenne and cook dinner for one more minute.
Subsequent, simmer the soup. Add the lentils, broth, and 1 cup water to the pot. Convey to a simmer and cook dinner, uncovered, for half-hour, or till the potatoes and lentils are tender.
Then, mix. The trick to this purple lentil soup recipe is barely partially mixing the soup. The blended lentils and potatoes will give it a pleasant creamy consistency, whereas the remaining complete potatoes and different veggies will go away a little bit of texture.
An immersion blender is ideal for this, however you may use an upright blender too. In case you’re going that route, switch many of the soup to a blender and mix till clean. Then, add it again to the pot with the remaining chunky soup.
Lastly, season and serve. Stir within the lemon juice and season to style with salt and pepper. Serve topped with a drizzle of olive oil and recent parsley.
Take pleasure in!
Recipe Suggestions
- Cease mixing earlier than it’s completely clean. I prefer to mix a number of the lentils and potatoes on this soup to make the broth thick and creamy. However I don’t completely puree it—leaving some chunks offers the soup a satisfying texture. An immersion blender is ideal for this!
- Add extra water for a thinner soup. I listing a spread of water on this recipe. You could want much less or extra relying on how a lot water your lentils take up. Begin on the low finish and keep there for a thick purple lentil soup. Add extra water for a thinner one. The ultimate texture is as much as you!
- Make it your personal. I really like this recipe as written, but it surely’s versatile. Be at liberty to make it your personal! Strive changing the cumin with floor coriander or paprika, or experiment with candy potato as an alternative of the yellow potato or carrot. Add a pair tablespoons of tomato paste for a bolder coloration and tangier taste, or dump in a can of diced tomatoes. Simply don’t skip the lemon juice. Its vivid, tangy taste takes this recipe excessive.
What to Serve with Crimson Lentil Soup
I like to serve this purple lentil soup with crusty bread and a easy salad. Any of those salad recipes would pair properly with it:
Storage and Reheating
Leftovers hold effectively in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 4 days. You may as well freeze this soup for as much as 3 months.
The soup will thicken after a day or two within the fridge, so you might have to stir in a bit of water to skinny it if you reheat.
Extra Favourite Soup Recipes
In case you love this purple lentil soup, attempt considered one of these simple soup recipes subsequent:

Crimson Lentil Soup
Serves 6
This purple lentil soup recipe is flavorful, comforting, and straightforward to make! Easy elements like purple lentils, onions, cumin, and lemon juice give it a stunning creamy texture and vivid, earthy taste. Leftovers freeze effectively! Vegan and gluten-free.
Forestall your display from going darkish
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Warmth the olive oil in a big pot or Dutch oven over medium warmth. Add the onion, carrot, celery, salt, and a number of other grinds of pepper. Prepare dinner, stirring often, for 8 minutes, or till the greens are gentle.
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Stir within the potato, garlic, cumin, and cayenne and cook dinner, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the lentils, broth, and 1 cup water. Simmer for half-hour, or till the lentils and potatoes are gentle.
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Take away from the warmth and use an immersion blender to mix till principally clean. (Alternatively, mix the soup in an upright blender.) If the soup is simply too thick, add the remaining 1 cup water.
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Add the lemon juice and season to style with extra salt and pepper as desired. Ladle into bowls and serve topped with a drizzle of olive oil and chopped recent parsley.