If you're in the mood for something warm, comforting, and easy to make, this lentil and carrot soup has you covered. It's hearty, healthy, and comes together in less than an hour - with no blending required!
I'm sharing a little veggie-chopping shortcut that saves time without sacrificing flavour or texture.
You'll want to keep this recipe in your back pocket for busy weeknights or lazy weekends when you want something cozy but fuss-free.
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Recipe Highlights
- Servings: 4 servings
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes prep + 35 minutes cook time
- Effort Required: Easy! Chop vegetables (or use a food processor), simmer, and serve.
- Special Equipment: Large pot with lid, food processor or chopper (optional but helpful for faster prep)
- Dietary Notes: Can be made vegan/vegetarian with vegetable stock; naturally dairy-free.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here's what you'll need to make this cozy carrot and lentil soup. Most of the ingredients are pantry staples, including a few warm spices to bring everything together.
- Cayenne Pepper: I used ¼ teaspoon in this recipe, which adds a nice kick without being overwhelming. The soup will taste spicier the next day, though, so reduce the amount if you prefer less heat. If you'd rather keep the soup mild, omit the cayenne entirely.
- Smoked Sweet Paprika: This adds a subtle warm, smoky flavour to the soup. If you don't have smoked paprika, regular paprika can be used as a substitute, though you'll miss out on the smoky depth.
- Red Lentils: I used whole red lentils, but split red lentils will work too-just keep in mind they cook a bit faster. You can also substitute with yellow split lentils if you prefer.
- Chicken Stock: Stock adds a rich, deep flavour to the broth. You can swap it with vegetable stock if you prefer. If using bouillon cubes, be aware they tend to be saltier than liquid stock, so you might not need to add more salt to the soup.
This recipe has not been tested with all possible substitutions or variations. Making changes may alter the taste, texture, or overall outcome. If you try a different ingredient, please share in the comments!
See the recipe card for the complete ingredient list and recipe instructions.
Variations
This recipe is easy to adapt, so don't be afraid to make it your own. A few simple tweaks can completely change the vibe of the soup, depending on what you're in the mood for.
- Creamy: finish the soup with a splash of heavy cream (or coconut milk).
- Blended: use an immersion blender to blend some or all of the soup to achieve a thick soup texture.
- Veggie-Loaded: replace some of the chopped carrots with finely chopped red bell pepper.
Why I Make This Recipe
When I think of spring, Easter always comes to mind, and with it, Easter bunnies and carrots.
Since spring in Ontario can swing rapidly between sunny days and frigid snowstorms, a warm, comforting carrot soup feels appropriate for this in-between season.
There are many ways to make lentil and carrot soup, but I prefer a rustic, brothy version with warm spices. My recipe skips tomato paste and dairy, focusing on the natural flavours of the vegetables and spices.
Save Time with a Food Processor
Use a food processor or chopper to finely chop the onions, celery, and carrots. This can be much faster than chopping everything by hand (unless you have great knife skills!) Also, this helps the vegetables cook faster and break down enough that you won't need to blend the soup later.
How to Make Red Lentil Carrot Soup
This soup comes together in just a few simple steps and doesn't require any blending, which makes it a perfect low-effort, high-reward recipe.
Step 1: Cook onions, celery and carrots with salt for several minutes. The salt helps to draw water out of the vegetables.
Step 2: Add minced garlic and cook for another minute. I like to grate my garlic straight into the pot.
Step 3: Stir in seasonings and warm them through.
Step 4: Add lentils and stock, then bring to a simmer.
Step 5: Cover the pot, leaving it slightly opening. Cook soup for about 25 minutes.
Step 6: Once lentils are cooked through, taste the soup and adjust the seasonings. Garnish bowls of soup with parsley.
Serve With
Serve this rustic carrot soup with crusty bread or a fresh salad.
I particularly enjoy it with my lentil cornbread muffins, but if you're in the mood for something lighter, it's also delicious alongside my spinach and pear salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, there's no need to cook the lentils ahead of time. They cook very quickly, so just add them to the soup uncooked.
Yes, carrot and lentil soup is generally considered healthy! It's packed with nourishing ingredients and offers a good balance of fibre, protein, and essential nutrients.
I hope you enjoy making this red lentil carrot soup recipe! If you're looking for more cozy recipes, try my chicken pot pie soup or my white turkey chili next!
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment and rating below. I'd love to hear from you!
Recipe Card
Lentil and Carrot Soup
Ingredients
- 1.5 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup onion, finely chopped, (about 1 medium onion)
- ¼ teaspoon salt, plus extra for adjusting seasoning (I used fine iodized sea salt)
- ⅓ cup celery, finely chopped, (about 1 stalk)
- 3 cups carrots, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, plus extra for adjusting seasoning
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ cup dry red lentils, washed and drained
- 5 cups chicken stock, or vegetable stock
- 2 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Equipment
- Food Processor or Food Chopper, optional
- Large Pot with Lid
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat.
- Add onion and ¼ teaspoon of salt, stir to combine. Sweat onions for 3-4 minutes.
- Add celery and carrots. Continue to sweat vegetables for another 4-5 minutes. Onions should become translucent.
- Add garlic, stir, and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in black pepper, coriander, paprika, and cayenne. Cook for 2 more minutes.
- Add lentils and stock and bring to a simmer. Cover pot with lid, leaving the lid partly open. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook soup for about 25 minutes.
- Once the lentils are tender, taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with small amounts of salt and pepper until the flavour suits your preference.
- Ladel soup into bowls and garnish with the fresh chopped parsley.
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Notes
- Time-Saving Tip: Use a food processor to finely chop the onions, celery, and carrots. It saves time and helps the soup cook faster.
- Easy Minced Garlic: Use a fine grater (like a Microplane) to grate the garlic into the soup.
- Substitutions:
-
- Cayenne Pepper: Reduce the amount if you prefer less heat. If you'd rather keep the soup mild, omit the cayenne entirely.
-
- Smoked Sweet Paprika: Regular paprika can be used as a substitute, though you'll miss out on the smoky depth of smoked paprika.
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- Red Lentils: I used whole red lentils, but split red lentils will work too-just keep in mind they cook a bit faster. You can also substitute with yellow split lentils if you prefer.
Please read the full blog post for all of my tips, variations, and recommendations for this recipe.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate provided as a courtesy and will vary based on the specific ingredients used. For exact values, use your preferred nutritional calculator with the products you're using.
Private Notes
Have you made this recipe?
Let us know how it turned out in the comments!About Shareba
Shareba Abdul is a recipe developer and food photographer with a Culinary Arts certificate from George Brown College and 15+ years of experience creating and testing recipes for home cooks. She is also a member of the International Association for Culinary Professionals. All recipes on this website are tested in her home kitchen. Learn more →
Lorraine Baksh says
My family loves this soup. (some garlic naan goes really well with it).
Shareba Abdul says
That sounds like a delicious pairing! I'll have to try that. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
Shareba Abdul says
This lentil carrot soup is so simple and comforting. It's exactly what I want on a chilly Spring day. I hope you enjoy it!