Lemony Red Lentil Soup
Inspired by techniques from NYT Cooking and America's Test Kitchen.
A warming, budget-friendly soup where red lentils simmer down into a smooth, spiced purée, brightened at the end with a good hit of lemon.
Based on the listed ingredients, none of the 14 major EU allergens. Always check product labels.
Method
- 1
Rinse the lentils. Tip the lentils into a sieve and rinse under running water until it runs fairly clear, picking out any small stones as you go. This washes away dust and some of the surface starch that would otherwise cause heavy foaming once the lentils hit the boiling water. It only takes a minute or two.
- 2
Soften the vegetables. Heat the oil in a pan of at least 3 litres over medium heat, then add the onion and carrot with a pinch of the salt. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened and the onion is turning golden at the edges. This slow start builds a sweet base flavour before anything else goes in.
- 3
Bloom the spices. Stir in the garlic, cumin, turmeric, paprika and chilli flakes (if using) and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly so nothing catches. Warming spices gently in the oil like this releases far more of their aroma than adding them later into liquid. Add the tomato purée and cook for a further minute until it darkens slightly and smells rich.
- 4
Simmer the soup. Add the lentils, water and remaining salt, then bring to the boil and skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Turn the heat down to a gentle simmer, cover partly, and cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring now and then so the lentils don't catch on the bottom of the pan. You're looking for the lentils to have completely collapsed and the carrots to be very tender.
- 5
Blend until smooth. Blend the soup until smooth, either with a stick blender directly in the pan or by transferring it in batches to a jug blender filled no more than halfway, with the lid vented to let steam escape safely. Thin with a little extra hot water until it coats the back of a spoon rather than sitting thick and stodgy. The texture should feel silky, not grainy.
- 6
Finish and serve. Stir in the lemon juice off the heat, then taste and adjust the salt - the acidity lifts the earthy lentils and stops the soup tasting flat. Ladle into bowls and finish with a scattering of parsley, a drizzle of olive oil and lemon wedges on the side.
Storage
Keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat until piping hot throughout (74°C), stirring in a little water as needed to loosen the texture. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Why this label?
- Total fat: 23.2 % of energy (limit ≤ 30%)
- Saturated fat: 3.2 % of energy (limit < 10%)
- Free sugars: 0.2 % of energy (limit < 10%)
- Salt: 1.58 g (limit ≤ 1.7 g)
- Fibre or fruit & veg: 9.3 g fibre / 78 g veg (limit ≥ 4.2 g fibre or 80 g fruit & veg)
Per serving, worked out from the nutrition table against our rule based on the WHO healthy diet guidance. Not endorsed by WHO.
EU nutrition claims
- Source of protein: 4.9 g protein per 100 kcal, about 20% of energy (needs ≥ 12%)
- Low saturated fat: 0.4 g saturated fat per 100 ml, 3.2% of energy (limits ≤ 0.75 g and ≤ 10%)
- Low sugars: 2 g sugars per 100 ml (limit ≤ 2.5 g)
Per 100 ml of the finished dish, worked out from the nutrition per serving and the lowest likely cooked weight (about 291 ml a serving), so the true values are, if anything, lower. Thresholds from the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
Free sugars
0.2 g per serving
0.4 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 0.8 % of the ideal 25 g
Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g, based on WHO free-sugar guidance (not endorsed by WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. WHO
Equipment
- large heavy saucepan or casserole (at least 3 litres) with lid
- sieve
- stick (immersion) blender or jug blender
- wooden spoon
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 334 kcal |
| Protein | 16.5 g |
| Carbohydrate | 50.8 g |
| of which sugars | 5.9 g |
| of which free sugars | 0.2 g |
| Fat | 8.6 g |
| of which saturates | 1.2 g |
| Fibre | 9.3 g |
| Salt | 1.58 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
4.9 g High Protein needs ≥ 5 g (20% of energy)
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
