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–+ servings
tomato lentil soup in a wooden bowl with slices of sourdough bread on a cutting board

Tomato Lentil Soup: An Easy Vegan Red Lentil Dahl

A comforting bowl of tomato lentil soup. The perfect amount of blended spices, with just a few ingredients this soup comes together quickly.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Indian
Calories: 173
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 medium yellow onion - diced
  • 3 cloves garlic - minced
  • 2 cups red lentils
  • 6 cups filtered water
  • 1 28oz crushed tomatoes - canned (preferably organic)
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp cardamom
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 medium lemon - juiced
Favorite Toppings to Consider
  • fresh cilantro - loosely chopped
  • brown rice - preferably organic
  • nutritional yeast
  • vegan cheese
  • leafy greens - loosely chopped

Equipment

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Measure and rinse the lentils fully, until the water runs clear. Drain and set aside.
    red lentils in a colander being rinsed in the sink with running water
  2. Peel and finely dice the onion. Mince the garlic. Set aside.
  3. Measure out all of the seasoning.
  4. Juice the fresh lemon or lime
Step-By-Step Instructions
  1. In a large soup pot, add a few tablespoons of water and place it on the stove on medium-high heat.
    Sauté the diced onions until just tender, adding more water if needed to prevent sticking.
    a diced onion being sauteed in a large soup pot
  2. Add the minced garlic and stir to combine.
  3. Next, add all of the seasoning, except the bay leaf, and stir quickly to combine and to prevent the seasonings from burning.
    seasoning being added to a large soup pot with diced onions
  4. Add the red lentils and half of the water, and stir to combine.
    water spices and lentils in a large soup pot
  5. Finally, add the remaining water, crushed tomatoes, and bay leaf.
    Stir again to combine all of the ingredients well.
    crushed tomatoes added to a large soup pot with tomato lentil soup
  6. Let the tomato lentil soup come to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium and cover, leaving the lid slightly ajar to allow steam to release.
    Let cook for approximately 10-15 minutes, until the red lentils are soft and tender.
  7. Once the soup has cooked, remove it from the stove, and using the immersion blender, blend about half of the soup for a delicious creamy texture.
    an immersion blender in the soup pot ready to cream the lentil soup
Serving Suggestions
  1. Ladle spoonfuls of delicious creamy soup into serving bowls and top with some chopped fresh leafy greens like arugula, shavings of vegan parmesan cheese, and a couple of lime wedges.
    ENJOY!

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 173kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 12gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.2gSodium: 325mgPotassium: 489mgFiber: 15gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 27IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 44mgIron: 4mg

Notes

Recipe Notes
  • I prefer to water sauté my onions and garlic to keep the fat intake low. However, feel free to use a high-quality olive or avocado oil if you wish.
  • If you don’t have red lentils, you can make this soup with other lentils, such as brown or black. Just know that the cooking times will be different depending on the type of lentil. The taste will also be altered but not necessarily in a bad way!
  • For a chinkier textured tomato soup, feel free to skip using an immersion blender.
How to Store
  • This delicious tomato lentil soup stores well in the fridge for 4-5 days. Make sure to store your soup in an airtight container, preferably glass.
  • For longer storage, you can place your soup in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 6 months.
ProTip 1: To prevent your storage container from cracking or breaking, the soup must be completely cooled to room temperature before storing.
ProTip 2: If you are placing your soup in the freezer, make sure to leave room at the top of your container for expansion as your soup freezes. This also prevents your storage container from breaking.

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