Carrot and Lentil Soup (with Red Lentils)

This easy carrot and lentil soup with coriander manages to taste fresh and lively whilst also being deeply nourishing and gratifying. It's also naturally vegan.

This recipe was first published in January 2020 and updated in October 2021 with additional step-by-step images.

Despite spending my days surrounded by food, it's disappointing how often I fail to make time to feed myself properly during the day. But recipes like this carrot and lentil soup are my lunchtime saviours. This soup is easy to prepare, very healthy and one batch can keep me going for days at a time.

I've enjoyed soup at lunchtime since I was a small child. But, of course, variety is the spice of life, so I'm always playing around with new flavours. This carrot and red lentil soup with coriander (cilantro) is really a cross between 2 classics: carrot & coriander soup and lentil soup.

Before we delve into the details of the recipe I'd like to spend a little time explaining what red lentils are and how they are used in this recipe. I've also written a section detailing the many reasons why this soup is so healthy.

What are red lentils?

Red lentils are part of the legume family since they grow on the lentil plant in pods - rather like beans and peas. They are often referred to as pulses and have multiple uses from soups and stews through to salads and side dishes (perhaps the most famous of which is dahl). 

Despite their name, red lentils are actually yellow lentils that have been split and are typically orange in colour. They are small in size, cook quickly and break down considerably when cooked. This makes them fantastic ingredients in soups and stews since they add a healthy creaminess to the dish and add body to sauces and liquids.

There are two questions that I'm frequently asked about this pulse with regard to this carrot and red lentil soup recipe:

1. Do I need to soak the lentils before using?
2. Do I need to cook the lentils before adding to the soup?

The answer to both questions is no.

Although it's wise to rinse red lentils through several changes of cold water to remove any grit, it is not necessary to soak them before cooking.

There is also no need to cook the red lentils before adding to the soup. They can go directly in the pot and be left to simmer for 20 minutes. By this time they will have broken down and begun to blend into the liquid. Once some (or all) of the soup is blended, you'll have plenty of body to the soup thanks to the lentils.

What makes this soup healthy?

As well as being very tasty and rather satisfying, this carrot and lentil soup boasts a number of health benefits:

• Carrots are nutrient-rich, possessing a wealth of vitamins and minerals. In particular, they are rich in beta carotene, which our bodies convert into vitamin A. In turn, vitamin A helps promote good vision and is important for growth, development, and immune system health
• Coriander imparts dietary fibre, manganese, iron, magnesium, Vitamin C and Vitamin K. Phew - quite a mix. And there are equally wide-ranging benefits from incorporating this herb into your diet including: lowering bad cholesterol; aiding liver functions and bowel movements; alleviating mouth ulcers and helping to remedy anaemia
• Red lentils are a fantastic source of healthy, plant-based protein - pertinent for digestive health and healthy weight maintenance. But they are also an excellent source of fibre, B vitamins, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc. Lentils are all-round good guys

To keep this carrot and red lentil soup as healthy as possible, I suggest using reduced-fat coconut milk and using homemade or low-sodium stock. These choices help to keep in check unhealthy fats and sodium levels.

Now we're fully on-board with the legumes, let's get on with the recipe.

Why make this soup?

Here are a handful of reasons to make this recipe:

• It's easy
• And requires only 15 minutes hands-on time. You can walk away and let things simmer while you get on with other tasks
• It's packed with flavour
• And it's highly nutritious
• It's also naturally vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free (assuming your stock is all of these things)

Essentially, this recipe for carrot and lentil soup is ideal for anybody wishing to make a version of traditional carrot and coriander soup that is a little more hearty.

Ingredients

Try to pick fresh and tasty carrots. I know that's easier said than done without biting into them, but full-flavoured carrots will make the world of difference here over lack-lustre ones. And tinned or frozen carrots are not suitable in this recipe.

Use only red lentils in this recipe. No other lentil breaks down quite red ones do and it's this unique quality that is required to achieve the fantastic consistency of this soup.

The coconut milk is the canned type used in Thai cuisine rather than the refrigerated version typically used as a milk replacement. Whether to use full-fat or reduced-fat is entirely your choice.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Dice the onion and celery and fry in oil for around 5 minutes until beginning to soften then chop the garlic and add to the pan, along with the ground coriander. Cook for 1 minute
2. Peel and dice the carrot. Drop into the pan, stir and cook for 3 minutes
3. Pour in the lentils and stock, bring to a gentle simmer and cook, covered, for 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender
4. Pour the coconut milk into the base of a heatproof blender jug and ladle in ¼ of the soup (see notes). Cover and blitz until smooth
5. Add ¾ of the fresh coriander and pulse 3-4 times until the herb is finely chopped
6. Pour the pureed soup back into the pan, taste & season as necessary (see notes) and reheat before serving

Expert tips

• Make short work of the onion and carrot chopping by using a food processor
• Ramp up the spice level by adding 1 teaspoon of cumin and ¼ teaspoon of chilli powder
• Orange carrots work best in this recipe. Avoid using purple or yellow ones
• The thickness of this soup will depend how much of it is pureed in the blender. For a very thick and smooth soup, the whole lot can be blended, but for a thinner soup, as pictured, aim for ¼ - ⅓ of it being blended
• If you are not sure how thick to make it, try blending a bit at a time until you achieve a consistency you are happy with
• The exact amount of salt required will depend on the saltiness of your stock. I used ½ teaspoon salt, but this will need adjusting up or down in accordance with your stock - taste, taste and taste some more
• You can use frozen coriander if you don't have fresh to hand. Try adding 1-2 tablespoons

Frequently asked questions

Serving suggestions

I have a confession: I find the smooth-as-silk texture of traditional carrot & coriander soup a bit monotonous to eat. That's why I've deliberately kept this soup chunky by whizzing up only part of the soup in my blender and stirring it back into the remainder. This helps thicken the entire batch, giving the soup extra body and a great consistency whilst retaining some bright nuggets of carrot.

Of course, this carrot and red lentil soup can alternatively be blended to a smooth (and thick) consistency. It's your choice.

As for topping options, try the following ideas:

• a swirl of coconut milk
• fresh coriander
• cracked black pepper
• pumpkin seeds and/or chia seeds
• crunchy croutons

More lentil recipes

Have you made this carrot and red lentil soup recipe? How did you get along - feel free to leave a rating and/or comment below to let me know.

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