Vegan red lentil soup – a simple, light yet healthy soup that requires little preparation and is ready in under and hour. Perfect to fight those winter blues. Gluten-Free too. 
Vegan red lentil soup was what I made for myself when I somehow managed to get sick again. After being sick what felt like a solid 10 days in mid December, I am now once again sick.
Last time it was D that got me sick, and this time it was my friend S, who flew out to San Francisco to meet up with me and another one of my friends, A, for a mini reunion.
What is it with flying that always seems to get people sick? S insists it was the sneezing passengers on the plane that got her sick. All that recycled bacteria filled area floating through that small cabin for hours on end. And now that sneezing passenger has managed to even infect A and I with his cold.
Nothing worse than a runny nose. My taste buds are all off and I can no longer even enjoy my favorite parts of the day – eating.
Who would have guessed that your ability to distinguish flavors comes from your sense of smell? This actually has solved the mystery as to why D has never been as enthusiastic about food as I am. He has a deviated septum from having broken his nose as a child, so he doesn’t breathe through his nose well, and therefore that limits his tastes, explaining why he doesn’t have as strong of a love affair with food as I do.
It’s all starting to make sense now.
Now while my taste buds might be a bit handicapped this week, what I do know is that I love soup, especially when I’m sick.
Red lentils are by far my new favorite lentils and I fell in love with them last year after making an apple red lentil soup, but today I opted for something simpler.
Only a handful of ingredients needed for this vegan red lentil soup with minimal prep and very little fuss. The only fresh ingredients you need are onions, garlic and ginger, which I basically always have on hand and assume you do too?
The whole thing comes together in under and hour and with the red pepper flakes, lime juice and cilantro as a garnish, even through my cold I can taste the strong and sharp flavors in this light yet hearty vegan red lentil soup. Do you love soup as much as I do? If you do, you’ll want to add this one to your weekly rotation – it’s a favorite and can’t be any easier to make. A recipe the whole family will love.
Other soup recipes I know you’ll love:
- Mouthwatering Spiced Thai Lentil Soup {GF, Vegan}
- Vegetarian Asian Noodle Soup Recipe {GF}
- Thai Pumpkin Soup {GF, Vegan}
If you love red lentils as much as I do check out this Vegan Red Lentil Recipes Round Up.
How to make my vegan red lentil soup
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 1-2 teaspoons minced ginger
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 -1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 - 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup red lentils washed and soaked in water for 1 hr
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup water
- For garnish: red pepper flakes lime juice, fresh cilantro, chopped
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Heat oil over medium heat in a pot and add onion. Cook until translucent. Add ginger and cook for 1 minute.
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Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
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Add garam masala, cumin, smoked paprika and salt. Mix.
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Add red lentils, broth and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered for 30 minutes or until lentils cooked.
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Puree with immersion blender if creamy texture is desired.
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Serve sprinkled with red pepper flakes, a squeeze of lime juice and teaspoon of fresh cilantro, chopped.
Mary says
I know my family will love this!