Carrot and Red Lentil Soup
by Sommer Collier — on Feb 12, 2025 
Easy Red Lentil Soup Recipe – This rustic soup is brimming with tender red lentils, chopped sweet carrots, and fire-roasted tomatoes in a savory tomato broth. It’s a cozy, nourishing, delicious vegetarian (and vegan) soup that’s ready to serve in less than an hour!
Why We Love This Carrot and Red Lentil Soup Recipe
We are big fans of cuddling up with rich, comforting soups like chowders and other creamy soups. But sometimes, you want all of the cozy goodness of a bowl of soup without all of the heaviness. This hearty Red Lentil Soup recipe is similar to our Traditional Lentil Soup recipe and is easy to make with fresh veggies like sweet carrots, onions, and celery. It’s light yet satisfying and oh-so delicious!
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
What makes this recipe different is that it uses red lentils. Red lentils have a delicate, sweet, and nutty flavor that sets them apart from green lentils. They are also softer, so they make the soup thick and chunky. And what really sets this fabulous recipe apart from the traditional version is that it includes tons of carrots, fire-roasted tomatoes, and tomato paste, for a more tangy vibrant taste.
This simple vegetarian and vegan soup recipe is easy to prep and takes less than an hour to make, so it’s perfect for any night of the week. Healthy, good for meal prep, easy to make, and brimming with bold flavor… It doesn’t get much better than this!
Ingredients You Need
- Olive oil – or other high-heat cooking oil like avocado, canola, or vegetable oil
- Sweet onions – peeled and chopped
- Carrots – sliced into coins
- Celery – chopped
- Garlic – peeled and minced
- Vegetable broth – or chicken broth for non-vegetarian
- Fire-roasted tomatoes – for the most flavorful soup
- Dried red lentils – or other color of lentils
- Tomato paste – use canned tomato paste, not ultra-concentrated paste from a tube
- Spices – Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper
How to Make Soup with Red Lentils and Carrots
Find the full Red Lentil Soup recipe with ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, cooking tips, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Recipe Variations
- Lentils – Red lentils really work best in this tomato-based soup, in my opinion. But feel free to change things up and make the rustic soup recipe with green or brown lentils. They have a more toothsome texture but are otherwise very similar.
- Veggies – Swap out or add extra veggies to the soup for more nutritious (and delicious) flavor! Chopped and seeded bell peppers, zucchini, diced sweet potatoes or butternut squash, and fresh spinach are all great options.
- Protein – Lentils are already packed with lots of plant-based protein. If you aren’t concerned with keeping things vegan and want to add some more protein pep, consider adding a handful or two of shredded cooked chicken.
- Servings – As-is, this soup with red lentils and carrots recipe makes 12 servings. So it’s great for meal prepping or feeding a crowd on a budget! But you can easily halve the recipe for 6 servings.
Serving Suggestions
Ladle the warm soup into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley or other fresh herbs. We also like to add a sprinkle of parmesan cheese on top for extra flavor and texture!
And I highly recommend serving lentil soup with toasted slices of baguette, like an Italian or French loaf, or Easy Garlic Bread.
If you want to balance the warm coziness of the rustic soup and bread with freshness, add a simple green salad to the table, too! Here are a few we love…
Frequently Asked Questions
This is a terrific vegan soup for meal prepping and storage. The textures get a bit softer, but the flavor gets deeper the longer it sits. Cool the soup completely before transferring it to an airtight container, and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
Yes, you can! Cool the soup and transfer it to an airtight container. I suggest wrapping the container in a layer of aluminum foil for extra protection from freezer burn. Then, store lentil soup in the freezer for up to 3 months, and thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Of course, you can! Mix things up by adding ground cumin, ground coriander, chili powder, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, lemon zest or lemon juice, cilantro, basil, or fresh mint.
Looking for More Cozy Soup Recipes? Be Sure to Try:
- Easy Tomato Soup
- Easy Black Bean Soup
- Potato Leek Soup
- French Onion Soup
- 15 Bean Soup
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- African Peanut Soup (Maafe)
- Creamy Vegetable Soup
- Cream of Chicken Soup (and Condensed)
- Fish Chowder
- Homemade Vegetable Soup
- Italian Meatball Soup
Red Lentil Soup Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil or butter
- 1 large sweet onion chopped (about 2 cups)
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- 1 cup sliced celery
- 3-5 cloves garlic minced
- 8 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 15 ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes
- 2 cups dried red lentils
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper
- Garnishes: Chopped parsley parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Chop all the vegetables for the soup.
- Set a large 6-8 quart soup pot over medium heat. Add the oil to the pot. Once hot, add the chopped onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. And sauté for 3-5 minutes until the onions are soft.
- Add the vegetable broth, canned tomatoes, dried lentils, tomato paste, and Italian seasoning. Stir well to make sure the lentils don't stick together.
- Bring to a boil, then lower the heat if needed and simmer the soup for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. You can partially cover the pot while cooking for less splatter.
- The soup is ready when the lentils are soft and the base has thickened. Taste, then salt and pepper as needed.
Just added my stars after my previous post!
I recently discovered your site. I just made this red lentil soup, and it’s fantastic! My husband loved the flavor of the fire roasted tomatoes. I threw in a little fresh basil and topped it with a dollop of Greek yogurt! Thank you for a great recipe!
Absolutely loved this soup! It was rich, flavorful, and came together so quickly. Even my family, who aren’t usually lentil fans, couldn’t get enough!
This red lentil soup is incredible! The flavors are perfectly balanced, and it’s so hearty and satisfying.