Lemon Parsley Red Lentil Soup
Lentils have got to be one of the healthiest foods out there: they’re full of protein, fiber, iron, and vitamins. They’re also versatile and go great in salads, soups, stews, and as a meat replacement in things like “meat”loaf, “meat”balls, and Sloppy Joes.
Red lentils are a particular favorite of mine. Unlike the green, brown, and black lentils, red lentils don’t hold their structure when they’re cooked, so they start coming apart and get a little mushy–and that’s a good thing! Their semi-creamy texture makes for great soups and daals.
This Lemon Parsley Red Lentil Soup is one I make pretty frequently, as it’s really easy and healthy (and I usually have some parsley I need to use up). I actually spent a long time not really liking parsley. It’s a bright green leafy herb, and yet it kind of tastes like boredom? But it actually works really well with certain acidic flavors, like lemon and tomato. I like it a lot in this soup!
Speaking of acidic flavors, things like lemon and tomato can apparently help the iron in lentils be absorbed more easily, which is great news for vegetarians and vegans, since plant sources of iron are more difficult for the body to absorb. So, this soup makes a healthy vegan meal, and it’s pretty quick and easy (it only takes about 30 minutes to make).
Finally, this soup is pretty easy on the budget. Lentils are a super cheap protein source, and the rest of the ingredients you probably already have in your pantry, except the fresh parsley.
With olive baguette!
Notes on the ingredients:
Lentils: I highly recommend you use red lentils and don’t try to swap them out for another kind. Red lentils have a unique texture and this soup doesn’t have the right ratio of ingredients to work with a firmer lentil. You can use either whole red lentils or split red lentils; the only difference it makes here is that split red lentils cook faster.
Parsley: You really need fresh parsley, as it’s one of the main flavors in the soup. Dry parsley doesn’t taste like anything.
Vegetable bouillon: I never used to use bouillon cubes; somehow I had the idea that it was “cheating”. Then I moved to Morocco and my options for store-bought vegetable stock became very limited. Bouillon just saves me so much hassle! This recipe is meant to be super simple, so that’s what I use. If you have vegetable stock on hand, though, you can absolutely substitute it!
Tomato sauce: Tomato sauce (like tomato puree, not ketchup…) is my go-to tomato product here in Morocco, as it’s cheap and much more common than canned, diced tomatoes. Back in the US, though, I pretty much always used canned diced tomatoes, because…well, they were cheap and common! You can easily substitute canned diced tomatoes here if that’s what you have; it will just give the soup a bit more texture!
Salt: Taste the soup at the end to see if you need to add additional salt. The amount will depend on how salty your bouillon/stock is and, of course, your tastes.
Recipe:
Lemon Parsley Red Lentil Soup
Ingredients
Instructions
- Cook the lentils: Add lentils to a large saucepan and cover with water by about 2 inches over high heat. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to a simmer and cover the lentils. If you have regular (whole) red lentils, they'll be ready in 15-20 minutes (check after 15 minutes to see if they're done). If you have split red lentils, they cook in half the time. Drain off any excess water.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, so the garlic is fragrant. Add the cumin and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add tomato sauce, water and bouillon (or vegetable stock), and lentils. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for another 5 minutes. Taste and add salt as needed.
- Turn the heat off. Add lemon juice and parsley, stirring thoroughly to combine.
- Serve garnished with additional parsley (if desired).
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within a few days. I like to freeze leftovers for easy lunches, too.
More vegetarian mains:
Based on simple traditional Thai fried rice, this version is vegetarian and is great for a quick, easy weeknight dinner.