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Home » Light Meals, Salads & Soups

Spicy Red Lentil Soup

Modified: Mar 25, 2025 by Lesley · Published: Feb 19, 2024 · This post may contain affiliate links · 25 Comments

Pinnable image with recipe title and a white bowl of spicy red lentil soup garnished with chopped coriander leaf and thinly spiced red chilli.
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I love a bowl of homemade soup and my spicy red lentil soup is a favourite. Lentils are a great source of plant based protein, keeping you feeling fuller and satisfied for longer. I like to pair the lentils with lots of heart healthy vegetables in this healthy spicy red lentil soup recipe.

A white bowl of spicy red lentil soup garnished with chopped coriander leaf and thinly spiced red chilli.

Spiced red lentil soup with tomato, is perfect for warming us up on a cold day and a great way to get more vegetables into our diet, just add a side of toasted grain or crusty bread.

As with many soups I cook, I like to start this best spicy red lentil soup recipe with a base of onion, carrot, celery and garlic. This simple combination of vegetables adds a great flavour base to any soup.

This is an easy spicy red lentil soup recipe, there really is not much preparation required making it suitable for any level of home cook. However, as with all homemade soups this spiced red lentil soup will taste better than anything you can buy in a can.

Table of Contents

Toggle
  • Why you'll love this recipe
  • Recipe ingredients
  • How to make Spicy Red Lentil Soup
  • Recipe variations
  • Serving suggestions
  • Useful hints and tips
  • FAQs
  • Pin the recipe
  • Additional recipe suggestions
  • Spicy Red Lentil Soup
    • Equipment
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Notes

Why you'll love this recipe

  • Uses basic ingredients that most of us will have in our stores at home.
  • Packed full of lentils and heart healthy vegetables this soup is a great meal to help you towards your 5-a-day.
  • Feed a crowd as this recipe is easily doubled up, which also makes it idea for get ahead meal prep.
  • A healthy bowl of soup that is gluten free, low carb, dairy free and vegan.

Recipe ingredients

Lentil soup raw recipe ingredients set out in individual bowls.
  • Oil - I've opted for sunflower oil, but you can use your oil of choice.
  • Base vegetables - I use a combination of onion, carrot and celery to form the base of this soup.
  • Garlic and ginger - I use fresh garlic and root ginger to flavour the soup. If you can't find fresh, frozen garlic and ginger are great options.
  • Chilli - I like to add red chillies to the soup. You can either de-seed or add the seeds depending on how spicy you like your soup.
  • Spices - I flavour the soup with ground turmeric, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika and a cinnamon stick.
  • Tomato - I add a tin of plum tomatoes to the soup for extra flavour.
  • Lentils - this soup is made with red lentils which I rinse in a sieve until the cold tap to remove any sediment.
  • Vegetable stock (broth) - I use a good quality vegetable stock when making lentil soup. Use gluten free stock if required.
  • Seasoning - I keep the seasoning simple with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

How to make Spicy Red Lentil Soup

A large saucepan filled with sauteed carrots, celery, onion, garlic and red chilli.
A large saucepan filled with sauteed vegetables with added dry spices.
  • Heat the sunflower oil in a large soup pan over a medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and saute gently for 5 minutes taking care to soften but not brown the vegetables.
  • Add the garlic, ginger and chilli to the pan and continue to saute gently for a further 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the dry spices to the pan and stir well to combine. Cook for 1 minute until the spices start to release their aroma.
A large saucepan filled with sauteed spiced vegetables with red lentils, canned tomatoes and vegetable broth being added.
A large saucepan filled with lentil soup.
  • After a good rinse under cold water, add the lentils and the tinned tomatoes to the pan along with the vegetable stock. Season the soup with salt and pepper.
  • Bring the soup to the boil before turning down to a simmer and covering with a lid.
  • Stir the soup from time to time to avoid it sticking. The soup should cook for 40 minutes or until the lentils have softened.
A large saucepan of spicy lentil soup being blitzed with an immersion blender.
A large saucepan filled with blended spicy red lentil soup.
  • Once the soup is cooked, remove the cinnamon stick and blitz the soup with a stick blender.
  • Check for seasoning and adjust if necessary.
A white bowl of spicy red lentil soup garnished with chopped coriander leaf and thinly spiced red chilli.

Recipe variations

  • Add a creamy element to this soup by stirring through a spoon of natural yogurt, or if following a vegan or dairy-free diet, a spoon of coconut milk or dairy free coconut yogurt, just before serving.
  • For a spicier soup don't remove the seeds from the red chillies, instead add to the soup.
  • Feel free to add in other vegetables to the soup, like courgettes (zucchini) or any colour of bell peppers.
  • Add a handful of leafy greens like spinach or kale and allow to wilt into the soup before you blitz to smooth.

Serving suggestions

Lentils are full of protein making this a filling and nutritious bowl of soup. It makes a great lunch or light dinner option served with a side of crusty or toasted seeded bread.

Leftover lentil soup can be heated up next day and place in a thermos for an easy lunch on the go.

A hand holding a spoon and a white bowl of spicy red lentil soup with a bowl of sliced bread set alongside.

Useful hints and tips

  1. Rinse the lentils under the cold water tap to remove any dirt and sediment.
  2. Soup is a great way of getting vegetables into a child's diet. You can disguise pretty much any vegetable once its been blended!
  3. Use a gluten free vegetable stock and this soup is suitable for coeliacs or anyone following a gluten free diet.
  4. Containing no dairy this side dish is suitable for dairy free and vegan diners.
  5. Allergy advice: gluten free, dairy free, egg free, soya free and nut free. For comprehensive and detailed allergy advice go to Allergy UK.

FAQs

Can you prepare ahead red lentil soup?

This is a great prep ahead dish. Once the soup has cooked, cool it down and place it in a container with a tight fitting lid and pop it in the fridge. It will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge.

Can you freeze spicy red lentil soup?

Like most soup, spicy lentil soup freezes really well. Once cooked, cool the soup down and place it in a container and pop it into the freezer. It will keep in the freezer for 3-4 months.

Pin the recipe

Pinnable image with recipe title and a white bowl of spicy red lentil soup garnished with chopped coriander leaf and thinly spiced red chilli.

Additional recipe suggestions

Soup is a great way of getting more vegetables into our diet. If you like this recipe then why not try some of my other vegan soup recipes:

  • Scottish Yellow Split Pea Soup
  • Easy Tomato Vegetable Soup with Harissa
  • Potato & Leek Soup with Chickpeas (just swap butter for olive oil when sauteing the leek)
  • Sweet Potato Coconut & Chilli Soup
  • Tomato & Basil Soup
  • Spicy Bean & Vegetable Soup
  • Leek & Barley Broth
  • Curried Chickpea & Vegetable Soup

For some great hints and tips on how to make a great bowl of soup, have a read of my 20 Simple Soup Recipes post. This features some delicious soup recipes for you to try!

A white bowl of spicy red lentil soup garnished with chopped coriander leaf and thinly spiced red chilli.

Spicy Red Lentil Soup

For a delicious bowl of homemade soup try this spicy red lentil soup. Lentils are a great source of plant based protein, keeping you feeling fuller and satisfied for longer.
5 from 13 votes
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Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
Cook Time: 45 minutes mins
Total Time: 1 hour hr
Servings: 6
Calories: 175kcal
Author: Lesley Garden

Equipment

  • chopping board
  • Sharp kitchen knife
  • measuring spoons
  • sieve
  • Measuring jug
  • Large soup pot or Dutch oven

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoon sunflower oil
  • 1 onion (diced)
  • 2 carrots (diced)
  • 2 sticks celery (diced)
  • 3 cloves garlic (crushed)
  • 5 cm root ginger (grated)
  • 2 red chillies (de-seeded and chopped)
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 400 g tin plum tomatoes
  • 170 g dried red lentils (washed and drained)
  • 1 ltr ltr vegetable stock
  • sea salt and black pepper (to taste)

Instructions

  • Heat the sunflower oil in a large soup pan over a medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and saute gently for 5 minutes taking care to soften but not brown the vegetables.
  • Add the garlic, ginger and chilli to the pan and continue to saute gently for a further 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the dry spices to the pan and stir well to combine. Cook for 1 minute until the spices start to release their aroma.
  • After a good rinse under cold water, add the lentils and the tinned tomatoes to the pan along with the vegetable stock. Season the soup with salt and pepper.
  • Bring the soup to the boil before turning down to a simmer and covering with a lid.
  • Stir the soup from time to time to avoid it sticking. The soup should cook for 40 minutes or until the lentils have softened.
  • Once the soup is cooked, remove the cinnamon stick and blitz the soup with a stick blender. Check for seasoning and adjust if necessary.

Notes

Add a creamy element to this soup by stirring through a spoon of natural yogurt, or if following a vegan or dairy-free diet, a spoon of coconut milk, just before serving.
For a spicier soup don't remove the seeds from the red chillies, instead add to the soup.
Nutrition Facts
Spicy Red Lentil Soup
Amount Per Serving
Calories 175 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5g
Monounsaturated Fat 4g
Sodium 22mg1%
Potassium 463mg13%
Carbohydrates 24g8%
Fiber 11g46%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 8g16%
Vitamin A 3734IU75%
Vitamin C 26mg32%
Calcium 51mg5%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

• Please note that the nutrition information provided above is approximate and meant as a guideline only •

Course : Soup
Cuisine : British
Keyword : best spicy red lentil soup recipe, easy spicy red lentil soup, healthy red lentil soup recipe, red lentil soup, Simple, spiced red lentil soup, vegan, vegetarian
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Comments

  1. Delou says

    June 11, 2024 at 3:39 pm

    Its so cold in Scotland just now (summer????) and I'm planning getting the soup pan out. Could I ask if it would be as good with fresh tomatoes and if so - how many grams. Thank so much

    Reply
    • Lesley says

      June 16, 2024 at 3:29 pm

      It's dreadful weather isn't it, I've been making soup far too much recently. I think summer is missing Scotland entirely this year. Yes, it's absolutely fine to add fresh tomatoes, that would be a great addition. The recipe uses a 400g tin of tomatoes, so I would add the same in fresh tomatoes, you might need to add a little extra stock if the soup looks a bit thick, but leave that to the end once the lentils have cooked and you can adjust the thickness then.

      Reply
  2. sisley says

    March 04, 2024 at 1:23 pm

    5 stars
    This was a perfect soup for a wintery day. So warm and filling.

    Reply
    • Lesley says

      March 04, 2024 at 3:21 pm

      Thank you Sisley, I'm glad you enjoyed the soup.

      Reply
  3. Sarah says

    February 25, 2024 at 10:37 pm

    5 stars
    This was so easy to make and packed full of loads of flavour. Absolutely delicious.

    Reply
    • Lesley says

      February 26, 2024 at 11:36 am

      Thank you Sarah, it really is a very easy soup to prepare and cook.

      Reply
  4. Janice says

    February 20, 2024 at 12:35 pm

    5 stars
    What a great soup. I wasn't sure about adding spices to lentil soup but it really works and everyone loved it.

    Reply
    • Lesley says

      February 26, 2024 at 11:36 am

      Thank you Janice, I'm really glad you enjoyed it.

      Reply
  5. Marie Wright says

    January 16, 2024 at 3:11 pm

    5 stars
    Lovely hearty soup for a cold winters day. Quick and easy to make and full of flavour!

    Reply
    • Lesley says

      January 16, 2024 at 4:48 pm

      Thank you Marie, it's one of my favourite bowls of soup.

      Reply
  6. Sara says

    November 23, 2022 at 1:48 pm

    Beautiful soup. Thank you! On my second time, I added some red kidney beans and left it chunky... My daughter prefers chunky soups, and she loved it. 🙂

    Reply
    • Lesley says

      December 01, 2022 at 1:49 pm

      Thank you Sara, we are split in this house too as I prefer a chunkier soup. The addition of kidney beans for a bit of bite is a great idea.

      Reply
  7. Mandy says

    July 05, 2021 at 12:59 pm

    5 stars
    Just made this for first time & its delicious. I thinned it out slightly to suit my taste & used hot chilli powder instead of fresh chilli .

    Reply
    • Lesley says

      July 05, 2021 at 4:17 pm

      Thank you Mandy, adding chilli powder in place of fresh is the way to go. I often add hot chilli powder to my own soup as I really do enjoy a kick of chilli.

      Reply
  8. GILL TATLOCK says

    June 19, 2020 at 12:56 pm

    5 stars
    Absolutely delicious!!!

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      August 12, 2020 at 11:06 am

      Thanks Gail! Cheers, Michelle

      Reply
  9. louise Gunstone says

    January 16, 2020 at 4:19 pm

    5 stars
    Love this. I also have a challenging son to cook for (also putting it politely. lol). We'll give this a whirl!

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      January 20, 2020 at 11:15 am

      Such a lovely soup, and I fully understand with children and trying to get them to eat healthy, often hiding other vegetables among tomato soups!:-) Michelle

      Reply
  10. Fiona says

    March 09, 2018 at 8:54 am

    Lentil is my go to soup as well as that's all E will eat but I secretly add other things to it and she hasn't a clue!

    Reply
  11. Jo Allison / Jo's Kitchen Larder says

    February 08, 2018 at 11:05 am

    5 stars
    Beautiful soup and that colour! I love lentils in soups as they act as wonderful thickener and make it so much more substantial and delicious. There is nothing better that soup for lunch and homemade is definitely the way to go for me too! 🙂

    Reply
    • Lesley says

      February 08, 2018 at 1:32 pm

      Thank you Jo, I couldn't agree more homemade is the only way to go. Lesley x

      Reply
  12. Eb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie says

    February 07, 2018 at 8:02 pm

    5 stars
    This sounds utterly delicious...I am always partial to a spot of soup...or rather a big pot of it bubbing away on the hob!! I love how it is such an easy way to make a tasty, nutritious meal and how easy it is to make extra too...to put in the fridge or freezer to have at a later date!Eb x

    Reply
    • Lesley says

      February 08, 2018 at 1:31 pm

      You're welcome Eb, like you I always make extra for the freezer. Soup is always my go to lunch at this time of year when the temperature is still low. Lesley x

      Reply
  13. Donna says

    February 06, 2018 at 2:15 pm

    5 stars
    This looks gorgeous, I absolutely love making soup, I do always add the cream though!

    Reply
    • Lesley says

      February 06, 2018 at 6:34 pm

      Thank you Donna, you're more than welcome. I love a bit of coconut milk or yoghurt stirred through if I'm honest, however the minute my youngest sees anything creamy added and the barriers go up! I tend to sneak it into my own bowl once served.

      Reply

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Recipe Rating




5 from 13 votes (3 ratings without comment)

Hi, I’m Lesley.

I’m the blogger, cook and creator behind Lost in Food.

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