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For a wholesome, vegan and protein-packed soup recipe, try this Lentil Kale Soup. It’s made with simple vegetables like onions, celery and carrots, loaded with plant-protein rich lentils and then finished off with some kale. What I love about the lentil soup is that it’s nutritious, delicious and will leave you feeling so full and satisfied.
Lentils are made up of over 25% protein, which is an excellent source of protein if you are trying to avoid meat. They are also rich in fiber and a great source of iron, which can sometimes be lacking in vegan diets. They are so often overlooked, but it’s definitely a Mediterranean staple that I always have in my pantry to make dishes like Mujadara and this kale lentil soup.
How to make the lentil soup recipe
- Start by heating a deep pot with olive oil and adding the mirepoix – onions, celery and carrots.
- Cook those vegetables together until they become soft and aromatic. You can add the garlic in the final minute of cooking so that it softens but doesn’t brown.
- Next, add the dried green lentils and the seasoning. I’m using cumin, coriander, salt and pepper. Give all that a good toss to combine and lightly toast the lentils.
- Add the vegetable broth or water and cook on low for 30 minutes. You want the lentils to become tender and the vegetable broth to thicken. This time may longer for different lentils.
- And that’s your cue to add in the kale or other leafy greens you might be using.
- When you notice the kale has wilted, it’s time to serve the lentil kale soup!
The result is a hearty lentil vegetable soup that you can enjoy as a starter or as a full meal. The spices give it a warm earthy flavor and the vegetables add great texture to the tender lentils.
Tips for making lentil kale soup
- Sift through the lentils and rinse them in a colander to remove any debris. It’s not always likely, but sometimes there are some tiny stones hidden between the lentils; and this tip limits any surprise bites 😉
- Read the package directions for the exact cooking time for the lentils you use. There are a variety of lentil types and brands, so just like cooking pasta, the cooking time may vary. 30 minutes of simmer should cover all types, but double check to be on the safe side. You can always test one by mashing with a fork.
- Chop the kale finely before adding to the soup. Even though kale wilts down when added to the hot broth, it doesn’t wilt as much as spinach. To make it easier to fit all the ingredients into a bite size, it’s best to chop it small.
- For a thicker base, use an immersion blender and lightly blend. I like seeing the vegetable chunks and whole lentils in this kale lentil soup. But if you wanted a thicker base, you can lightly blend the soup before adding the kale.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make this soup ahead of time?
Soup is such a great make ahead and freezer meal. I often make a big batch and freeze half. Let the soup cool to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container. It will keep to four or 5 days in the fridge an up to 3 months in the freezer. Reheat the soup on the stovetop or in the microwave from frozen or chilled.
What are the best lentils to use?
I like to use green lentils in this soup as they hold their shape really well when cooked, unlike red lentils which can get mushy. You can add the dried green lentils straight into he soup, no need to pre-cook them. If you only have red lentils, you can use these, but you will need to reduce the cooking time.
More soup recipes
- Lebanese Crushed Lentil Soup
- Mediterranean White Bean Soup
- Tomato Cabbage Soup
- Vegetarian Chickpea Soup
- Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- Red Curry Noodle Soup
Lentil Kale soup is easy to make with a few basic vegetables and a humble bag of dried lentils. It’s has a hearty texture and it’s very nutritious to serve as a starter or as a full meal. It’s a healthy, affordable, well-balanced meal that really makes your body feel good!
If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feelgood Lentil Kale Soup recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!
Lentil Kale Soup
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 large carrots chopped
- 2 celery ribs chopped
- 1 ½ cup dried green lentils
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 6 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 2-3 cups kale destemmed, roughly chopped
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat olive over medium high heat. Add onions and cook until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic, carrots and celery and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Add the green lentils, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper and cook with the vegetables to lightly toast the lentils, about 5 minutes. Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil; reduce heat and then simmer on low for 30 minutes until the lentils are cooked and the broth thickens.
- Stir in the kale and continue to simmer until the kale wilts, about 2 more minutes.
- Remove from heat and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Hi there- It looks great. I’m trying to understand the serving size. Is it one cup (8 oz) or is it larger than that?
Hi Diana! The serving size is larger than 1 cup but it will change slightly depending on the exact ingredients you use, how much it cooks off, etc. The soup serves 6, so making it and then measuring out 6 individual portions is the best way to estimate how large each serving is for you. Hope that helps!!
This recipe is always the first choice for cool fall and winter lunches. We make a huge pot then freeze in smaller batches, for quick dinners or lunches. It freezes well even with the kale. Each time we take a batch out, we add our leftover veggies ( roasted sweet potatoes, or broccoli etc. from the day before ), so that each batch is packed with extra veggies and has its own unique taste. Great recipe! Have sent it to so many family and friends! Yummy!!!!
Wow, I love that!! Adding leftover roasted veggies to batch-made soup from the freezer is such an amazing idea!! Thank you for the inspiration, I will have to try it myself! So happy you love the recipe. Thank you for sharing with your loved ones!
I loved this!! I added about 2 tbsp of chipotles in adobo and 1tbsp of tomato chicken bouillon to make the flavor similar to a mexican lentil soup. I loved it! So concentrated and perfect for fall weather.
Thank you!! So happy you liked it. Love your added ingredients, they sound so good!
Really tasty – added some crispy bacon and Parmesan on top ( not veggie), but even without it would still be lush!
Thanks, Lynda! So glad you liked it!!
I’m confused when it says ‘dried’ lentils? Since they have to be rinsed and the recipe says to toast them….It’s ok to toast them after you soak them?
Hi Tina, lentils sometimes come in a can but you’ll need a bag of dried lentils for this recipe. They will toast fine after being rinsed!
So good! Used stock I made from leek tops. Added fresh jalapeño pepper and some Yukon taters. Squeezed lemon juice in before serving. Sprinkled nooch atop. Yum.
Your tweaks sound amazing!! Especially homemade leek stock, yum!
I think this recipe might be missing a critical piece of info, which is that the pot should be covered for the 30 minutes that the lentils are cooking. I left it uncovered (per the recipe) and they were almost raw after 30 minutes.
Hmm, that’s odd. What kind of lentils did you use? As I mention in the recipe, different types on lentils can take longer to cook. I use whole green lentils and they are tender after simmering for 30 minutes uncovered.
This is a great lentil soup! I ended up doubling everything to have leftovers for us during the week, and the leftovers are almost better than the day of. I added in more chili flakes because I like it spicy, and then I topped it off with parmesan cheese and it’s soo good! This will definitely become a staple in our kitchen!
Yay, thanks so much!
Made this today as an iftar side – so good! Thank you for another great recipe!
Made this today and I really like it! Lentils are a great, easy, healthy choice. Thanks for providing recipes for them. (I added a white potato because I wanted to use it up.) Ate this with pita bread. Mine became much thicker than yours looks. I will add more broth tomorrow. Keep those tasty recipes coming!
Yay! So happy you liked it!
I made this soup Sunday night and it was PERFECT! Very easy, delicious, AND nutritious! I’ll definitely make it again. 🙂
So happy to hear!
Delicious! Added a Parmesan rind to the soup while simmering, added a great subtle flavor.
Such a great way to add extra flavor, thanks for sharing!
This is so good! The kale gives it a meaty, heartiness that’s really delicious. We added a teaspoon or so of apple cider vinegar to each bowl as we served it but it’s great without it too.
Sounds great!
Super delicious/ super easy! Very nutritious! My elderly mother among many others, love the soup that comes from this recipe!
Thanks for letting me know, so glad this was a hit!
Delicious
So happy you liked it!
This soup is INCREDIBLE!
Thank you so much!
I’ve made this a few times for a few people and it is always a hit! About to make some more now
So happy to hear that!
This went down very well, I added some spuds, lovely stuff, thanks!
Thank you, Martin! Glad you enjoyed it!
I made this soup today, so delicious!!
Thanks!
This is a great recipe that is very filling and delicious.
The cumin and coriander combination makes a fantastic broth.
Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed the spices in this recipe!
I have made this soup so many times, adding my “mamacoops potty mouth” sauce for some zip. It is a favourite with guests and family and so healthy!!!
Love your recipes; simple and nutritious. Keep feeding bodies and souls Yumna!!!
I’m so glad to hear you’re loving this recipe! Yay!! Thank you so much.
Wonderful recipe! Happy to report that even though I only had half of the brown lentils in my pantry, that the other half tasted great with a blend of other small beans. The spice level is perfect, and I love the kale greens added at the end for some more thickness. I’ll be making this often, thank you!
Thank you so much! I’m glad to hear it. Hope you continue to enjoy it!
Thank you so much for this recipe. I am fairly new to cooking and decided to try this recipe. The instructions were precise and easy to follow. The soup turned out amazing! Actually it was so amazing that I already have to make more and I just made some 2 days ago! I am going to make a double the amount next time!
You’re so welcome! Glad you found it was easy and enjoyed it!
Hi Yumna,
Thanks for this delicious recipe!
One question: Is there anything to be said against pre-cooking the lentils in another pot, rinsing them, and then adding them to the soup? Does cooking them with the soup add something extra?
Reason that I ask is that I find that when cooking dried lentils they often produce this foam on top which I don’t find appetising.
Cheers,
Ruben
Happy to have shared! Cooking the lentils in the pot with the soup helps to thicken the broth, but you can go about it that way too! You may just have to reduce the amount of vegetable broth, as it won’t be absorbed by the lentils.
I see, maybe it’s worth a try to cook them in the broth after all then.
Thanks for your reply Yumna and have a great day!
(PS Sorry for the double reply below, I clicked the wrong ‘reply’ button)
I’ve found that rinsing lentils and other beans very thoroughly helps reduce the foam. If foam does form while cooking I use a large spoon to skim it off.
Great tip!
I was surprised at how good this was. Simple ingredients and minimal spices yielded a flavorful and hearty dinner soup! It will be on my regular menu rotation.
I love that! So glad you love this recipe!
I see, maybe it’s worth a try to cook them in the broth after all then.
Thanks for your reply Yumna and have a great day!
DELICIOUS!!
I saw this recipe early this morning and was on a mission to make it today. Mission completed!
It was perfect and delicious. My sister kept raving about it…I said, “Yes, we love all of Yumna’s recipes I make!”. She wants it again and soon. LOL
Thank you! That makes me so happy to hear!
This looks so delicious and I cannot wait to make it! It’s 5 AM and I’m tempted to go do it now. LOL
Your recipes never disappoint and are instant favorites!
Thank you so much! Can’t wait to hear what you think!
This soup was so good I made it just like the recipe. Froze half in small servings like you suggested
Yay! I love that!
Excellent. I was out of celery, but had high quality celery salt. I also added finely chopped asparagus that needed to get used. I had just made bone broth, so used that as well and then at the end (tasted good as is) added some left over ham. Great soup for using odds and ends.
Thank you! So glad you were able to make it work with what you had on hand and enjoyed it!
This is an amazing soup. Simple ingredients that dime together for robust taste. I add some red pepper flakes for a bit of kick.
Would it be ok to add potatoes to this or would I need to adjust other ingredients?
Thank you so much! You could add potatoes to this, but I’d recommend adding more broth too in the case.
This is one of my favorite recipes from Feelgoodfoodie!!! It’s so hearty and filling. It turned my boyfriend into a kale lover! He usually wants soup as a side only but he REQUESTS this soup for dinner as a main! If you know a picky eater who wont touch kale normally, make them this soup!
That makes me so incredibly happy to hear!!
This soup is SO delicious! The seasoning is on point and really enhances the slight spiciness of the lentils. I also added frozen green peas and frozen corn to give it even more substance. Will definitely be adding this to my fall/winter rotation!
Toasting the lentils made a subtle but noticeable difference. I also like that this didn’t include tomatoes as it can sometimes overpower lentil soups. Yummy!!
So glad you liked it! Thank you!
Made your lentil soup today for dinner and wow so good!!! Thanks for sharing!
So glad to hear it! Thanks so much!!
Tastes awesome!
Thanks so much!
I tried this soup today but unfortunately the lentils were still hard after cooking them over 30 min. 🙁 Does that mean I should have soaked them in water before cooking? Definitely want to make this dish again.
Oh that’s odd. What kind of lentils do you use? Like I mention in the recipe, different kinds on lentils might take longer to cook. I use whole green lentils and they are tender in 30 minutes.
I used green lentils from the Turkish market. I’ll try again, give them some more time cooking.
Oh ok! I hope it works for you. And soaking them can definitely help, but it shouldn’t be necessary!
Thank you! 🙂 I will try my luck.
Vegan and protein packed soup. My type of soup. Followed your recipe and got a very fulfilling meal.
Love your blog.
Hi, I loved this recipe! I added parsnips and additional seasoning (like paprika & Cajun, couple chillies too) because I enjoy a little bit of heat to my soups. I can not fault the recipe, I was full all day! Really would recommend to anyone who fancies a substantial meal!
So glad to hear that and I love that you added parsnips and more seasoning to it…seems like it would make it more delicious!!