Tomato Lentil Soup
Updated Sep 21, 2025
Tomato lentil soup is made with green lentils simmered in a tomato and vegetable broth base with carrots, onions, celery, and red bell pepper with spices.
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Tomato Lentil Soup
If there’s one plant-based protein I can’t live without, it’s lentils. They’re cheap, filling, and I always keep a bag or two in the pantry. This tomato lentil soup is one of my favorite ways to use them. The lentils simmer until they’re tender, soaking up all the flavor from the spices, tomatoes, and veggies.
I usually make tomato lentil soup on busy weeknights when I want something simple, but it also works for meal prep because it tastes even better the next day. A big squeeze of lemon or some warm pita bread on the side, and I’m set.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Tomato Lentil Soup Ingredients
- Lentils: Green or brown lentils work best in this soup.
- Vegetable broth: I like to use a low-sodium vegetable broth so that I can control the amount of salt in the soup. You can also use water, but the broth adds more flavor.
- Vegetables: You’ll need red bell peppers, carrots, celery, yellow onion, garlic, and diced tomatoes for this soup (you can also use crushed tomatoes). Zucchini, summer squash, or even sweet potatoes will work, too!
- Olive oil: I prefer the flavor of olive oil, but any cooking oil will work.
- Seasoning: To flavor my soup, I use cumin, coriander, paprika, salt, and pepper.
How to Make Tomato Lentil Soup
Tomato Lentil Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 large carrots chopped
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- ½ red bell pepper chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 ½ cup green lentils washed
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon coriander
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 15-ounce canned diced tomatoes
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- Green onions sliced, for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat olive over medium high heat. Add onions and cook until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, bell pepper and garlic and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Add the green lentils, cumin, coriander, paprika, salt and black pepper. Cook with the vegetables to lightly toast the lentils, about 5 minutes.
- Add the canned tomatoes and 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.
- Remove from heat and serve immediately, garnished with green onions, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Tips
- Rinse your lentils. Make sure to rinse your lentils before cooking them to remove any dirt or debris!
- Soak your lentils, if you have time. Soaking your lentils is optional, but it does help to soften them and reduce cook time. If you choose to soak them, make sure to drain and rinse them before adding them to the soup.
- Thicken up your soup base. If you want a smoother soup, you can use an immersion blender to blend about a cup of the soup up after cooking and then stir it back in. This will help to thicken up the soup and make it creamier.
Serving Ideas
- Add some protein. This soup is filling and nutritious on its own, but if you’re craving some more protein, you can add cooked chicken, turkey, or ground beef to this soup if you’d like. Air fryer chickpeas would be good, too! Just be sure to cook your protein separately and add it in at the end.
- Serve with bread. For dipping or sopping up this soup, I like to make garlic bread, homemade pita chips, or crispy cheese rolls.
FAQs
Once your soup has cooled to room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container, and it’ll last in the fridge for about four days. When you’re ready to eat, reheat it on the stove over low heat until warmed through. You may need to add a splash of water or broth to thin it out as it reheats.
Yes, you can freeze this soup for up to three months in an airtight container, just make sure it’s cool before you package it up. When you’re ready to eat, let the soup thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating!
Comments
Deeelicious! I covered the pot while simmering and also added more water. Used smoked paprika and a can of fire roasted tomatoes.
Love those changes! Thank you for sharing, Michele!
How about adding quinoa for protein to keep it vegan?
I think that would be so good! Let me know how it turns out if you end up trying it. I’d love to hear about it!
Delicious – didn’t have the full amount of tinned tomatoes, but made no difference – super easy to make, added some spring greens in towards the end for extra nutrition.
Will definitely make this again!
Yay, so glad you enjoyed it!! Spring greens sound like a delicious addition, I’ll have to try that myself!
Delicious!!! Made it for dinner tonight and we absolutely loved it.
I’m trying to use what I have in my pantry and I have a cup and a half of red lentils could I use them? BTW HUGE FAN !!!! Love all of your recipes that I have made to date!!!!
Aww, thanks so much! I think the red lentils will work nicely in this recipe. Just note that once cooked they have a very different texture than green lentils, they may start to break down a little giving the soup more of a stew-like texture.
This soup was great as I didnโt have any other protein besides lentils, and itโs the first time Iโve had lentils! Pairs well with a grilled cheese on the side. The soup is super versatile and very filling.
The changes I made:
I used turmeric, red pepper flakes, ground thyme, and a bay leaf instead of the cumin and coriander – I just enjoy these flavors and they tasted great in the soup!
As for the recipe instructions, the only thing I was confused about was whether I needed to cover when simmering or not (not specified). I kept uncovered and the lentils were not as soft as I expected them to be and a lot of the broth dried out. However, still a good recipe and would make it again!
Hi Ari, thank you so much. You do not have to cover it while simmering, but if you prefer to you can to make the constancy thinner.
I made the Tomato Lentil Soup for dinner tonight & it is so good! I’m doing Weight Watchers & it is a perfect for the program. When I calculated the recipe it came to 1 point per serving which is amazing! Thank you for sharing!
So glad you liked it, Tracey! Thanks for sharing the WW point info!
Really tasty definitely recommend!
Thank you so much!
This is absolutely delicious!!! Great blend of flavors and completely balanced. Full bodied and not too salty. A meal in itself, and, my boyfriend is asking for seconds even though he knows itโs healthier ( thatโs a plus). Thank you for this recipe!
Thank you!! I’m so glad to hear it. You’re so welcome!