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This spicy lentil soup recipe has a golden, sunny color, and it’s as easy to make as it gets! It’s surprisingly flavorful and has warm spices in the silky and nourishing broth.
You may also like my Simple Butternut Squash Soup or Mediterranean Lentil Salad next.
Why you’ll love it
This is my sister’s recipe (loosely adapted from an old friend’s version), and she will be the first to tell you that it will be the soup to change your mind about lentils if you’re on the fence. It’s seriously the best lentil soup. This is definitely sunshine in a bowl!
It’s a super simple lentil soup, and it’s ultra comforting. There’s a warming kick, and it’ll make you feel satisfied on a chilly day or if you’re under the weather. There’s pantry seasonings like paprika and cumin, and a swirl of evaporated milk and fresh cilantro take it over the top!
What you’ll need
- Olive oil and butter – for sautéing
- Onion and garlic – I like sweet onions (Vidalia or Walla Walla)
- Seasoning blend – add a ton of flavor with ground cumin, paprika, a bit of cayenne pepper, and ground turmeric
- Saffron – totally optional but highly recommended (read on for tips!)
- Flour – to thicken the broth
- Broth – use vegetable or chicken broth for the base of the soup
- Lentils – red lentils cook fast and are rich in fiber and high in protein
- Tomato paste – for depth of flavor; it definitely doesn’t make it tomato-ey
- Bay leaf – while it gets made fun of, the mighty bay leaf does add subtle, complex flavor
- Evaporated milk – to add light creaminess. Do NOT confuse it with a can of condensed milk, which has sugar.
- Cilantro – it’s maybe my favorite part. It complements the warm spices!
Helpful tips
- Saffron isn’t exactly cheap, which is why I list it as optional. The reason is because all the strands/threads are manually harvested and processed by hand, and only a tiny portion of the flower is used.
- However, it adds amazing flavor to this lentil soup, and a few strands go a long way! The “bloom” when you crush the threads adds so much fragrance. That jar will last you a good while, too.
How to make spicy lentil soup
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Heat up the oil and butter in a soup pot. Sauté the onions until lightly browned. Add in the garlic, spices, crushed saffron, and flour. Cook for a minute, stirring constantly.
Pour in the broth, and scrape up the browned bits. Stir in the tomato paste and lentils, then add the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a rapid simmer. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are done.
Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the evaporated milk, and simmer until warmed through. Blend with an immersion blender. Stir in the chopped fresh cilantro, and season with salt & pepper (generously).
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- Here’s my Staub cast iron Dutch oven.
- I love this ladle for fewer spills!
- This is my reliable can opener, garlic press, and butter dish with measurement markings.
Substitutions and variations
- You can skip the saffron if needed.
- Instead of evaporated milk, try heavy/whipping cream or coconut milk (start with 1/2 cup and add more if needed).
- This soup has a kick, so feel free to halve or leave out the cayenne pepper if you’re really spice averse.
What to serve with lentil soup
- Salad is always a good idea with soup! Try my simple Parmesan Arugula Salad, this basic Cucumber Avocado Tomato Salad, or drizzle this Green Goddess Dressing over your fave salad greens.
- Some fresh crusty bread works too, or try your hand at Homemade Sourdough.
- You can drizzle some good olive oil on top and add some crushed red pepper flakes for another pop of color and extra kick.
Leftovers and storage
- Leftovers will keep for 4-5 days in the fridge. If you’re planning to have most of the batch as leftovers, you may want to wait to add the fresh cilantro.
- Reheat slowly over a low heat until warmed through.
- You can freeze this one for up to 3 months.
Is this your new favorite lentil soup? Please leave a star rating and review in the comments below! I love hearing from readers. Or tag me on Instagram!
Spicy Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 10 saffron threads crushed, optional but recommended, see note
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 cups dry red lentils rinsed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
- Handful chopped fresh cilantro
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the olive oil and butter to a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the onions and sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened and lightly browned.
- Stir in the garlic, ground cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, turmeric, saffron (if using), and flour. Cook for about a minute, stirring nearly constantly.
- Pour in the broth. Give it a good stir to ensure the flour has dissolved and the flavorful browned bits are scraped up from the bottom of the pot.
- Stir in the lentils and tomato paste, and then add the bay leaf. Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Once it’s boiling, reduce the heat to a rapid simmer so it’s gently boiling. Simmer, uncovered, until the lentils are tender (about 10-15 minutes), stirring occasionally so that nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot.
- Discard the bay leaf. Stir in the evaporated milk and simmer for another few minutes until warmed through. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup to your desired consistency (you can skip this step if you prefer a more rustic texture with the lentils intact). Stir in the chopped fresh cilantro and season generously with salt & pepper.
Notes
- Saffron is quite concentrated, so you don’t need a lot. To crush it, either use a pestle and mortar or put it in the corner of a ZipLoc bag with a bit of salt and rub it between your fingers until it’s crushed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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