Simple Red Lentil Soup

This simple red lentil soup recipe is bursting with flavor! It’s hearty and cozy, flavored with aromatic vegetables and lemon.

If there’s one food that always satisfies, it’s a great lentil soup. Lentils are one of nature’s wonders: they’re full of protein, shelf stable for years, inexpensive, and make for some of the most satisfying filling meals. Got a bag of split red lentils? Here’s exactly what to make: this simple Red Lentil Soup! It’s deliciously hearty, featuring aromatic vegetables, lemon and a hint of smoked paprika.

Lentils are small dried lens-shaped legumes, a plant family that also includes beans, peas, and peanuts. Red lentils are a variety of lentil named for their beautiful orange-pink color. The texture of red lentils breaks down faster than most other lentils: this makes it perfect for making quick soups or dal.

Most red lentils sold at the store are split red lentils, which is what you should use here. Some packages say red lentils and some say split red lentils: most of what you’ll find in American grocery stores are all split red lentils. Avoid any packages that specify whole red lentils: they cook differently and hold their shape when cooking.