Spiced Red Lentil and Carrot Soup with Lemon Yogurt
Red lentils are one of the great unsung heroes of weeknight cooking. They dissolve into a creamy, thick soup in about twenty minutes without any soaking, blending, or fuss. We lean into warm spices here, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and let the carrots add natural sweetness while the lemon yogurt on top brings a cool, tangy counterpoint that ties the whole bowl together. This is the soup Kiana makes when she wants something nourishing and plant-forward that still fills up a six-foot-two endurance athlete. It does the job every time. Bonus: the whole thing costs about six dollars to make.
- PRO
- VGT
- GF
- PREP
Estimated macros per serving
Calories ~310 · Protein ~17g · Carbs ~42g · Fat ~9g
Ingredients
For the soup:
- 1½ cups dried red lentils, rinsed
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, grated
- 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 5 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the lemon yogurt:
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (full-fat preferred)
- juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
- Pinch of salt
- Fresh cilantro or parsley, for serving
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 6–8 minutes.
- Add the garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cayenne. Stir and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. The spices should bloom and the kitchen should smell like the best version of itself.
- Add the diced carrots and stir to coat; cook for 1–2 minutes. Add the rinsed red lentils and stir to combine.
- Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 18–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils have completely broken down and the carrots are tender. The soup will thicken as it sits; if it gets too thick, add a splash of broth or water.
- While the soup simmers, make the lemon yogurt: whisk together the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Taste the soup and adjust salt and pepper. For a smoother texture, use an immersion blender to blend half the soup (leave some chunks for texture). Or leave it rustic; red lentils do the thickening work on their own.
- Ladle into bowls. Dollop a generous spoonful of lemon yogurt in the center and top with fresh herbs. Drizzle with a little olive oil if you're feeling it.
Variations & Notes
- Vegan Swap: Replace the Greek yogurt with coconut yogurt or cashew cream blended with lemon juice. Both work beautifully.
- Paleo-Friendly Adjustment: Red lentils are a legume, so strict paleo eaters may want to swap them for 1 pound of diced cauliflower and 1 cup of diced sweet potato. Simmer until very soft and blend: the texture won't be identical but it's still delicious.
- Extra Hungry: Serve alongside warm naan or pita, or add a scoop of cooked rice to the bowl. Adam tops his with a fried egg.
- Substitutions: Sweet potatoes can replace the carrots for a different sweetness. Yellow lentils work identically to red. Swap the yogurt for a drizzle of tahini thinned with lemon juice for a dairy-free option that's still tangy and creamy.
- Storage: Keeps in the fridge for 3–4 days and freezes well for up to 3 months (freeze without the yogurt). The soup thickens considerably in the fridge: thin with broth when reheating.