No-Cache Spiced Tomato Lentil Soup
A hearty lentil soup with warming spices and fresh tomatoes, perfect for a nourishing, no-fuss meal. This Middle Eastern-inspired vegan recipe, ready in about 45 minutes, pairs red lentils, olive oil, yellow onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 1 cup red lentils
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium, diced yellow onion
- 1 large, diced carrot
- 1, diced celery stalk
- 3, minced garlic cloves
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 14 oz can diced tomatoes
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 diced medium yellow onion, 1 diced large carrot, and 1 diced celery stalk; sauté for 6-7 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Step 2: Stir in 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, and 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, cooking for 1 minute until spices bloom.
- Step 3: Add 1 cup red lentils, 14 oz canned diced tomatoes with their juice, and 4 cups vegetable broth. Stir well and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Step 4: Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes until lentils are tender and soup thickens.
- Step 5: Season with 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper, then stir in 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice for brightness.
- Step 6: Remove from heat and garnish with 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley before serving.








