Roasted Carrot and Red Lentil Soup with Cumin and Coriander

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-10 · Updated 2026-05-10

A warming, earthy soup featuring slow-roasted carrots blended with red lentils and fragrant spices for a hearty, comforting meal. This middle eastern-inspired soups (vegetarian, gluten free) ready in about 60 minutes pairs peeled and chopped carrots, rinsed red lentils, olive oil for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 230 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 lb, peeled and chopped carrots
• 1 cup rinsed red lentils
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 medium, diced yellow onion
• 3 cloves, minced garlic cloves
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp, or to taste salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped, for garnish fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Toss 1 lb peeled and chopped carrots with 2 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper, then spread on a baking sheet and roast for 30-35 minutes until tender and caramelized at the edges.
2. Step 2: While the carrots roast, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 diced medium yellow onion and sauté for 5 minutes until translucent. Stir in 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp ground cumin, and 1 tsp ground coriander, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Step 3: Add 1 cup rinsed red lentils and 4 cups vegetable broth to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until lentils are soft.
4. Step 4: Remove the roasted carrots from the oven and add them to the pot. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth and creamy, or blend in batches in a blender.
5. Step 5: Stir in 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, adjust salt to taste, and warm through for 3 minutes. Serve garnished with 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves.