Smoky Chickpea, Red Lentil & Vegetable Soup

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This warming, satisfying lentil and vegetable soup comes together in just 30 minutes.

Pot of smoky chickpea, red lentil, and vegetable soup.

Photo by Johnny Miller (Clarkson Potter, 2021)

For a vegetarian recipe made almost entirely from pantry staples (and I mean true staples, not staples from some well-stocked dream kitchen), this vegetable soup is surprisingly delicious. It’s thickened by puréeing a portion of the soup and then stirring it back into the pot (a technique I also use in other veggie and bean soups like pasta e fagioli and mulligatawny). This method gives the soup a wonderfully rich and hearty texture without relying on heavy cream or flour. The soup takes just 30 minutes to come together, start to finish, yet tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen, and it’s good for you, too. For the cooked vegetables, feel free to use any quick-cooking, frozen, or leftover vegetables you have on hand. The recipe is extremely flexible and very hearty!

“Super simple and delicicious. It’s a keeper.”

Chuck C

What You’ll Need To Make Chickpea, Lentil and Vegetable Soup

Soup ingredients including diced tomatoes, chickpeas, and bay leaves.
  • Olive Oil: Used to sauté the onions, garlic, carrots, and spices, adding richness and helping to develop a deep flavor base for the soup.
  • Onion and Garlic: Provide a savory foundation and depth, essential for building the soup’s overall flavor.
  • Carrot: Adds a subtle sweetness and contributes to the hearty texture of the soup.
  • Paprika and Cumin: Infuse the soup with smoky and earthy flavors, enhancing the overall warmth and complexity.
  • Vegetable or Chicken Broth: Acts as the soup’s liquid base, balancing flavors and providing a rich, savory undertone. Opt for low-sodium broth here.
  • Diced Tomatoes: Contribute acidity and a subtle sweetness, adding depth to the broth.
  • Red Lentils: Thicken the soup and add protein, creating a hearty texture. It’s important to stick with red lentils here due to their quick cooking time. Use 1/3 cup as specified in the recipe, as using more can make the soup too thick.
  • Dried Thyme: Adds an aromatic, earthy note that complements the soup’s savory elements.
  • Bay Leaves: Infuse the soup with a mild herbal flavor, enhancing its overall complexity.
  • Chickpeas: Add texture, protein, and a nutty flavor, making the soup more substantial.
  • Cooked Vegetables: Provide additional texture and nutrients, rounding out the soup with a variety of flavors and colors. I like to use frozen peas and green beans but you can use any quick cooking, frozen, or leftover vegetables you have on hand. The recipe is very flexible!
  • Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements

Step-by-Step Instructions

Onions in a cooking pot.

Begin by cooking the onions in olive oil until soft. Add the carrots, garlic, smoked paprika and cumin and cook until fragrant, a few minutes.

Pot of vegetables and spices.

Add the broth, tomatoes, lentils, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper.

Wooden spoon in a pot with broth and spices.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the chickpeas and continue cooking 10 minutes more.

Simmering pot of soup.

Remove a few cups of the soup and place in a blender or food processor.

Soup in a food processor.

Purée until smooth.

Food processor of blended soup.

Pour the puréed soup back into the pot. Stir and taste; if you want the soup to be thicker, purée a bit more. Add the vegetables.

Vegetables floating in a pot of soup.

Bring the soup back to a simmer and serve.

Pot of smoky chickpea, red lentil, and vegetable soup.
Photo by Johnny Miller (Clarkson Potter, 2021)

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Print

Smoky Chickpea, Red Lentil & Vegetable Soup

This warming, satisfying lentil and vegetable soup comes together in just 30 minutes.
Servings: 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 large carrot, diced
  • Heaping ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 4 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 14.5-ounce (411-g) can diced tomatoes
  • cup red lentils
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 15.5-ounce (439-g) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup cooked vegetables, such as frozen peas or chopped green beans

Instructions

  • In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, carrots, smoked paprika and cumin; cook, stirring frequently so the garlic doesn't brown, about 2 minutes more.
  • Add the broth, diced tomatoes, red lentils, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer; cook for ten minutes. Add the chickpeas, cover the pot and cook 10 minutes more. Fish out the bay leaves, then transfer 2 cups of the soup to a blender and purée until smooth (be sure to remove the center knob on the blender and cover with a dishtowel to avoid splatters). Add the puréed soup back to the pot and stir. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary; if you want the soup to be thicker, purée a bit more soup. Add the cooked vegetables and simmer until the soup is hot and the vegetables are warmed through. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.

Notes

Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The soup can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator for 12 hours and then reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until hot. through.

Pair with

Nutrition Information

Per serving (6 servings)Calories: 222kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 10gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 622mgFiber: 10gSugar: 7g

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Comments

  • Hi Jenn, Is there a substitute for the 1/3 c red lentils? Thank you.

    • — joanne regnault
    • Reply
    • Hi Joanne, I’d stick with the red lentils for best results. Sorry!

  • 5 stars
    Great soup and even better the next day when reheated! Because my husband dislikes cumin, I followed Jenn’s suggestion to substitute with chili powder and it worked really well. Thanks!

  • 5 stars
    Just made this and eating as I write! I had to modify a bit based on what I had on hand but the base recipe is the winner here! Yummy and healthy! Thanks again Jenn!

  • 5 stars
    Delicious and so easy to throw together. I would never have thought of mixing recipe spices. The only ingredient I added was a tsp sugar. I think my tinned tomatoes a little bitter. Thank you for wonderful recipe.

  • 5 stars
    YUM! I added an extra carrot and 1 c cauliflower and 2 c green beans cuz I’m a veggie girl, and used my immersion blender to purée partially. Otherwise I made it exactly according to recipe- new fav for sure!

  • 5 stars
    This is so delicious! I have made this several times and we love it!

  • 5 stars
    I made this on the weekend and love it. I love the smokey paprika flavour. I didn’t have the red lentils so left them out but would definitely make this again!!!

  • 5 stars
    Another wonderful recipe. This was so tasty!

    • 5 stars
      Another fabulous recipe!! Made it tonight post work/school and before soccer practice. I didn’t have to shop for anything – everything is a pantry staple here! Will definitely be making this again!!

  • 5 stars
    According to my boys…with a splash of sriracha and cream this is AMAZING!! I doubled it and you must be warned this makes a huge batch. I added left over rotisserie chicken to it last night, so good! I will add some red pepper flakes next time for a little heat. You literally have everything in your fridge, pantry and freezer for this. Definitely a family hit!

    • — Barb, BC Canada
    • Reply
    • Jenn
      Can I use regular paprika with a splash of liquid smoke instead of smoked paprika?

      Or could I use smoked chipotle?

      • Hi Lynn, I think either would work. Hope you enjoy!

  • 5 stars
    Easy and yummy!

    I added the carrot and frozen peas per the recipe. My family and I needed more veggies in our diet so I added fresh baby spinach (without stems) with the frozen peas. My family enjoyed this wholesome meal.

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