Smoky Chickpea, Red Lentil & Vegetable Soup

Tested & Perfected Recipes Cookbook Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.

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)

You May Also Like

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

  • 5 stars
    My husband and I are trying to introduce some healthier foods to our diet. I’ve never enjoyed lentils, but I knew he did so I decided to try this recipe…the photos looked so delicious. I made it exactly as directed, using frozen snow peas and green peas, and it was fabulous! We’ ‘ll be adding this to our meals often and I intend to share it with family and friends! Thank you!

  • 5 stars
    I made this soup today. Another home run! I loved the smokey flavor. I was able to buy the red lentils at my local Kroger. I added Kale instead of mixed veggies. I also used homemade broth as I usually have some in the freezer. It all came together really quick.

  • 5 stars
    Hands down the best lentil soup I have made! So many layers of yum and it tasted as if it had cooked for hours, they blended that well. I will go to this recipe again and again and can’t wait for summer veggies to add. The only alteration I did was to use homemade veggie broth, all else was according to recipe. Love your site! 🙂

  • 5 stars
    This soup was great! I made it last night for my boyfriend and I. He loved it even though he’s wary of lentil and bean soups (they look gross? haha) I served it over ditalini and it was excellent.

  • 5 stars
    Easy and delicious. I used regular paprika and a bit of chipotle powder since I had it on hand. I also subbed mixed frozen veggies. Fresh would have been more beautiful but it was easy to just pour out of a bag for a quick and hearty soup. Definitely making this again.

  • 5 stars
    I’m so delighted to have found your blog! Your pictures are just beautiful and the recipes are so well organized.
    This soup was SO delicious, healthy, frugal, quick and easy, and my toddler loved it. Thank you for sharing!

    • Thank you, Lynnessa! So glad you enjoyed the soup 🙂

  • 5 stars
    I never write reviews for recipes but this one absolutely deserves a raving one!!! I just tried it tonight for the first time and my husband and I LOVED it!!! It’s delicious and full of flavor! Definitely a keeper 🙂
    Thank you!!

  • 5 stars
    This was a huge success in our house! I cut half a left-over chorizo ring into thin slices and fried until crisp. Took the chorizo out ofvthe frying pan and stir-fried some thinly sliced savoy cabbage in the chorizo oil and added both to the soup. My men demolished it and told me I could make it again! Great on a cold night.

  • I don’t see amounts for the ingredients. Where can i find them?

    • Hi Arlene, Click on the “recipe” tab and you’ll find the ingredients.

  • 5 stars
    Another great recipe. I love smoked paprika so this is my kind of soup. Only one change: added a little sugar, 1-2 tsp.

Add a Comment

Rate the recipe: 5 stars means you loved it, 1 star means you really disliked it




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.