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Home » soup » Mediterranean Lentil Soup

Mediterranean Lentil Soup

Published: Apr 12, 2020 · Modified: Jan 15, 2021 by Louisa Clements · This post may contain affiliate links

This post may contain affiliate links

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46 minutes 18 Comments

Make a delicious homemade vegetarian Mediterranean lentil soup with green lentils and flavoured with cumin and coriander. This recipe was originally published on January 9, 2012 and updated on April 12, 2020.

closeup of lentil soup in a green bowl with parsley sprinkled on top

Lentils are something that I always have in my pantry. I’ve got red lentils for easy curries and green lentils to make my favourite mujaddara. But recently when I found myself staring at a bag of lentils in my pantry I had a craving; my mom’s classic lentil soup with a Mediterranean twist.

This is something that my mom would make all the time when I was growing up, so naturally, I reached for her tried and true recipe. It’s similar to my French-inspired slow cooker lentil soup, but this version is completely vegan and uses cumin and coriander for flavour.

A big pot of lentil soup with a ladle spooning some out.

Her lentil soup starts with a classic mirepoix base that has a higher ratio of carrots to celery and onion. This adds sweetness that helps balance the earthiness of the green lentils. There is also tomato paste to add richness and umami to the soup, but the real secret comes at the end when everything is done cooking.

Do you need to precook the lentils before adding them to the soup?

What I love about cooking with lentils is that you don’t need to soak them or cook them beforehand. Make sure you give them a good rinse and then they’ll take between 25-30 minutes to cook in your soup.

This soup comes together in about 45 minutes, which makes it the perfect weeknight soup (add a grilled cheese on the side if you want something a little more filling), it also gets even better the next day so it’s a dish that is great for meal prepping on the weekend.

Mediterranean lentil soup in a green bowl on a burgundy napkin.

The best way to finish a lentil soup

Once the lentils have cooked, you stir in some lemon juice for a hit of citrus; the lemon juice really helps brighten the flavours and gives the soup the perfect finishing touch. Definitely don’t skip the lemon! You may even want more lemon juice–don’t be afraid to add a little more citrus if that’s what your palate wants.

The other secret comes from the olive oil; and that’s what makes this really a Mediterranean-style lentil soup. Stir in two tablespoons of olive oil right before serving. It adds a velvety, smooth mouthfeel that gives the soup a luxurious finish.

A note about the salt in the soup. 1 ¾ of a teaspoon may seem like a lot of salt for a soup. I typically use water in my vegetable-based soups as I don’t love the flavour of vegetable broth. If you choose to use vegetable broth, you will need to adjust the level of salt.

closeup of lentil soup in a green bowl with parsley sprinkled on top

Mediterranean Lentil Soup

Author: Louisa Clements
4.06 from 55 votes
A simple mediterranean lentil soup made with pantry staples and flavoured with cumin and coriander.
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Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 31 minutes
Total: 46 minutes
servings icon
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 4 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • 2 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 1 rib celery, diced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 ¾ tsp salt, divided
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 ½ tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • ½ tsp chili flakes
  • 9 cups water
  • 1 ½ cups dried green or brown lentils, rinsed
  • 3 Bay leaves
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp minced parsley, optional for garnish

Instructions

  • In a large soup pot, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, onion and 1 tsp salt, cook for 3-5 minutes, until onion is translucent and vegetables begin to soften.
  • Add garlic, tomato paste, cumin, coriander and chili flakes. Sauté for another 2 minutes, until tomato paste begins to caramelize and turn a deep red and the spices are fragrant.
  • Add the water, lentils, bay leaves and remaining salt to the pot. Cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes, until lentils are tender. Remove bay leaves, stir in lemon juice and remaining olive oil. Serve with parsley sprinkled on top.
Did you try this recipe?Leave a comment + rating and let me know what you think!
Filed Under: Dinner Recipes, easy, gluten free, soup, vegan, vegetarian
Nutrition Facts
Mediterranean Lentil Soup
Amount Per Serving
Calories 268 Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat 10g15%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 765mg33%
Potassium 608mg17%
Carbohydrates 33g11%
Fiber 15g63%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 13g26%
Vitamin A 3631IU73%
Vitamin C 8mg10%
Calcium 59mg6%
Iron 4mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Nutrition information is an estimate and is provided for informational purposes only. If you have any specific dietary concerns, please consult with your healthcare practitioner.

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Comments

  1. Johanne Seguin

    January 26, 2022 at 9:48 pm

    Great tasting soup during the cold winter months. Very easy to make. I often make a pot for weekday lunches.
    ★★★★★
    Reply
  2. Kimberly Brosius

    December 07, 2021 at 10:53 pm

    This soup has really great flavor. I followed the amounts exactly and added some cauliflower towards the end because I already had it cut up and needed to use it. It was a little thin in my opinion it needs more veggies but i did serve it with some warm pita bread that I seasoned with fresh thyme and some oregano some granulated garlic and pepper and grilled it on my George foreman. I will definitely make this soup again just with more veggies. Kim Brosius
    ★★★★★
    Reply
    • Louisa Clements

      December 28, 2021 at 1:27 pm

      I'm so glad that you enjoyed this recipe, Kimberley! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. The cauliflower sounds like a delicious addition!
      Reply
  3. Cyndi

    September 03, 2021 at 8:22 am

    Looks great. Love lentil soup and your soup is worth giving a try for something different. Looks really good! I do have to disagree however with not soaking lentils. Lentils should be soaked and sprouted, or just buy them sprouted (more expensive obviously). Lentils, as all legumes, have a high amount of phytic acids which binds to iron and zinc and a little to calcium. Soaking them and then boiling them reduces phytic acids significantly. We need to be kind to our digestion.
    Reply
  4. Christie

    June 11, 2021 at 9:45 am

    I grew up eating lentil soup on occasion, so when I found your recipe with all the herbs and spices, I had to try it. It’s so flavourful and it’s slight spiciness is wonderful. I make your recipe often and my family love it!
    ★★★★★

    5 stars

    Reply
    • Louisa Clements

      June 19, 2021 at 8:17 pm

      So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Christie! Thank you for letting me know.
      Reply
  5. Shirley Clements

    February 07, 2021 at 6:15 pm

    Must try this delicious recipe, soon! It would be a great Super Bowl Dinner! Oh well, next year!
    ★★★★★
    Reply
  6. Natasha Carrillo

    January 27, 2021 at 3:02 pm

    Delicious! I didn’t grow up eating soups and my giant didn’t enjoy ones he grew up eating. We both loved this soup. We had it with a grilled cheese sandwich. The liquid was perfect for dipping they grilled cheese into. Scrumptious flavor. We are definitely making this soup again!
    ★★★★★
    Reply
    • Louisa Clements

      February 21, 2021 at 9:01 am

      So glad that you enjoyed this soup! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review--it is much appreciated!
      Reply
  7. Judith

    January 14, 2021 at 3:44 pm

    In the ingredients you have chili flakes but in the directions you don't mention them, when are they added?????
    ★★★★★

    5 stars

    Reply
    • Louisa Clements

      January 15, 2021 at 11:20 am

      Hi Judith, you're right! Good catch. I have updated the recipe--they are added at the same time as the other spices, so in step 2! I hope you enjoy this recipe. :)
      Reply
  8. HernamewasLola

    March 19, 2012 at 1:07 pm

    I need to make a trip up soon to experience some of this home cooking Lou! xx
    Reply
  9. Christina

    March 09, 2012 at 3:15 pm

    Gorgeous photography and a delicious soup.
    Reply
  10. Fiori

    March 09, 2012 at 10:14 am

    This is definitely the most flavourful lentil soup recipe I have tried. Thanks for sharing.
    Reply
  11. michelle

    January 09, 2012 at 4:20 pm

    Does this soup really have one and a half cups of oil in it???
    Reply
    • Lou

      January 09, 2012 at 5:27 pm

      Woops! Definitely a mistake, it's 1/4 cup olive oil plus 2 tbsp for sauteing the vegetables. Thanks for pointing that out, Michelle!
      Reply
  12. Shirley Clements

    January 09, 2012 at 1:36 pm

    Soooo glad to see you are "back in business" & "up & running" in 2012...I have already picked up the lentils for this soup...It looks great & sounds soooo healthy...I'm sure you will accomplish all of your goals & I too, have "eating healthier & exercising" on my "2012 Resolution List"...I'm starting with the "Lentil Soup"...Thanks, Miss Living Lou...All the best! Shirley
    Reply

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Hi, I'm Louisa Clements & welcome to Living Lou. I've been creating simple, fresh & flavorful recipes for the modern kitchen for 12 years.
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