• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Vegan Huggs
  • Home
  • Search
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Sign up!
  • Contact Me
  • Privacy Policy
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Me
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Subscribe
    • Contact Me
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Soups and Salads

    Red Lentil Soup Recipe

    October 24, 2018 By Melissa Huggins / 21 Comments

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Yummly

    This post contains affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

    Jump to Recipe

    This hearty bowl of Red Lentil Soup will be on your table in no time. It's so easy to make and calls for simple, easy-to-find ingredients. It's gluten-free and oil-free too! 

    2 white bowls filled with red lentil soup and topped with fresh parsley. Two crackers on the side.

    This Red Lentil Soup Recipe is directly from the pages of The Vegan 8 cookbook by Brandi Doming. It's a new family favorite!

    If you haven't heard of Brandi's blog, The Vegan 8, you're in for a real treat. She has mastered the art of keeping recipes simple, yet satisfying, and full of flavor.

    She uses no more than 8 ingredients for her recipes (not including water, salt & pepper) and they're easy-to-find. Her recipes are all dairy-free and are mostly oil-free, gluten-free, and nut-free too.

    Brandi's recipes make it easy to eat healthy even with a busy lifestyle. Plus, they are designed for the whole family to enjoy. You'll have a lot of happy campers at the table.

    What's inside?

    Inside you'll find 100 easy-to-make recipes that are simple and delicious. Each recipe accompanies a beautiful, drool-worthy photo too. It's a total coffee table book!

    The cookbook is broken down into 9 scrumptious categories: Breakfast, Snacks & Appetizers, Lunches, Sauces & Dressings, Easy Entrées, Soups & Stews, Sides & Dips, and Staples.

    You'll find mouth-watering recipes like Pumpkin Pie Crepes, Easy One-Pan Red Curry, Teriyaki Patties, BBQ Bean Ball Sub, Broccoli Cheese Soup, Creamy Cajun Lemon Sauce, Skillet Mexican Corn, Spinach Artichoke Dip, Showstopper Chocolate Cake, Chocolate-Peanut Butter Candy Bites, and this Hungarian Red Lentil Soup.

    I've already made a handful of Brandi's recipes and I didn't need to change a thing. The flavors and textures were all on point. I'm so excited to make some more!

    How to make Red Lentil Soup

    Cooking red lentil soup in a white pot with a wooden spoon.

    • STEP 1: Simmer the onions, garlic, and carrots until slightly tender (about 8 minutes)
    • STEP 2: Add the red lentils, Hungarian sweet paprika, tomato paste, dry mustard, salt, and pepper. and simmer on low for about 10 minutes.

    Pouring coconut milk into red lentil soup. Then photo of the completed red lentil soup.

    • STEP 3: Add the lite coconut milk. Cook on medium-low for 5-10 minutes until soup slightly thickens and lentils are tender, but still firm.
    • STEP 4: ENJOY!!

    Overhead view of two white bowls filled with red lentil soup on a striped napkin. Two spoons in the middle and crackers on the side.

    Looking for more cozy soup recipes? Here are my faves:

    • Instant Pot Yellow Split Pea Soup
    • Vegan Potato Leek Soup
    • Vegan Ajiaco (Colombian Potato Soup)
    • Roasted Tomato Soup

    I’d love to hear from you

    If you make this Hungarian Red Lentil Soup Recipe, let me know what you think by ★ star rating it and leaving a comment below. It would really make my day. You can also follow me on Instagram and share your creation with me. Just tag me @veganhuggs and hashtag #veganhuggs so I don’t miss it.

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
    5 from 12 votes

    Red Lentil Soup

    Author: Brandi Doming / The Vegan 8 - Dinner doesn’t have to take forever. This recipe comes together fast, thanks to red lentils and easy ingredients. The Hungarian paprika, dry mustard, and tomato paste give this simple dish a wonderful depth of flavor. 
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time23 mins
    Total Time38 mins
    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Hungarian, Vegan
    Servings: 5
    Calories: 223kcal
    Author: Melissa Huggins

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup yellow onion , diced
    • 3 carrots , cut into 1⁄4-inch-thick slices
    • 3 cloves garlic , minced
    • 1 cup dry red lentils , rinsed well with cold water
    • 6 tablespoons tomato paste
    • 2 tablespoons Hungarian sweet paprika
    • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
    • 1 ½ teaspoons fine salt
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 1 cup canned “lite” coconut milk , well shaken
    • 3 ½ cups water , divided
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Add the onion, carrots, garlic, and 1 cup (240g) water to a medium pot over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, and cook for 8 minutes, stirring a couple of times during, or until the veggies are tender but not overly so. 
    • Remove the pan from the heat, and add the lentils, 2 1⁄2 cups (600g) water, tomato paste, paprika, dry mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir well, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes.
    • Add the milk, and increase the heat to medium-low; cook 5 to 10 minutes or until the lentils are tender yet still firm, and the soup thickens some. Stir often, and do not overcook, as you don’t want the lentils to become mushy. Taste and add more salt, if desired. Serve immediately.

    Notes

    Make sure the paprika you are using is not hot paprika. For the milk, it is important to use a creamy milk like cashew or “lite” coconut milk here for best results. The “lite” coconut milk is very creamy but yields no coconut taste. Almond and rice milks don’t do well, and definitely don’t use full-fat coconut, as it is too rich and thick and will ruin the flavor.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 223kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 4g | Sodium: 504mg | Potassium: 429mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 7785IU | Vitamin C: 9.3mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1.4mg
    Tried this recipe?Follow me @veganhuggs and mention #veganhuggs!

    Vegan Huggs Weekly Newsletter

    Receive the tastiest vegan recipes straight to your inbox! Join now and get my Fan Favorites ebook FREE!

    More Vegan Soups and Salads

    • two black bowls of vegan cauliflower soup. Two spoons in the middled with a bottle of wine in the background.
      Vegan Cauliflower Soup
    • bowl of chickpea curry soup with a spoon inside.
      Chickpea Curry Soup
    • Thai red curry noodle soup in a white bowl.
      Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup
    • overhead view of vegan ceviche in a bowl with a spoon inside.
      Vegan Ceviche
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Yummly
    melissa

    About Melissa

    I’m Melissa Huggins – the creator of Vegan Huggs. I started this blog to share delicious vegan recipes that everyone will love. Yep, that includes carnivores, too! Read more...

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Adrienne Sz

      January 26, 2021 at 10:40 am

      5 stars
      I made this soup yesterday and it was very nice. Thank you, The only thing I have to say that this is not a traditional Hungarian food. Just because it has Hungarian sweet paprika powder as an ingredient it doesn't mean that it's Hungarian food. I'm proud to be Hungarian and I think it's better to clear this misunderstanding. Traditional Hungarian recipes doesn't contain coconut milk. Otherwise it's an easy to make delicious soup. I will make it again.

      Reply
    2. Erin

      October 04, 2020 at 7:45 pm

      Would this work with brown lentils? Turns out that’s all I have on hand. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        October 20, 2020 at 1:38 pm

        I haven't tried it so I'm not sure how much longer it'll take to cook or if you'll need more liquid. Brown lentils are a bit firmer after cooking so the consistency will be different too. I'm sure it'll be delicious though. 🙂

        Reply
    3. Elaine Wruck

      February 01, 2020 at 11:35 am

      5 stars
      Amazing ! ! I am transition to plant based! This recipe is another great easy peasy no fuss meal! Low cost , very filling and so good for you! Yummy too! I did add celery and more garlic! So good my family and Co workers love it too!

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        March 07, 2020 at 10:39 am

        Hi Elaine, I'm so happy you liked it (your co-workers too). Thank you for giving it a try and sharing your feedback. 🙂

        Reply
    4. Mauri

      December 05, 2019 at 6:04 am

      How much water is used in this recipe. I see one cup water and one cup milk. Please advise and thank yo

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        December 05, 2019 at 10:07 am

        Hi Mauri, it's a total of 3 1/2 cups of water. 1 cup is to sauté the onions and garlic. The rest goes in with the lentils. Hope this helps. Thank you for stopping by 🙂

        Reply
    5. Natalie

      November 14, 2019 at 12:33 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is amazing! I had some Hungarian paprika I purchased in Hungary a few years ago. I didn’t have dry mustard on hand. I substituted 1 1/2 tsp of English mustard. I had to cook the lentils a bit longer than the recipe stated. Other than that this was a super easy and really delicious recipe! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        December 01, 2019 at 11:42 am

        Hi Natalie, I'm so glad you liked it. Thank you for making it and leaving your feedback 🙂

        Reply
    6. Kinga

      August 09, 2019 at 12:52 pm

      I’m from Hungary and was happy to find a Hungarian red lentil recipe although I think the paprika makes it Hungarian. 🙂
      I have one question: instead of coconut milk can I use cow milk? Whole or reduced fat or maybe cooking cream? Thanks for answering!

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        August 09, 2019 at 1:04 pm

        Hi there, yes, you can use any milk you prefer as long as it's thick. Thank you for stopping by 🙂

        Reply
    7. Jennifer

      May 14, 2019 at 8:47 pm

      5 stars
      This was so good and easy to make. Do you think I could use veggie broth instead of water, or would that alter the flavor too much?

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        May 14, 2019 at 9:04 pm

        Hi Jennifer, I'm so glad you liked it. Thank you! Yes, you can use vegetable broth. I would use a low sodium variety, but if you use regular, just adjust the salt in the recipe. 🙂

        Reply
    8. Jamie

      April 26, 2019 at 2:24 am

      I searched for red lentil recipes after buying a bag of them for the first time. Now they are all gone in 1 week. This recipe is so good and easy I've made it 4 times in a row. Great for a quick dinner when ur too tired to cook. It almost makes itself 😉
      I subbed sweet paprika for regular and used a lite carton of coconut milk. Still came out good.👍

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        April 28, 2019 at 7:29 pm

        Hi Jamie, I'm so happy to hear this! It's a family favorite over here too. I love how easy and satisfying it is. 🙂

        Reply
    9. Margaret

      March 10, 2019 at 12:19 am

      5 stars
      Love this recipe. So easy and tasty, I make it regularly. Always a winner to share with family/friends.

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        March 12, 2019 at 11:19 pm

        Hi Margaret, so happy to hear this! Thank you for making it 🙂

        Reply
    10. Cap'n Dave

      November 06, 2018 at 8:24 am

      5 stars
      I made this last night and it was SO good!

      I added a little Cabernet Sauvignon and changed out the coconut milk for vegan sour cream, diluted a little bit with some almond milk, increased the paprika since what I had wasn't the Hungarian Sweet but just your regular McCormick's variety, and touched it up with a tiny "splorp" of cayenne pepper sauce since even after ramping up the paprika, it was still a little "weak". (Next time, I'll order the CORRECT paprika online, since all anyone has around here is the dried colorant or the smoked.)

      Even though I reduced the recipe to 1/3rd of its amount, I STILL have enough leftovers for lunch today!

      Served it up with a side of roasted Brussels sprouts in vegan butter with "bacon"...a quite satisfying meal that stayed with me the rest of the night! This one's a keeper!!!

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        November 06, 2018 at 8:39 am

        Hi Dave! This is so awesome to hear! Thank you for making it and sharing your modifications. It sounds delish with the vegan sour cream. I haven't found Hungarian paprika in local stores either. It really is the best!

        The Brussels sprouts with 'bacon' sound incredible too! Now I'm hungry! 🙂

        Reply
    11. John

      October 26, 2018 at 6:23 pm

      5 stars
      This looks absolutely amazing and delicious. I am trying this recipe this weekend to surprise my wife, however, I am going to add some organic potatoes that I just bought. Thank you for all the great recipes.

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        October 29, 2018 at 4:55 pm

        Thank you, John! It sounds perfect with the potatoes! So nice of you to make this for your wife. Enjoy! 🙂

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    I’m Melissa Huggins – the creator of Vegan Huggs. I started this blog to share delicious vegan recipes that everyone will love. Yep, that includes carnivores, too!

    More about me →

    • vegan huggs facebook
    • vegan huggs Instagram.
    • vegan huggs pinterest
    • YouTube

    My Most Popular

    • Vegan crab cakes on a white serving plate. Topped with tartar sauce, green onion and paprika.
      Vegan Crab Cakes
    • One slice of vegan quiche on a white plate. Tomatoes in a bowl on the side with full quiche.
      Easy Vegan Quiche
    • closeup view of sesame cauliflower in a bowl.
      Sticky Sesame Cauliflower
    • Horizontal photo of two bowls of vegan potato leek soup.
      Creamy Vegan Potato Leek Soup
    • vegan-cauliflower-casserole-6a-340x340.jpg
      Cheesy Vegan Cauliflower Casserole
    • overhead view of two portobello mushroom steaks on a white plate. Asparagus and potatoes on the side.
      Grilled Portobello Mushroom Steaks

    Footer

    SEEN ON

    ^ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • Privacy Policy
    • Recipe Index

    Newsletter

    Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Subscribe

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2020 Vegan Huggs

    We use cookies to ensure that you have the best experience possible on our website. By continuing on the site you agree to the use of your cookies by www.veganhuggs.com