Red Lentil Soup Recipe:
Lemon Lentil Soup

This quick red lentil soup recipe is bursting with taste and goodness. It's a delicious way to get nutritious fresh greens into your diet.

The hint of lemon is delightful! For a more intense lemon flavor, use up to 1/3 cup/80 mL of lemon juice - or add some grated lemon zest as well.

While you're rinsing the lentils, look carefully and remove any sticks or stones.

Check that you have these staples at home

• in the cupboard
  • olive oil
  • garlic
  • bay leaves
  • dried red lentils
  • prepared vegetable stock
  • dried dill
  • salt
  • pepper

• in the fridge or freezer
  • onions
  • bottled lemon juice

Buy these fresh ingredients

• carrots
• potatoes
• celery
• Swiss chard

Get out your equipment

• Essential
  • a soup pot
  • a cutting board and sharp knife

• Nice to have but not necessary
  • a garlic press (if not, mince the garlic)
  • measuring cups and spoons (if not, just estimate)
  
  
  

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  The recipe

  3 Tbsp/45 mL olive oil

  2 cups/500 mL diced onions

  3 cloves garlic, crushed

  2 medium carrots, finely diced

  1 medium potato, scrubbed and finely diced

  2 bay leaves

  2 ribs celery, diced

  1 cup/250 mL red lentils, rinsed

  5 cups/1250 mL vegetable stock

  1/4 cup/60 mL lemon juice

  2 tsp/10 mL dried dill

  4 cups/1 L washed, packed, chopped fresh Swiss chard

  salt

  pepper

  
  
  In a soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat.
  Add the onions, garlic, carrots and potato.
  Sauté, stirring frequently, for about 15 minutes.
  

  Add the bay leaves, celery and lentils.
  Continue sautéing for about 5 minutes.
  

  Add the stock.
  Bring to a boil.
  Reduce heat and simmer until the lentils and all the vegetables are tender (about 15 minutes).

  Remove from the heat.
  Add the lemon juice, dill and Swiss chard.
  Stir until the chard has wilted.
  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  Serve immediately.
  
  

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  Substitutions

  • Use another vegetable oil instead of olive oil.

  • Use fresh lemon juice instead of bottled.

  • Use about 2 Tbsp/30 mL fresh dill instead of dried.

  • Use water in place of the vegetable stock.

  Ideas for making this recipe your own

  • Try using another leafy green, like kale or spinach, instead of the Swiss chard.

  • Make your own homemade vegetable stock.

  Tips

  • Be sure to remove the thick stems from the Swiss chard. They are very tough!
  
  
  

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  Menu suggestion

  Serve this dish with

  • rolls and butter
    
    

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    If you enjoy this red lentil soup recipe, you may also like these other easy soup recipes:

    • Salmon Chowder
    • Borscht
      
      

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