Name: Vegan Lentil Soup (Traditional Scottish)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 350 g carrots (about 3 large skins left on if unblemished, diced.); 115 g celery (about 2-3 stalks, diced.); 360 g swede (about 1/2 medium swede, diced. (Swedes are often called rutabagas and turnips)); 480 g potato (about 3 medium, peel off blemishes but otherwise leave skins on if liked, diced.); 160 g onion (1 large, rough diced.); 4-6 cloves garlic ( Diced small or minced.); 300 grams red split lentils (washed under running water and picked through for debris, easier to do this when using a sieve.); 2 bay leaf; 2 litres water

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My vegan Scottish traditional lentil soup is a family favourite bursting with nutrition and deliciousness.

Serve lentil soup with my quick vegan dinner rolls or quick 3 ingredient flatbreads and you have a perfect filling meal suitable for everyone.

vegan lentil soup with red pepper flakes on top, triangle pieces of brown bread, wooden spoon to side and red check tea towel underneath

Growing up in Scotland lentil soup was a staple family dinner and I learned how to make lentil soup quite early on. My recipe for lentil soup is pretty much the same as my family recipe with perhaps the substitution for vegan stock cubes being the main difference.

Back then I was vegetarian as plant-based was not even a thing I could consider as I had not even come across the term!

Lentil soup is perfect for batch prepping and food budgeting. Lentils are relatively inexpensive and a small packet equals a large amount of yummy potential soup!

If you have kids this lentil soup recipe is ideal for them to prepare with supervision.

My kids have successfully cooked batches of this soup and its a good recipe to have up-your-sleeve when you go off to college and need quick, easy, healthy, and inexpensive meal ideas.

Origins of lentil soup

Interestingly lentils are the oldest, farmed pulse ever and have been cultivated for thousands of years.

Lentils dating back 9,500-13,000 years were discovered within Franchthi cave in Greece.

There is even mention of bowls of red lentil soup in the Bible.

There are so many different types of lentils and recipes to discover. If you have little experience with cooking with lentils then vegan lentil soup, prepared with red split lentils, is an ideal introduction as its just a case of bunging everything into the soup pan and simmering for 25-30 minutes.

And its ready to serve.

How To Prepare Lentil Soup:

diced potato and carrot on chopping board — Dice all the vegetables.

diced potato, carrot, swede, onion, and red lentils, bay leaf and stock cubes in a saucepan, with wooden mixing spoon — Dice all the vegetables.

How do I store leftover lentil soup?

Lentil soup can be kept fresh in the fridge, within a covered container, for up to 3 days. Or frozen for 4-6 months. Lentil soup is perfect for batch prepping.

How do I reheat lentil soup?

Reheat lentil soup in a saucepan over a medium heat. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes stirring frequently to ensure the soup is evenly heated and doesn’t stick to the pan. If the lentils have become very thick a little veggie stock or water can be used to thin down the soup for easier reheating.

If reheating from frozen ensure the soup is initially defrosted and then follow the method above. A microwave may help defrost the soup faster if you’ve forgotten to remove the soup from the freezer.

Is lentil soup gluten-free?

Lentil soup can be gluten-free if gluten-free stock cubes are used.

What can I serve with lentil soup?

Serve your soup with my quick vegan dinner rolls.
These rolls use just a few ingredients and can be quickly baked while the soup is cooking. Serve hot from the oven. These are my kids favourite as they can be customised. Such as add some plant cheese or nutritional yeast for cheesy rolls, or some dried herbs, or garlic powder, etc.

My 3 ingredient flatbreads are also a delicious accompaniment as is a slice or two of this tasty vegan Irish soda bread.

Other delicious accompaniments: toasties, sandwiches, falafels, veggie burgers, etc. I often serve soup with a veggie burger (on a roll with some salad) on the side for dinner and the kids love this combination.

Serve a portion of rice, quinoa, barley, millet or wheat grains underneath the lentil soup for a hearty meal.

Can I add anything extra to my lentil soup?

Absolutely!

I prefer to reduce the amount of oil I use cooking so I just add everything to the soup pan and the result is just as tasty. However, if liked a tablespoon of oil can be used to cook the onion, celery and garlic at the beginning for a few minutes, before adding the rest of the ingredients and veggie stock.

Adding some green vegetables to the lentil soup is always a delicious idea. I prefer chopped kale, but collards, spring greens or cabbage can all be added 5-10 minutes before cooking is finished.

A can of chopped tomatoes transforms the soup into a lentil-tomato soup. When I was a child my mum did this with leftover lentil soup to create a different flavour for the next day.

Add a can or two of your favourite pulse such as kidney beans, butter beans, borlotti, pinto, etc. This can be a great way to stretch the soup further into more portions as well as increasing the soups iron and protein content.

Half a cup of rice added to the soup can also bulk out the soup further but a cup of extra stock may be required.

I often add a diced sweet potato if I have one kicking around the fridge needing used up.

One to three teaspoons of liquid aminos added to the finished soup can give the soup a meatier taste which mimics the traditional method of adding a ham bone to flavour the lentil soup as it cooks. I say 1-3 teaspoons as liquid aminos is quite a strong flavour and it is personal preference as to the taste so best to add a teaspoon at a time. Check out your local wholefood store, supermarket or Amazon for liquid aminos.

Vegan Lentil Soup (Traditional Scottish)

Print Recipe

There is nothing better than a bowl of nourishing, comforting and satisfying Scottish lentil soup. Packed full of lentils and plant-based goodness this lentil soup is pure comfort food.

Course Dinner, Lunch, Soup

Cuisine British, Scottish

Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 35 mins

Total Time 55 mins

Servings

Calories 300

Author Jacq

Equipment

Large Saucepan/stock pot/soup pan
Potato masher, for giving the soup a little mash at the end of cooking. Alternatively just leave chunky or if preferred use a hand blender for a smoother consistency.

Ingredients

350 g carrots about 3 large skins left on if unblemished, diced.
115 g celery about 2-3 stalks, diced.
360 g swede about 1/2 medium swede, diced. (Swedes are often called rutabagas and turnips)
480 g potato about 3 medium, peel off blemishes but otherwise leave skins on if liked, diced.
160 g onion 1 large, rough diced.
4-6 cloves garlic Diced small or minced.
300 grams red split lentils washed under running water and picked through for debris, easier to do this when using a sieve.
2 bay leaf
2 litres water Use 2-3 veggie stock cubes. Add 2 stock cubes initially to your pan, and if required add another about 5 minutes before cooking ends.

Metric – US Customary

Instructions

Add all ingredients to your saucepan including the stock cubes.
Pour in the water.
Bring to the boil.
Lower heat to low-medium and simmer for around 25-30 minutes.
Check seasoning,
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Remove the bay leafs.
Using a potato masher give the soup a mash to break up the veggies. Mash to your preferred texture. Alternatively omit the mashing and just enjoy as is.

Notes

Recipe notes:

Lentil soup will keep fresh in the fridge, in a covered container for up to 3 days.
Or freeze for 4-6 months. Place in an airtight container and leave a little room for expansion as the soup freezes.
Reheat your lentil soup by gentling bringing to the boil in a saucepan and simmering for a few minutes. Add extra veggie stock or water if necessary to avoid sticking as the lentils can become very thick as they sit in the fridge.
As a garnish try a sprinkle of nutritional yeast, grated vegan cheese, cracked black pepper, chilli or red pepper flakes, a few drops of hot sauce, or some chopped fresh herbs such as parsley or lemon balm.
Some freshly squeezed lemon juice gives a nice zesty flavour pop.
Toast some pumpkin or sunflower seeds in a dry fry pan over a medium heat, until aromatic and golden. Scatter over your soup.
Lentil soup tastes even better the next day.
An idea is to save any water that you have previously used for boiling potatoes or vegetables. Drain, cool and store the cooking liquid in the fridge, covered, for up to 3-4 days. Use the liquid to prepare your veggie stock for soup. This saves water but also adds more flavour to your soup, and hopefully any vitamins and minerals that leaked out while your vegetables were boiling will be saved for your soup.

Nutrition

More Yummy, Easy Lentil Recipes To Discover:

Vegan Black Bean, Green Lentil and Sweet Potato Sloppy Joes

Vegan Creamy Cashew, Lentil and Roast Cauliflower Moroccan Stew

Vegan Sweet Potato and Red Lentil Lasagne Soup

Vegan Peawack Soup (Traditional Liverpool Dish)

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Sara Welch
June 17, 2021 at 1:51 am

I have always loved a good lentil soup and this recipe is no exception! So easy and delicious; easily, a new favorite recipe!

1. Jacq
  June 28, 2021 at 8:50 pm
  
  So good to read, glad you loved the soup. Lentil soup is so easy but so tasty 🙂
  
Anjali
June 17, 2021 at 12:21 am

This lentil soup was rich, creamy and so satisfying!! Made it for my family tonight and everyone loved it!

1. Jacq
  June 28, 2021 at 8:48 pm
  
  So glad your family enjoyed. Its my favourite soup to prepare for my family as it was the first one I ever learned to prepare growing up 🙂
  
Anusha
June 16, 2021 at 10:35 pm

It really is interesting how food has its way to connect people. In India, we call red lentils masoor dal. And there is also a yumm Moroccan style red lentil soup. Loved reading about the history of lentils.

1. Jacq
  June 28, 2021 at 8:47 pm
  
  Thanks so much for your comment. I find it really interesting learning about other cultures and recipes. I would love to try those two soups you mention they soup delicious 🙂
  
Tara
June 16, 2021 at 10:00 pm

I can see why this soup is a family favorite. Looks so good! I love how you included a history on lentil soup too.

1. Jacq
  July 4, 2021 at 11:40 am
  
  Thank so much. I just love food with a bit of history, it just makes dinner more meaningful and special 🙂
  
Amanda
June 16, 2021 at 9:43 pm

What a great soup! The potatoes added a nice extra heartiness along with the lentils to make one cozy meal.

1. Jacq
  June 28, 2021 at 8:52 pm
  
  Thanks! Potatoes and lentils are such a great combo hearty but certainly not over-filling 🙂
  
AISilva
June 13, 2021 at 3:14 pm

This soup looks so good. My kids have been especially loving anything with lentils lately, so they are going to love this. I also appreciate learning more about the history of lentils. Thanks for this recipe will make it soon!

1. Jacq
  June 29, 2021 at 9:35 pm
  
  Your welcome! Kids do seem to love lentils 🙂
  
Lily
June 13, 2021 at 2:56 pm

I am a big lentil soup fan because it reheats so nicely throughout the week. I’m always looking for new recipes to try and this one looks delicious!

1. Jacq
  June 29, 2021 at 9:36 pm
  
  This lentil soup just tastes better after the 1st and 2nd day so is perfect for reheating 🙂
  
Biana
June 13, 2021 at 2:16 pm

We love lentils, and this soup sounds delicious! I like how healthy it is, too.

1. Jacq
  July 4, 2021 at 11:42 am
  
  Thanks! Lentils are the best 🙂
  
Amanda
June 13, 2021 at 1:54 pm

We all loved this soup, and it was super simple to prepare. The lentils really made it nice and hearty.

1. Jacq
  July 2, 2021 at 9:15 am
  
  So glad you all enjoyed the lentil soup 🙂
  
Petro
June 13, 2021 at 12:16 pm

I love lentil soup! Haven’t made one in ages, thanks for the reminder! Your recipe sounds so delicious, I’ll give it a try!

1. Jacq
  July 4, 2021 at 11:41 am
  
  Yeah lentil soup is easy to overlook but its just so easy, delicious, convenient and amazingly good-for-you that it deserves more time in the limelight to shine 🙂