Lemony Lentil and Greens Soup
Lemony Lentil and Greens Soup- Made with just 6 ingredients, this soup is packed with nutrients and bright citrus flavor. One bowl packs 15 grams of protein! (vegan, gluten-free)
Some of my OG readers might remember this recipe as I first published it back in 2015. It’s still one of the best soup recipes on my site. Not only is it ridiculously simple to make but it’s nutrient dense and absolutely delicious.
The only caveat is that you have to like lemon because that is the highlight here. The fresh citrus juice not only brightens the flavor of the soup, but also adds a hefty dose of Vitamin C which helps your body absorb all of the iron in the lentils and greens. It’s a bowl full of comforting, nourishing goodness that easy and budget-friendly to boot.
Lemon Lentil Soup Ingredients
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil- Feel free to use any neutral flavored oil you like. Or a splash of broth to keep the recipe oil-free.
- Shallot- I prefer shallot over onion as I find it encompasses the flavor of both onion and garlic. But you can substitute onion if you like. Maybe just add a bit of fresh garlic too.
- Lentils- Green lentils or french lentils are ideal for holding their shape.
- Greens- Spinach, lacinato kale, swiss chard, or even bok choy are all great choices.
- Broth- Please make sure to use a broth you really like for the best flavor! My go-to is Better Than Bouillon.
- Lemon Juice- Fresh squeezed lemon juice is recommended for best results.
How to Make Lemon Lentil Soup
- Sauté shallot in oil.
- Add lentils and broth. Cook until lentils are tender.
- Stir in greens. Cook until wilted.
- Squeeze in lemon juice.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
More Lentil Recipes to Try
- Hearty Lentil Stew
- 3-Ingredient Lentil Tofu
- Curried Red Lentil Pumpkin Soup
- Lentil Sloppy Joes
- Easy Lentil Spinach Soup
Lemon Lentil and Greens Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup finely chopped shallot, about 3-4 shallots
- 1 cup dry lentils, rinsed
- 4-5 cups vegetable broth
- 1 bunch chopped leafy greens, such as spinach or kale
- juice of 2 lemons, start with juice of 1 lemon then add more, to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot, warm oil over medium heat. Add shallot and cook for 2-3 minutes, until translucent.
- To the pot, add the rinsed lentils. Pour in vegetable broth. Bring to a low boil and cook for 20-30 minutes, or until lentils are tender. *Time may vary depending on how fresh your lentils are.
- Add the chopped greens and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Squeeze in fresh lemon juice (start with 1 lemon then add more, if desired). Serve warm and enjoy!
Goodness, this looks and sounds delicious. I have a cough and am a bit under the weather so this broth-y soup with it’s tart lemon and the goodness of greens and lentils seems just the thing to appeal. Handy that I happen to have all the ingredients. This is what I shall be eating tonight. Many thanks!
Thanks Sara! I hope you love it and that it helps you feel better soon!
I eat this everytime I’m sick now! Tbh, my son and I thought it looked gross lol but once we tasted it, omg, superb! And it really does make you feel so much better when you’re sick. I use Kale though, as Swiss chard isn’t available at my store ☺️
I just wanted to come back and say it really is feel good food. The lemon adds a zing that is just delicious. The whole thing is really tasty and I really enjoyed it. Lucky for me I’ll eat some more tomorrow. I also put a potato in (chopped with skin still on – I like my wholefood carbs!). I just loved it and will be eating it plenty more times I am sure. Thank you :)
Yay! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it, Sara! Potato sounds like a delicious addition. Thank you for letting me know! :)
Oh how I could so use a huge bowl of this right now! It sounds so fantastic! We just got back from a quick vacation to Arizona and I mayyy need a bit of detox from all the food and wine. haha Pass me a bowl stat! :)
I never think to make lemon the star of my recipes–poor, poor lemon. This soup sounds divine, and I’m glad your greens are HUUUUUGE. Send some my way, will you? :D
You MUST give lemon the attention it deserves! ;)
I will be making this! Lemons? Yes please! Soup? Yes please! And GREENS? Can I get an Amen? They are my favorite veg! Thanks for the recipe!
AMEN SISTER. :) xoxo
I’m a big fan of squeezing fresh lemon juice on things too, especially avo toast and salad dressing….and lentils are always a winner in my book. I’m all about healthy, easy soups, and this looks like just like that!
I know, everyone is sick right now! Citrus is our only hope! Besides banning people from our bubbles, lol. ;)
Aw, thanks Medha! :)
I agree! A little lemon in desserts is like magic!
Can I get a woo hoo for iron absorption?! ;)
Awesome! I hope you get a chance to try it, Emilie! :)
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I think this soup is beautiful. haha Everything about it sounds delicious to me, because I love lemon, lentils, and leafy greens, and it is freaking cold! This is just perfect…pinned. :)
This soup is perfection! Garrett has had a super sore throat the last few days so everything so he’d only been interested in eating soup. All the vitamins and all that lemon would definitely help him bust out his cold, so I should puh-robably be a good gf and make this for him :)
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Very good soup. I love anything lemony too, and this really filled the bill. One of the things that I like about using lemon is that it helps me curb my salt habit. If you make something lemony enough, you need little or no salt. Thanks for a wonderful recipe!
I agree, Vivian! Lemon is a great way to use less salt. I’m so happy you liked it! :)
I made this soup last night. So so good! Highly recommend it for a healthy and nutritious meal. I added carrots and celery and used kale for my greens. Turned out great!
Thanks Sarah! I love your additions, they sound delicious. I’ll have to try that next time! :)
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This soup is amazing! I made it last night using my Palouse Brand Brown Lentils! If you need a place for great lentils, check out their site, they ship direct from the farm and tell you what field the lentils grew in! http://www.palousebrand.com
I used my Palouse Brand Brown Lentils, too, and it was amazing! I only found about them (Palouse Brand) about a month ago. This soup is the 2nd lentil dish I’ve made and it’s amazing. It’s very hearty and filling. I have been using 2 cups of baby spinach instead of the swiss chard and we really enjoy this. The lemon makes the soup!
Love this soup!!!!! Just made it – can’t get enough. This is my new favorite !!!
Yay! I’m so happy you like it. It’s one of my favorites too! :)
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Hello :) I’ve been looking for that no chicken base but there isn’t any in my area and I can’t seem to find a reasonably priced option online. Where do you get yours, please?
I usually buy mine at Whole Foods. I just checked Amazon and for some reason it’s crazy expensive! Here’s a website that has a similar price as Whole Foods: http://www.swansonvitamins.com/better-than-bouillon-vegetarian-no-chicken-base-8-oz-jar
I hope that helps! :)
Thanks a bunch! :)
You’re welcome! :)
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Wow this hits so many different parts of my palate! ;-) There’s nothing better than nourishing, comfort food. Thank you for this. Can’t wait to give it a whirl.
Thanks Shaz! I hope you love it!
This was so simple and delicious. I used onion instead of shallot and a bag of frozen chopped kale to keep it easy. It only took 20 min, not 30, until my lentils were done. I thought one lemon was enough so stopped there. So so good and healthy and easy. I plan to make this a weekday staple!
Hi Dana, I’m so happy to hear you love this soup as much as I do! I like the idea to use frozen kale to make it easier. Thank you for the feedback! :)
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This looks amazing. I’m going to try using vegetable broth instead of the no chicken base. Thoughts?
Hi Jayne! I personally prefer the flavor of the no chicken broth for this recipe but I think vegetable broth will still be delicious! :)
I made this tonight for my dinner. Loved it and so easy to make! I used vegetable broth (didn’t have any chicken type) and it was delicious. Love the lemon flavor. I was nervous about using two lemons but it was delicious! Will be a regular in my house from now on. :)
So glad to hear it works well with regular vegetable broth! Thanks for the comment, Katherine! :)
This is one of my favorite and easiest soup recipes ever!! It’s so tasty and comforting, and so easy to add any extra veggies too. Thank you for sharing, I’ll tell friends about it all the time!
I’m so glad you like it, Kristie! Thank you! :)
Love it. Added fresh coriander at the end with the lemon juice.
It’s the dead of summer here in Northwest Arkansas but I still made this soup. It’s so satisfying and delicious, and citrusy. I’m so glad I stumbled upon your site whilst perusing Pinterest for lentil soup.
I’m so glad you liked it, Jennifer! Thank you for the feedback. :)
How much soup does this make, I am single so it’s just me. It sounds yummy. How long will extra servings last in the fridge, and can it be frozen then re-heated instead? Thanks
Hi Cathy! The recipe makes enough for 4 bowls and will keep for about 4 days in the refrigerator. I haven’t tried freezing it but I think that would work just fine. You can always half the recipe to make 2 bowls as well!
Cathy, I just pulled some from the freezer that I made back in July. I didn’t even bother defrosting it…I let it defrost while simmering. It was delicious! I added an extra squeeze of lemon to finish it.
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I made this once so far and am going to make it again tonight. I cannot believe how delicious it is with just simple ingredients! I did use veggie broth instead bc it was what i had on hand but it still tasted great. Thanks for posting!
This is a great recipe for chilly weeknights: super easy and my son loved it. You can make it even easier by using precooked lentils and boxed broth (Trader Joes). I will definitely make this again.
So glad you enjoy it, Julia!
Delicious! I only used one lemon, and it was plenty. I also added 1/2 tsp salt, which was perfect. I was tempted to up the red pepper flakes, but did not, and that was a good decision. I definitely would use the 1/4 tsp, though – perfect touch to elevate this soup to something special. Quick and easy, freezes well. Any greens work (I have made it several times by now!). Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Thanks, Sarah, for this AWESOME recipe!!! I’ve never written a review for a food blog before, but this easy, delicious and nutritious soup is inspiring. I’ve made it many times now with whatever greens I’ve had on hand and I’m always pleased with the result. My favorite was with escarole, but kale and chard are yummy too. Yesterday I used chard and cilantro and topped with grated parmesan and can’t wait to enjoy it again for lunch. Going to try your lentil loaf and tom kaa next. Keep up the great work!
Aw thanks so much, Janice! I’m so happy you enjoy it. Thank you for the review!
Delicious! I wanted something simple and healthful and found this. I had to adapt it a fair amount based upon what I had in the house: frozen chopped kale, onions instead of shallots, vegetable broth as I’m out of the No Chicken base…but even with all my tweaks it’s still delightful. The lemon in it just sings. Thank you for the lovely recipe.
I’m glad to hear it worked out well for you, Amanda!
So, so good! Love the bright, clean flavor profile. We doubled this and added baby potatoes as recommended by another. Also added a head of garlic (for the double batch). Yum!!! So good! I had leftovers tonight.
Sounds amazing! Thanks Jen!
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We love this soup! We do add lemon zest and small potatoes. Yum!!!
Love the idea to add potatoes! Sounds so good!
One of my favorites! I made a few modifications – I combined 2 veggie broth cubes with 4 cups of water, I only added 1/2 cup green lentils, and then I also added celery, frozen peas, mushrooms, asparagus, and baby kale leaves. So so yummy.
Love this soup! I’ve made it Sooo Many times. I do use lemon zest and baby spinach, only because it’s easier to get than swiss chard. Great to keep in the freezer too. Thank you!
There isn’t a recipe I’ve made more often over the years than this one! I love the simplicity and the fresh, hearty, lemony wholesomeness of it. My favorite soup!
Loved this soup! We did double the broth(we like our soups very brothy.) Even my 9 year old enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing!!! It’s going in our family cookbook!
I just had to tell you thank you! Your recipe was given to me by a homeopathic doctor when I was struggling with mold detox. It literally saved my life when I couldn’t eat anything but this soup! Even though I’m all healed and it’s been 2 years I still crave this soup! So, a thousand times ‘THANK YOU!’
I have been making this soup every winter for the last 6 years. I absolutely love it! I have used a variety of broths, greens (including frozen chopped kale), brown or green lentils, onions or shallots, I just make it work with whatever I have and it always turns out awesome. I make a big batch and divide it up to freeze and keep on hand for when I’m sick. It’s perfect!
Thank you for taking the time to share a review! It is much appreciated! :)
Lemon in soups is next-level! I love it!