A Cedar Spoon

A busy cook's mix of healthy, seasonal & local flavors

Moroccan Carrot Red Lentil Soup

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Moroccan Carrot Red Lentil Soup is a meatless soup recipe packed full of flavor! Cumin, turmeric, coriander, paprika and cinnamon compliment the red lentils and carrots, creating a creamy, filling soup. 

Moroccan Carrot Red Lentil Soup is a meatless soup recipe packed full of flavor! Cumin, turmeric, coriander, paprika and cinnamon compliment the red lentils and carrots, creating a creamy, filling soup.  

MOROCCAN CARROT RED LENTIL SOUP

Lets talk soup. I eat it all year long and this is one I keep on rotation.

Moroccan Carrot Red Lentil Soup is one of my favorite soups of all time and remains one of the most popular recipes on my site.  It is one of those soups that keeps you coming back because of the rich, warm spices and the healthy ingredients.

This soup is filling and can stand alone as a meal. Or you can pair a nice salad, some crusty bread or naan and a side dish and call it a night.

Those that know me well, know how much I love soup.  When I go to a restaurant, I almost always start my meal with a warm cup of soup.  If you like creamy soups with a lot of flavor, this Moroccan Carrot Red Lentil Soup is the soup for you. I promise you won’t be disappointed!

Moroccan Carrot Red Lentil Soup

Last year I shared a slightly different recipe for Moroccan Red Lentil Soup. Today’s Moroccan Carrot Red Lentil Soup is a slight variation of the original Moroccan Red Lentil Soup I shared. This new version has extra carrots that create a sweet flavor that compliments the lentils and spices nicely.

 

Moroccan Carrot Red Lentil Soup - easy soup

Not only is Moroccan Carrot Red Lentil Soup packed with flavor, it has fiber, protein, beta-carotene and vitamin A, giving you a lot of nutritional value in one meal. You can’t beat that.

Did you know that lentils have the third highest level of protein, by weight, of any legume or nut, after soybeans and hemp. That is impressive! And they contain folate, vitamin B1, minerals and dietary fibre.

Moroccan Carrot Red Lentil Soup is a meatless soup recipe packed full of flavor! Cumin, turmeric, coriander, paprika and cinnamon compliment the red lentils and carrots, creating a creamy, filling soup. 

As summer draws to an end I know a lot of you are starting to think about soups that you can make for your family.  When the temperatures get cooler, this is the perfect soup to simmer on the stove.

Another thing I like about this soup is the variety of garnishes that pair nicely with it.

Set out a variety of toppings and let your family and guests choose what to put in depending on their tastes.  For me the perfect toppings are a dollop of cool, creamy yogurt (plain or Greek yogurt works great), freshly chopped cilantro and a few sprinkles of crushed red pepper.  Other garnishes that work nicely are fresh squeezed lemon juice or parsley.

If you like to meal prep this is a great soup to use for that. You can make a big batch and freeze half for later. I love having this one hand to pull out for lunch or dinner when I am in a rush. It is so nice to have a cup of this in the freezer for those busy days.

Sometimes when I am feeling adventurous, I try to modify the recipe to add things like grilled chicken, chickpeas, butternut squash, zucchini, quinoa or couscous. The options are endless and so many ingredients pair nicely with this soup. But time and time again I make this recipe as is, because it is that good!

Moroccan Carrot Red Lentil Soup is a meatless soup recipe packed full of flavor! Cumin, turmeric, coriander, paprika and cinnamon compliment the red lentils and carrots, creating a creamy, filling soup. 

Here are few notes and ways you can modify this recipe: 

  • When using lentils make sure that you rinse them until the water runs clear. You will also want to pick through them and take out any debris/other grains.
  • You can easily add other vegetables to this soup. Try zucchini, cauliflower, fire roasted tomatoes or bell peppers.
  • You do not have to puree this soup and can eat it as a chunkier soup.
  • Try adding beans to this soup. I like to add white beans or chickpeas.
  • Top this soup with a variety of garnishes including feta cheese, cilantro or parsley, a dollop of yogurt or sour cream and crushed red pepper.
  • Add some greens to your soup. Try spinach, kale or escarole. You will add it towards the end of cooking and let it wilt.
  • Bulk up the soup with a grain, like quinoa, or a small pasta like orzo.
  • Other additional I really enjoy is grilled chicken cut into chunks or butternut squash

Note: This post may contain affiliate links; view my Disclosure Policy for details. I earn a small percentage from any purchase you make by clicking on these links. This helps me keep my kitchen stocked with the ingredients I need to create delicious, healthy recipes for you!

Items that will help you make this Moroccan Carrot Red Lentil Soup:
4 Ounce Soup Ladle w/CoolGrip Handle

Cuisinart CSB-75BC Smart Stick 2-Speed Immersion Hand Blender

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Moroccan Carrot Red Lentil Soup is a meatless soup recipe packed full of flavor! Cumin, turmeric, coriander, paprika and cinnamon compliment the red lentils and carrots, creating a creamy, filling soup. 

Moroccan Carrot Red Lentil Soup

  • Author: Julia // A Cedar Spoon
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 6
  • Category: Soup, Dinner
  • Cuisine: Moroccan
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Description

Moroccan Carrot Red Lentil Soup is packed full of the flavors of cumin, turmeric, coriander, paprika and cinnamon that complements the red lentils and carrots and creates a creamy, filling soup.

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 medium sweet onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups chopped carrots or about 5 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 teaspoon coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 cups red lentils, rinsed until water runs clear
  • 1-15 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish:

  • Fresh cilantro or Italian parsley
  • Lemon wedges
  • Crushed red pepper

Instructions

  1. Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion and garlic until soft, about 2 minutes then add the spices and continue to sauté about 4 minutes. Add the carrots and sauté until carrots are tender, about 10-12 minutes.
  2. Add the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes and lentils and stir to combine. Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes, or until lentils are tender.
  3. You can eat the soup as is with the chunks of carrots, lentils and tomatoes or you can use a handheld immersion blender or regular blender to create a creamy soup.
  4. Serve the soup with fresh cilantro, crushed red pepper and fresh lemon juice.

Notes

This recipe makes 6 cups of soup.
This soup freezes very well if you have leftovers.
You can use chicken broth instead of vegetable broth.
If you want a bit thicker of a soup add 2-3 Tablespoons of tomato paste once the onion, garlic and carrots are cooked.
Some other additions that are nice include quinoa or couscous, chickpeas, grilled chicken, butternut squash or zucchini.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cup

Adapted from my Moroccan Red Lentil Soup which was adapted from Culinate 

 

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Comments

    • I hope you like it Debra! My husband usually isn’t into anything with lentils but he actually liked this soup. He couldn’t eat as much as me but the fact he ate a small bowl made me happy!

      Reply

    • Thanks Jess! I can’t believe fall is almost here. It is my favorite season except that it means a Chicago winter is on its way! 😉

      Reply

    • I would think you can. I have not tried using a different lentil but I know that some varieties take more or less time to cook so I would suggest if you sub a different lentil you watch the time it takes to cook and test the lentils to make sure they are fully cooked. Also depending on the lentils you may have to add more liquid..this is something I would asses as you start cooking the soup and see how the lentils are absorbing the liquid.

      Reply

  15. I just made this soup – the only change is I replaced 2 cups of stock with a can of coconut milk. It is delicious, I will definitely be making this again! Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply

  16. Made this for meat eating friends, they loved it! I recommend blending it and adding cayenne pepper for spice. Very hearty, delicious soup!

    Reply

  17. Wow!! This is officially the best carrot soup I’ve ever had. Possibly the best soup I’ve ever had. Thank you.

    Reply

  18. some great flavors in here – we love lentils and I am always looking for new recipes to use them in, thank you! I know we will both love this one.

    Reply

    • Thanks Sandi! The flavor combinations in this soup work really well together. Hope you try it out and like it.

      Reply

  25. Lovely soup,
    I made mine with red onions and topped it with fresh coriander leaves and homemade finely chopped preserved lemons.

    Reply

    • Thanks for the feedback! I love the idea of fresh coriander leaves and the homemade preserved lemons. Sounds wonderful!

      Reply

    • It depends on how big the carrot are but I used large carrots for my recipe. Next time I make it, I will measure the cups.

      Reply

    • Great question! This is a great article on the difference: http://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-difference-brown-gre-111139. Green lentils take longer to cook {maybe around 45 minutes} while red lentils take less than 35 minutes to cook {for me usually 20 minutes until tender}. I do think there is a different taste between the two and I like red lentils more in soups than green {green tend to taste more peppery} but I think it is probably a personal preference.Green also stay firm while red lentils get soft {which makes red great for soups}. If you have a blender you can blend the soup pretty smooth, so green could still work. Let me know if you use green!

      Reply

  30. A reader gave me the following notes from when she made the soup:
    1. I cooked the onions and garlic in coconut cream (I had some extra in the fridge) not oil.
    2. I added all the spices to the onions (after they softened) and cooked the spices. My friend from India taught me to do that.
    3. I added 3 tablespoons of tomato paste to the spice and onion garlic mixture.
    4. Then I added the carrots stirred them around for awhile and added 1/2 cup water to get the sticky bits up.
    I added water off and on (about 2 cups) to help the carrots get soft. THEN I just added 4 cups of water after.
    —I used Better than Boullion from the jar and added it to the water. It was fake chicken flavor.

    Reply

  31. Thank you sooo much for posting this recipe. I never have much luck with cooking but I followed your recipe exactly and my soup has turned out perfect! Gratitude gratitude gratitude for you 🙂

    Reply

  32. I made this a few weeks ago (fantastic!) and I’d like to make it again – any suggestions for how to modify this into a crock pot recipe? I know the veggies get blended up at the end anyway, but I’m not sure how the lentils would be after sitting in the slow cooker all day. Thoughts?

    Reply

    • Hi there! I am so glad you liked it! From what I read most people just put all of the ingredients in the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours then blend it. I think it would work really well! Let me know how it goes. It is a good idea for me to create a version in the slow cooker so I might do that soon too and post it. 🙂 Great idea!

      Reply

  33. Hi There Julia! I just made your recipe few hours ago, it was delicious…I couldn’t wait to blend it, ate a bowl of it, will blend it in the morning and freeze some! I didn’t have onion on hand but had some shallot, so I used it and also used fire roasted diced tomato which was what I had. Thanks for sharing your comfort soup! It’s a keeper!!

    Reply

  34. I just made this for a quick lunch. Our fridge was pretty empty as we had just returned from a 3 week trip, but I happened to find a packet of multi-color lentils in the pantry so I decided to look and see what I else I can find in the pantry and freezer. I found a carton of chicken broth, a can of stew tomatoes, and a half bag of medley of frozen carrots, peas and corn, so I decided to throw these in. I followed the method and the soup was ready in 45 minutes.. It was delicious! I love how easy it is and how it tastes like I’ve sweated for half a day by the stove to make the soup. 🙂 Thanks for sharing and this will be one of the regular items on our dinner table.

    Reply

    • I love that you were able to make this with what you had in your pantry! It really is such a versatile and customizable soup. I am glad you liked it. Thanks for the feedback!

      Reply

  35. I’ve just made this soup, as we are out feeding the homeless tonight, it is gorgeous, i used chicken stock, and garam masala as i had no cumin, but had cumin seeds so used both…..i added a 1/4 tsp of chilli powder and it turned out really nice, i’m sure the homeless guys out there tonight will have a warming effect from this soup……..cold out there, hope they like as much as i do…..thanks for posting will defo be making again.

    Reply

    • Thanks for letting me know that you liked it Gaynor! And how wonderful that you are out feeding the homeless. I hope this warms you and them. I am so touched that you picked my soup to make for them. I like your idea to use cumin seeds–I am going to try that next time.

      Reply

  36. Wow this was absolutely delicious!! Thank you for sharing this recepy. I’m definitly going to make this again, i added only 4 cups of vegetable broth bc i wanted it to be thicker and for me it was the perfect amount. I loved all the different spices in this. De-li-cious! And all the rest of my fam loved it too

    Reply

  38. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! I made it for “Soup club” at work and was asked for the recipe over and over!

    I accidentally forgot the tomatoes…. I added a good inch of fresh ginger as well. Turned out great. Thanks again

    Reply

  39. Would this recipe work if i just wanted a moroccan carrot soup? Can I follow the same procedure and skip the lentils? Thanksb

    Reply

    • I honestly have not tried that but I think if I did that I would do less liquid. A lot of the liquid is soaked up when the lentils cook making the soup thicker. I think you could cook everything together and then blend it to the texture you want. You could even add some white beans in for a thicker texture if you want instead of lentils. Let me know how it works out!

      Reply

  43. Hi Carol here from Greensborough Victoria Australia. I just made this soup and I love it. It will be on my winter soup list from now on. Thank you for your delicious recipe.

    Reply

  44. This soup was excellent! I have a family member who can only have pureed items after oral surgery, and this was a hit/not the typical cream of soup! i used 14oz fire-roasted tomatoes (plus the suggested red pepper flakes)… it had a great spice/was very aromatic! Lentils providing protein an extra plus!

    Reply

    • Love the idea of the fire roasted tomatoes and I am so happy that you liked it! This is one of my favorite soups to make all year round. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply

  45. I just made this for supper along with a spinach pie (spanakopita). You could call this random combination fusion cooking, right? (ha)

    Very tasty — thanks!

    Reply

  47. Thankyou for this recipe. I have been looking for a good red lentil soup for a long time and I finally found it. One of your posts mentioned an “Indian friend” so I incorporated some of these tips in too. Yummy!

    Reply

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