Today I’m sharing my easy, flavorful, go-to lentil soup recipe that I always have stocked in the freezer! I first made it in 2016 when beginning to re-introduce FODMAPs (it’s perfect for that). And I’ve been making it ever since.
Now, you may be asking yourself, isn’t this a low FODMAP recipe site!? Why lentils and onions and garlic, oh my?! Before I get into the recipe, I want to clear up any confusion.
Why More FODMAPs?
Up to this point, I’ve only shared low FODMAP recipes on this site. But that’s not how I eat anymore.
A low FODMAP diet isn’t meant to be forever (though there are always exceptions). And I have healed my gut to a point where I tolerate and actually feel better eating high FODMAP foods on a daily basis. I want to be able to share the recipes that have helped me because I think they may be able to help you too.
I also know how frustrating it is to be told that FODMAPs are good for you when you have tried to re-introduce them and it hasn’t gone well. I’ve been there and that’s why I am including ways you can modify this recipe based on your needs (see recipe notes). It will be most flavorful as written, but that shouldn’t stop you from experimenting if you need to!
I’d love to hear in the comments how you feel about seeing some higher FODMAP recipes included on this site. I plan to always keep them gluten-free & dairy-free.
Tips For FODMAP Re-Introduction
If you haven’t eaten high FODMAP foods in a while, know that you may initially experience an increase in symptoms upon reintroduction. Since you haven’t been feeding those gut microbes, it’s normal to experience some gas, bloating, and/or abdominal discomfort. It should improve with time!
Start slow (such as with 2 tablespoons of soup). Once cooled, transfer to an ice cube tray (I like this one). Then store cubes in a freezer bag (I like these resealable ones).
Freezing Lentil Soup
This soup is absolutely perfect for freezing! The flavors develop with time and it reheats beautifully on the stovetop.
And if you’re using this recipe to test your tolerance for higher FODMAP foods and find your gut isn’t quite ready, you can freeze the rest of the batch and try again later. Yay for limiting waste!
I like to save empty glass nut butter jars (and similar size jars) for freezing soups– just make sure to leave ~1 inch of room at the top and cool in the fridge before transferring to the freezer to prevent cracking.
Nutrition Info
And it doesn’t hurt that this soup is packed with nutrition! A 2 cup serving has:
- 63 mcg vitamin K (~78% DV)
- 7.4 g fiber (~30% DV)
- 4 mg iron (~22% DV)
- 314 mg potassium (~9% DV)
- 36 mcg folate (~9% DV)
- & more!
Please let me know if you try my recipe by leaving a review and rating below! It makes my day to see you try my recipes and it provides the motivation to sacrifice my weekends to write blog posts =) You can also tag me in a photo on instagram (@sibowithhope).
- 1 Tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 medium onion, diced (~2 cups diced)
- ½ cup diced celery (~2 stalks)
- 1½ cups diced carrots (~3 medium carrots)
- 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 4 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional for heat)
- 14 oz can diced tomatoes (preferably in juice)
- 1 cup uncooked green or brown lentils, rinsed, sorted, soaked if desired
- 4-6 cups water
- 1-3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
- ½ tsp ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 2-3 cups chopped fresh spinach (or other leafy greens such as collards or kale)
- 1-2 Tbsp lemon juice
- Freshly chopped cilantro or parsley
- Lemon slices
- Coconut yogurt
- Gluten-free bread
- Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add oil and onion and sauté until translucent.
- Stir in celery, carrots, and garlic and allow to cook 3-5 minutes or until veggies begin to soften.
- Add coriander, turmeric, cumin, paprika, cayenne (optional), diced tomatoes, lentils, water (starting with the lesser amount), tomato paste, salt, and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and allow to simmer (covered) for 20-45 minutes or until lentils are tender. The cooking time will depend on the freshness of your lentils. Add more water at this time for a more soupy consistency.
- Stir in spinach (or other leafy greens) and allow to cook a few more minutes until wilted.
- Turn off heat and add lemon juice. Taste test and adjust seasonings, adding more spices if the tomato flavor is too strong, more tomato paste or salt for overall flavor, or lemon juice for acidity.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro, parsley, extra lemon, and/or coconut yogurt, if desired. It's also delicious with toasted gluten-free bread.
- Leftovers will keep ~4-5 days in the refrigerator or can be frozen for longer term storage.
-Swap onion for green onion (green part only) and cook less time -OR- omit and reduce water by ~1/2 cup
-Limit celery to 10 g (~1/4 stalk) per serving- shouldn't need to modify recipe
-Swap garlic for a pinch of asafoetida, use garlic-infused olive oil, or omit
-Sub the dry green lentils for 2 15-ounce cans green lentils per serving (or limit serving size of dry green lentils to ¼ cup once cooked.
This recipe sure is tasty and easy on the budget. Simple to make, yet packs a punch with nutrition. The spice proportions are pretty much perfect, too. Thank you Riley!
Yay! I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Reena! Thanks for giving the recipe a try!
This soup is extremely easy to make, hearty, and full of flavor. As someone who doesn’t cook a lot I was intimidated at the thought of making soup but it only takes a few steps and makes enough for the week or to freeze for future meals. Hands down my favorite soup to make and eat!
Thanks so much for sharing!