Traditional Brown Lentil Soup Recipe

Creamy, hearty, Traditional Brown Lentil Soup prepared with tomatoes, garlic, and just a hint of spices is just what you need when you are in a dire need of a healthy, hearty, and soupy meal. I have included separate instructions for making it in a soup bowl, Instant pot, and crockpot. Have you tried my Vegan Lentil Coconut Curry in Crockpot or Vegan Lentil Loaf {Vegan Meatloaf} or Instant Pot Lentil Sloppy Joes Recipe {Vegan} or Lentil Bolognese with Spaghetti - Vegan - Plant Based Dinner

Traditional Brown Lentil Soup Recipe

If you want to make a recipe that calls for little to no effort then this is it. I love this recipe because it takes hardly 40-minutes to make this and the result is something that I LOVE a lot. I have made this in a soup pot and therefore it took me so much time. If you are in a hurry you can make this in an Instant Pot. It would only take you 20-minutes to make this in an Instant Pot. You can check the instructions for making this in an Instant pot below.

You can also make this in a crockpot if you got lots of time and you are not looking to eat it right away. You can check the instructions for making this soup in the crockpot below.

I learned to make this soup from my Mom who learned this from her MIL. In short, you can say that this is a classic Old-fashioned lentil soup recipe that has passed down the family.

If I remember correctly, then this recipe used to be something that I loved the most.  remember how I finished off my studies in the evening and at night when I went to eat and saw this hearty bowl of brown lentil soup garnished with baby coriander leaves with a buttered bread beside it, I would get so damn happy. I would finish it off in a jiffy and would ask my mom for more. I can't say that I have changed much ever since then.

Even today when I make this lentil soup at my home, I am the one who eats the most. And, I am not ashamed of that. Last night I made this traditional brown lentil soup because I was craving those happy memories from my childhood. I wanted to re-live those memories. Hence I thought of making this hearty bowl of brown lentil soup. The biggest coincidence is that my elder son loves this just the way I like it. Yesterday when I saw him going at it, I was reminded of myself. How as a kid I used to lick every last bit of soup from the plate! I know it sounds gross. But, trust me the last bits of the food tastes the best. And, take it from me that only a true foodie can tell you that.

How to Make Traditional Brown Lentil Soup?

• To add that touch of traditionality I prefer using some dried red chilies, some bay leaves and a touch of powdered asafoetida.
• I also add some soaked raisins and some desiccated coconut just before serving. Raisins give my soup a tint of sweetness while the desiccated coconut makes it creamy and also add that festive crunch.

How to make it Protein-Rich?

• To make it protein-rich you can add some cooked chicken chunks or ham or even beef. But, I really like it as a vegetarian soup. Therefore I have not added any sort of meat. But, yes many of my pals have tried this with chicken and they have loved every bit of it.

How to Make it in Instant Pot?

• Making it in an Instant pot saves you a lot of time. In general, if you are making it on the stove then you will need at least 40-45 minutes. But if you are making it in an Instant pot, your brown lentil soup will be ready in just 20 minutes of active cooking.
• When making in an Instant pot, add all your ingredients such as diced onions, tomatoes, celery, brown lentils, carrots, vegetable broth, and potatoes (optional) and cook it for exactly 18-minutes. If you are using an old version of Instant pot then you will have to manually set it on high and cook it for at least 15-18 minutes. When your Instant Pot beeps then quick release the pressure.
• Add chopped baby spinach or kale leaves along with soaked raisins and desiccated coconuts at last.

How to Make it in a Slow Cooker or Crockpot?

• If you are thinking about making your brown lentil soup in a crockpot then you can add your veggies - Onions, garlic, celery and tomatoes and cook it at high for about 6 hours. Then you can bring it at low and cook for additional 8-9 hours. Finally, just before serving add baby spinach or kale or cilantro along with some desiccated coconuts and soaked raisins.

Lentils that you can use?

• I have used brown lentils. But you can also use red lentils or green lentils to make this. You can even make a combination of green and black lentils to make this soup.

Some Extra Tips to get this Brown Lentil Soup Recipe just right

• A combination of oil and butter while sauteing your veggies gives it a nice buttery texture and flavor.
• Adding raw spices like bay leaves and dried red chilies gives it a nice spice.
• Asafoetida is an ingredient whose one pinch is powerful enough to make your lentil soup taste just right.
• Adding desiccated coconut along with raisins gives it a beautiful sweetness that balances out the heat from smoked paprika and dried red chilies.
• In case your Lentil Soup is a little too thick then add some warm water and stir well to bring it to a consistency that you like.

Other Variations of this Recipe

• Many people prefer adding potatoes while making this soup. It makes it more filling and appetizing. But people at my home including me are not a big fan of potatoes. Therefore I have avoided that. You can add it if you want.