Creamy Broccoli + Red Lentil Soup
Creamy Broccoli and Red Lentil Soup is a thick, hearty, and nourishing vegan soup made with only 7 ingredients! Plus, it’s gluten-free and low-fat, with an option to make it oil-free, and it’s ready in about 30 minutes!
With a ton of broccoli I had on hand to use up, I thought this would be a perfect time to add this creamy vegan broccoli & red lentil soup to the recipe collection.
Seeing that my last soup, Butternut Squash + Red Lentil Soup, was so good with lentils, I decided to add them to this soup as well!
Lentils add bulk and heartiness, and boost the nutritional profile with protein, fiber, and good carbohydrates. They cook fast, too, so you can pull this recipe together in about 30 minutes from start to finish.
It’s also a one-pot meal, which means fewer dishes to clean! That is always a plus!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Most of the ingredients needed for this recipe may already be in your kitchen!
- Broccoli – Fresh or frozen will both work!
- Red Lentils – This recipe is best with red lentils, but if you must use another type, brown will do, just know it will change the color.
- Aromatics – Onion and garlic.
- Red Pepper Flakes – For a little heat; optional.
- Vegetable Broth – Use veggie broth or water. I used my favorite 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon Veg Paste (affiliate link) with water.
How To Make Creamy Broccoli & Red Lentil Soup
Making this broccoli soup with lentil soup only requires a few simple steps:
(Note – The full printable recipe is at the bottom of this post.)
Saute. In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, sauté the onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant.
Add remaining ingredients. Add the broccoli, red lentils, and broth (plus coconut milk if using). Using the back of a fork or spoon, press the broccoli down as much as you can to cover with liquids.
Simmer. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 – 20 minutes. Soup is done when lentils are tender, as shown above.
Puree. Using an immersion blender (affiliate link), puree until the desired consistency. Alternatively, once cooled for a few minutes, use a food processor/blender to puree (this method may require two batches).
Julie’s Recipe Tips
- For a chunky soup, enjoy it without pureeing!
- Feel free to add an herb or two while cooking: thyme, herbes de Provence, or Italian seasoning would all be great.
- For umami and cheesy flavor, stir in 2-4 tablespoons of nutritional yeast before or after pureeing. Or sprinkle a little on your serving portion.
- Leftovers hold up well and are great for meal prep!
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Leftovers can be stored for 5-6 days in a covered container.
Freezer: This vegan broccoli red lentil soup is freezer-friendly and keeps well for 2-3 months. To freeze, let cool completely, then store in freezer-safe containers (affiliate link), leaving 1/2 inch headspace for expansion. You can also freeze larger portions in large ziplock bags (remove as much air as possible before ziplocking). Let thaw before reheating.
Reheat: Simply re-warm on the stovetop over low heat until warmed through. Alternatively, reheat in the microwave in 30-60-second intervals, stirring after each, until warm.
Serving Suggestions
This thick, savory soup is great with a few simple toppings or with a small salad and bread for a healthy, filling lunch or dinner. Here are a few of my favorite options:
- Favorite toppings: Serve in individual bowls topped with crushed mustard seeds, sliced scallions, and slivered almonds.
- Crunchy toppings: Top with croutons, Crispy Roasted Chickpeas, Coconut Bacon, or crumbled Crispy Baked Kale Chips.
- More healthy toppings: Add a sprinkle of hemp hearts or nutritional yeast.
- Bread: Pairs great with homemade Artisan Bread, Vegan Naan, and gluten-free Socca.
- Salad: Serve with a side House Salad.
- Sandwich: Make a soup-and-sandwich combo with Grilled Hummus Sandwich or Roasted Red Pepper Sandwich.
- Veggies + dip: It’s wonderful served with veggie sticks and Classic Hummus, Simple White Bean Hummus, or Vegan Ranch for a healthy lunch or dinner.
If you try this easy soup recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love hearing what you think or any changes you make.
Print Recipe
CREAMY BROCCOLI + RED LENTIL SOUP
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4 – 6 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Simple and flavorful! Red lentils add protein and bulk to this creamy broccoli soup without overpowering flavor or color.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or 1/4 cup water
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup red lentils
- 2 – 3 large heads broccoli (about 1 1/2 lbs.), cut into florets (stalks chopped ok too)
- 6 – 7 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (or water + broth combo)
- 1 can low-fat coconut milk, optional
- mineral salt, to taste
Garnish, optional
- mustard seeds, crushed (I used black)
- 1 – 2 scallions, sliced
- slivered almonds
- croutons (Simple Truth Organics makes a great vegan crouton)
- Crispy Roasted Chickpeas
- Coconut Bacon
Instructions
Sauté: In a large Dutch oven or stock pot, heat oil/water over medium heat, add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, cook another minute or until fragrant.
Simmer: Add lentils, broccoli, broth/water, and optional coconut milk. Using the back of a fork or spoon, press the broccoli down as much as you can to cover with liquids. Bring to a boil, cover the pot with the lid, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 – 20 minutes. Soup is done when the lentils are tender. Season to taste with salt + pepper.
Puree: Using an immersion blender, puree until the desired consistency. Or once cooled for a few minutes, use a food processor/blender to puree (this method may take two batches to complete).
Serve: Ladle into serving bowls and top with mustard seeds, scallions, and almonds. Pairs great with homemade Artisan Bread or biscuits of choice. If you have a lemon on hand, add a squeeze to your soup for added brightness.
Serves 4 – 6
Notes
Store: Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, keep in the freezer for up to 2 – 3 months. Let thaw before reheating. Reheat on the stove or microwave.
Frozen broccoli can be substituted for fresh.
If using pre-cut packaged broccoli, use about 1 1/2 – 2 pounds or 8 – 10 cups. You may feel there is not enough water, and most likely, not all the broccoli will be covered by the liquids at first. As it cooks, it will soften and sink down.
If you don’t use veggie broth or have run out of an onion and/or garlic. Try adding 1 teaspoon each of garlic and/or onion powder.
Feel free to add an herb or two while cooking, such as a 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of thyme, herbes de Provence, or Italian seasoning.
For an umami-rich, cheesy flavor, add 2-4 tablespoons of nutritional yeast once the soup has finished simmering.
I recommend sticking with red lentils, but you can use green/brown lentils if needed. Cook the same as above, but simmer for 30 – 35 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. Your soup may look a bit muddy, but the flavor will be good.
Use full-fat or light coconut milk. If you’d prefer, use up to 1 cup or so of unsweetened almond milk. The recipe pictures show no use of any milk.
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT: I love my immersion blender (affiliate link) for pureeing soups. It’s easy to clean, small, and fits well in a utensil drawer (affiliate links).
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Category: Entree, Soup
- Method: puree, Simmer
- Cuisine: American
More Red Lentil Soup Recipes
Try these other delicious red lentil recipes to keep it varied.
- Creamy Asparagus + Red Lentil Soup
- Curry Sweet Potato + Red Lentil Soup
- Butternut Squash + Red Lentil Soup
- Curry Red Lentil Stew with Kale & Chickpeas
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This was really good! I wish I would have read your picture had no milk, do you think it’s tastier that way? I had to add a can of pureed white beans to thicken, which I think lost some of the flavor, but was still delicious and healthy!
What other spices could I add to compliment this soup?
This soup is quite honestly 10/10. I’ve even served it to people who consume dairy and they think it’s fantastic! I make a few changes (homemade cashew cream subbed for coconut milk and I add shredded carrots after blending and cook a few more minutes) and it is always a win. My 4 & 6 year olds give it 2 thumbs up and a friend’s picky eating 5 year old ate his whole bowl when usually he eats nothing green. Such a good, filling, and easy soup. Will forever be in my rotation.
Delicious and healthy. I used Vitamix for most of soup, but then left about a quarter of it as is for more texture.
I didn’t have as much broccoli as specified so i added more lentils….I used roasted garlic boullion mixed with the vegetable boullion, and I swear it tasted like split pea soup like my mom used to make! Didn’t really taste the broccoli at all (i think because i didn’t have as much as called for). But a happy surprise! When i have tried to make vegan split pea soup, it has never come out right. Now I have a new way to make it, all vegan!!!
We made this but didn’t trust it to have enough seasoning for us so we added curry powder and garam masala. It was ludicrously delicious. It tasted like broccoli cheddar soup while being vegan af.
Surprisingly delicious given it has only a few basic ingredients. I wanted to use up the broccoli I had and this was so easy and quick. I used Knoor vegetable broth cubes. The broth, onions and garlic is what makes it so yummy. There is already a lot of protein with the lentils but I made it chunkier by adding cooked quinoa and white beans before serving. Thank you for this recipe. Going to add it to my rotation meals.