CREAMY BROCCOLI + RED LENTIL SOUP
Creamy Broccoli and Red Lentil Soup is a thick and hearty, nourishing vegan soup made with only 7 ingredients! Plus, it’s gluten-free, low-fat with an option to be oil-free and ready in about 30 minutes!
With a ton of broccoli I had on hand that needed to be used up, I thought this would be a perfect time to add this vegan creamy broccoli & red lentil soup to the recipe collection.
Seeing that my last soup, Butternut Squash + Red Lentil Soup, was so good with the addition of lentils, I decided to add them to this soup as well!
Lentils add bulk, heartiness and boost the nutritional profile by adding 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 I love – less dishes 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, just know it will change the color.
- Aromatics – onion and garlic
- Red Pepper Flakes – for a little heat, can be optional
- Vegetable Broth – use veg 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 lentils 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 stock pot, saute onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, cook for 1 minutes, or until fragrant.
- Add remaining ingredients. Add the broccoli, red lentils and broth (plus coconut milk if using, I didn’t use it here). 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 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 desired consistency. Or once cooled a few minutes, use a food processor/blender to puree (this method may take two batches to complete).
Top Tips
- For a chunky soup, enjoy without pureeing!
- Feel free to add an herb or two while cooking, such as thyme, herbes de provence or Italian seasoning.
- For a umami, cheesy flavor, add 2 – 4 tablespoons of nutritional yeast.
- Leftovers hold up well and are great for meal prep with homemade Artisan Bread or Vegan Naan on the side for soaking up the juices.
How To Store
- Refrigerator: Leftovers will keep for 5 – 6 days in the refrigerator, stored in a covered container.
- Freezer: This vegan broccoli red lentil soup is freezer friendly and freezes well for up to 2 – 3 months. To freeze, let cool completely and store in freezer safe containers (affiliate link), leaving 1/2 inch head space for expansion. You can also freeze larger portions in large ziplock bags (remove as much air as possible before zip locking). Let thaw before reheating.
- Reheat: Simply re-warm on the stovetop over low heat until warmed through. Alternatively, reheat in the microwave using 30 – 60 second intervals, stirring after each, until warm.
Serving Suggestions
This thick and savory soup is great with a few simple topping, or small salad and bread for a healthy and 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 up 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, gluten free Socca or biscuits of choice.
- Salad: Serve with a side of House Salad, Green Salad, Caesar Salad or Cobb Salad.
- Sandwich: Make a soup and sandwich combo with this Grilled Hummus Sandwich + Sauteed Onions, Tomato & Arugula, Roasted Red Pepper Sandwich, or Vegan Egg Salad Sandwich.
- Veggies + dip: It’s wonderful served with veggies sticks and Classic Hummus, Simple White Bean Hummus, or Vegan Ranch for healthy lunch or dinner.
More Red Lentil Soup Inspiration
Because we can never have too many great soup recipes that are well-balanced and easy to make. Try these other delicious recipes using red lentils 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
If you try this broccoli + red lentil soup recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.
PrintCREAMY BROCCOLI + RED LENTIL SOUP
Simple and flavorful! Red lentils add protein and bulk to this creamy broccoli soup without overpowering flavor or color.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4 - 6 1x
- Category: Entree, Soup
- Method: Simmer, Puree
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
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
Saute: 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 pot with lid, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 – 20 minutes. Soup is done when lentils are tender. Season to taste with salt + pepper.
Puree: Using an immersion blender puree until desired consistency. Or once cooled 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
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.
Notes
Frozen broccoli can be subbed 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 all the broccoli won’t be covered by the liquids at first. As it cooks it will soften and sink down, and any that doesn’t will steam and become soft. If you like you can push the broccoli down half way through cooking. If adding a whole can of coconut milk, start with the lower amount of liquids adding more as needed.
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 a umami, cheesy flavor, add 2 – 4 tablespoons of nutritional yeast.
I recommend sticking with red lentils but you can use green/brown lentils if needed. Cook same as above but simmer for 30 – 35 minutes, or until 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 reflect no use of any kind of 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).
Updated: Creamy Broccoli + Red Lentil Soup was originally published in November 2014. It has been updated with new photos and helpful tips in March 2020.
FOLLOW TSV on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest or RSS for more updates and inspiration!
I rarely comment on recipes, but this one was so happy making & easy on a chilly May(!) night, I was compelled. Only one (large) head of broccoli in my fridge & about 80z of coconut milk that needed to be used; ditto a carrot. Because of the coconut milk, added a scant five cups of water— about a tbs of BTB veggie paste, & a half cup of green lentils (no red in the cupboard) — For spices, a little ancho Chile powder, in addition to the red pepper flakes, and a pinch of cumin just before serving. And I puréed part of the soup. Delicious! So glad there’s still some left. Compliments to Julie.
—
Great recipe! I added nutritional yeast for extra flavour and it was delicious :)
Just discovered your blog …Great recipe for how to make broccoli more exciting as I have made a pledge to eat broccoli every day !! I tweaked things a bit as I had a few bits of left over stuff, so had some creamed coconut as well as the tinned coconut milk, cashew nuts and lettuce and green beans and red chilli as I like heat. My version …Probably not very slimming but very tasty and filling.. …oh I tried your cashew nut ricotta mixture to some hummus I made and that was Yum too..
I tried this recipe and the butternut squash purée. Both were so incredibly delicious, so I just wanted to thank you for sharing these recipes. 🙏🏼 I look forward to trying them all!
This is so easy to make and delicious. I didn’t, but if you added some shredded carrot and vegan cheddar crumbles it would be a perfect Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup dupe. Thank you for the great recipe!
A delicious wholesome soup. I added Some cauliflower , pumpkin and some chopped curry leaves as they were all in the fridge. I also decided not to blend the soup as it looked so good in the pot. Definitely a winner!
I don’t want to rate the recipe yet, I made it with coconut milk and the flavour overwhelmed everything. I’ll try it again and omit the coconut milk.
So Delicious. I make a batch of this and bring in a thermos of it to work for lunch. My colleagues all requested the recipe, just from the delicious aroma, and now everyone is bringing it for lunch!
Recently I added in some cauliflower as well (because last time I made it, it was not as thick as I like) and it turned out wonderfully.
Love this recipe – FYI – definitely use low fat coconut, the regular makes the soup a little too thick.
This is my favourite broccoli soup recipe I have ever used! So good and so healthy! I love this soup and so does my family. For some extra texture, I make some vegan mashed potatoes and put a big scoop of them in the centre of the bowl. But any way you make this soup, its going to be amazing. Thank you for such a delicious and healthy recipe!
I tried this wonderful recipe and after adding the coconut milk, I felt that it could use something. Then I added about a tablespoon of lemongrass paste, 3 tablespoons of lime juice, and finially 1 tsp of curry powder…… as this was cooking I read your roasted veggie miso soup and thought hmmmm roasted veggies. Having some left over, they added some great flavor to this soup. Thank you
Your additions sound great! A little curry was probably delicious. So glad you enjoyed it. Cheers :)
I made this last night for the family and it turned out great. Super easy and tasty. I also love that there are very few ingredients and they are ones we almost always have on hand which mankes this reicpe inexpenisve and convenient.
This reicpe is a much healthier and vegan friendly versoion of my mom’s cream of broccoli soup which I haven’t had for years since I’ve been vegan/vegetarian. Thanks again Julie for reminding us that eating simply and kindly does not mean wae have to sacrifice flavor or convenience!
Keep up the wonderful work. I’m on here daily findin new inspirations from you.LOVE your site!