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This easy Moroccan-Inspired Carrot Lentil Soup is a comforting cold-weather meal with the perfect balance of sweet and spicy flavors in every spoonful. Vegan and Gluten-Free.
This Carrot and Red Lentil Soup is like a comforting and nourishing hug in a bowl. Featuring warm and aromatic flavors, a hint of spice from harissa paste, and protein-rich red lentils, one bowl is enough to cure your winter blues. All you need are 30 minutes and one pot to put it together!
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A Cozy and Healthy Winter Soup
There’s nothing quite like curling up with a bowl of hot soup on a chilly day and this Vegan Carrot Lentil Soup has ‘cozy’ written all over it. A blend of wholesome yet filling ingredients and everyday warm spices not only make it a convenient meal but also pack it with comforting flavors. But the harissa paste, with its hint of spice and tang, lends the characteristic heat that will warm you from head to toe.
If you were thinking the bold Moroccan-inspired flavors in this soup sounded almost too good to be true, just wait until you hear about how easy it is to whip up. All you have to do is simmer everything in a pot, blend until smooth, and enjoy! In 30 minutes, you’ll have the perfect winter soup.
Ingredients for Carrot and Lentil Soup
Mostly pantry staples and a handful of fresh ingredients go into this wholesome meal:
- Carrots: opt for thinner carrots since they tend to be sweeter tasting than bigger carrots.
- Harissa Paste: this hot roasted chili pepper paste is a North African staple. With a unique spicy, smoky, and subtly sweet flavor, it’s responsible for the soup’s complexity. You can usually find both mild and spicy varieties in the international aisle of most well-stocked grocery stores.
- Red Lentils: opt for dry red lentils, rinsed ahead of time. They’re a perfect source of plant-based protein in soups and stews because they cook and soften very quickly and blend seamlessly.
- Spices: the soup is seasoned with a warm and comforting blend of ground coriander, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Feel free to add a pinch of red chili flakes for some extra heat.
- Vegetable Broth: any good-quality store-bought brand of low-sodium broth or homemade vegetable broth will work well.
- Lemon Juice: freshly squeezed or bottled lemon juice is stirred into the soup at the end to balance the bold flavors.
How to Make Carrot Lentil Soup
- Sear the halved shallots and carrot chunks in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until browned.
- Add the garlic, harissa, and spices to the pot and sauté until fragrant and browned.
- Add the lentils, vegetable broth, water, and salt. Scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Cover and heat the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the lentils are tender.
- Puree the soup in a high-powered blender until smooth. Pour it back into the pot and stir in the lemon juice and additional seasonings.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and add your desired toppings. Serve hot.
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
- Take the time to caramelize the aromatics and sauté the spices: Once the halved shallots are golden brown and caramelized and you’ve bloomed the spices in hot oil, you’ll achieve the full potential of their amazing flavors.
- This recipe only works with a high-powered blender: I halved the shallot bulbs and roughly chopped the carrots to save time and extract as much flavor as possible. But because they’re cut into large chunks, you must blend the soup in a high-powered blender instead of an immersion blender. It isn’t as powerful and won’t yield the same ultra-smooth results.
Serving Suggestions
A warm bowl of this red lentil carrot soup is the automatic cure for the winter blues! It’s mouthwatering all on its own, but a few toppings will really dress up every serving. Add a dollop of plain vegan yogurt for creaminess, a drizzle of olive oil for body, and a pinch of mint or parsley leaves for freshness.
When serving this Morccon-inspired soup for cold-weather dinners, opt for simple and refreshing side dishes to combat the spice. I personally think there’s nothing better than this White Bean Carrot Couscous Salad or this Kale & Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad on the side.
As for the leftovers, they’d make for a lunch you’d actually look forward to! Pack the soup into grab-and-go containers and pair them with a hunk of this Everything Bagel Bread or one of these Pretzel Buns for dunking. Or, if you need a little more protein, pack this Crispy Tofu on the side to keep you full throughout the afternoon.
If you’re looking for more hearty lentil soups, you’ll also love this Feel Good Red Lentil Soup, this Hearty Sweet Potato and Lentil Soup, and this Curried Lentil Soup!
How to Store Leftover Lentil Soup
The leftover soup can be stored in an airtight container or glass jar for up to 5 days in the fridge or up to 2 months in the freezer. Wait for the soup to cool to room temperature before covering and storing.
Reheat the leftovers in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes or in a medium saucepan on the stove over medium heat until warmed through. The soup will be slightly thicker after cooling, so stir in a splash of water or broth to loosen the consistency as it reheats.
Substitutions and Variations
- Harissa Substitute: The harissa can be replaced with 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper. Add both to the pot along with the other spices in step 2 of the recipe instructions.
- Shallot Substitute: Replace the shallot with 1 quartered medium red onion.
- Vegetable Add-Ins: Feel free to cook cubed sweet potatoes or butternut squash along with the carrots and shallots.
- Extra Creamy Option: The blended soup is pretty creamy as-is, especially with a dollop of vegan yogurt on top. Still, feel free to stir in a can of full-fat coconut milk or 3/4 cup of oat milk after blending to make it extra creamy and help tone down the heat.
Recipe FAQs
No, the red lentils do not need to be soaked. Just make sure you rinse them well and pick out any specks of dirt before cooking.
No, green and brown lentils do not soften or blend as well as red lentils.
The heat level depends on your brand of harissa paste. Harissa almost always has some heat since it’s made from ground red chilies, but some brands are milder than others.
Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
Carrot Lentil Soup (Moroccan Inspired)
Ingredients
For the Soup:
- 4 tablespoons 60 ml olive oil
- 2 large or 3 small shallots* bulbs cut in half lengthwise
- 1 lb carrots* washed well and cut into 2” segments
- 5-6 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons harissa paste*
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- Black pepper to taste
- 2 cups dry red lentils rinsed
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 4 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- Juice of 1 lemon
Serving Suggestions (Optional):
- Fresh mint or parsley
- Vegan yogurt
- Olive oil for drizzling
- Crusty bread or pita for dipping
Instructions
- Sear: Warm the olive oil in a large dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, carefully add the shallots to the center of the pot, cut-side down. Gently sprinkle the chopped carrots over the shallots and spread them out so most of them are touching the bottom of the pot. Sear the vegetables for 3 to 4 minutes, until the bottom of the shallots are browned. Flip the shallots and do your best to flip the carrots; sauté for an additional 2 to 3 minutes until browned. Reduce the heat to medium.
- Aromatics: Add the garlic, harissa, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, and black pepper to the pot and mix well. Sauté the spices until fragrant and browned, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Lentils: Add the rinsed lentils to the pot along with the vegetable broth, water, and salt. Use a spatula to gently scrape off any browned bits from the bottom of the pot if necessary, then mix well and cover the pot.
- Simmer: Bring the pot to a boil over high-heat, then uncover the pot, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer until the lentils are tender, 12 to 14 minutes. Stir the soup occasionally to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan. If the soup begins to splatter you can reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Blend: Carefully transfer the soup to a high-speed blender with a venting lid; you will most likely need to work in 2 batches. Blend the soup on high speed for 45 to 60 seconds or until it is smooth, then return to the pot. (Note: I do not recommend using an immersion blender for this recipe as the carrots and shallot are cut too large).
- Final Touches: Return the soup to the pot and stir in the lemon juice and any extra salt and pepper, to taste. If the soup is too thick for your preference you can thin it out with additional water or vegetable broth.
- Serve & Store: Serve warm and topped as desired; I like to garnish each soup with a dollop of vegan yogurt, a drizzle of olive oil, and some fresh herbs. Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or you can freeze leftovers for up to 2 months.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- Shallots: Shallots can be replaced with 1 quartered medium red onion.
- Carrots: It’s best to use thinner carrots for this recipe as they have a sweeter flavor. If your carrots are thicker, cut them into quarters lengthwise before cutting into segments.
- Harissa Substitute: Harissa is a hot roasted chili pepper paste with a unique flavor. You can often find it in the international aisle of most grocery stores in both mild and spicy varieties. If you cannot find harissa near you, I recommend replacing it with 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper; add these ingredients along with the other spices in step 2.
I have a question about the nutrition. The ingredients are primarily lentils, carrots, and seasonings. 1/2 cup dry lentils has 18 grams of protein, so how are you calculating 26 grams? Also how are you calculating over 500 calories?
Hi Diane! The nutrition information is always an estimate and we use an online calculator. 1/2 cup of dry red lentils actually has 24-16 grams of protein, plus there is additional protein in the carrots, onion, etc 🙂
My family loved this soup! It’s so flavorful and perfect for a chilly winter night. The lentils make it protein-packed, too, which is a nice bonus! We enjoyed it with some sourdough bread. I’ll make this again.
I’m so happy you all enjoyed the soup 🙂