This wholesome lentil kale soup recipe is packed full of nourishing veggies and tastes fantastic! You'll love its vibrant and hearty combination of flavours. Give it a go when you are in the mood for a comforting meal!
Table of Contents
This hearty lentil kale soup is delightfully refreshing thanks to the addition of lemon. A carefully balanced mix of spices adds layers of flavour and warmth making this a wholesome meal for any time of year.
We adapted the recipe from one of our staple meals, our Vegan Lentil Soup, and it's become one of our favourite ways to enjoy kale. The zing from the lemon zest really makes the flavour bright and delicious!
This kale lentil soup is vegan, gluten-free and also a great way to eat your leafy greens and plant-based protein. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Ingredient tips
Here's everything you need to make this comforting lentil kale soup:
Lentils: Green lentils are my favourite to use for this soup, but black or brown lentils also work great too! I don't recommend using red lentils, as they will give a more mushy texture and different flavour.
Kale: Any type of kale will work, so if you've got a bunch of curly kale or lacinato kale to use up, this is the recipe for you! You'll want to remove the thick stems before adding the kale to the soup.
Vegetable broth / stock: I like to use Marigold Bouillon to quickly make up my veggie broth, but feel free to use your favourite brand.
Step by step pictures
Here's a visual guide on how to make this wholesome lentil and kale soup.
For the full, adjustable and printable recipe, see the recipe card at the end of the post.
Step 1 - In a large pot, sauté onion, carrots, celery, and mushrooms over medium-high heat until softened and slightly browned.
Step 2 - Add garlic, ginger, and optional chili flakes. Sauté for an additional minute.
Step 3 - Stir in the spices, lemon zest, and dried oregano.
Step 4 - Add green lentils, bay leaf, vegetable stock, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, then simmer with a lid for around 30 minutes or until lentils are tender.
Step 5 - Stir in the chopped kale and cook for another 2-3 minutes until wilted.
Substitutions and variations
Gluten-Free: Be sure your vegetable stock is gluten-free.
You can easily customise this recipe to suit the ingredients you have at home. Here are some ways you can make it your own:
- Use diced sweet potatoes or tomatoes if you aren't a fan of mushrooms.
- Add some fresh herbs such as thyme, rosemary or parsley.
- Use fresh chilli or cayenne pepper instead of red pepper flakes / chilli flakes, or skip it if you like a more mild soup.
- Play around with the spices to taste - curry powder can be a fun twist.
For a thicker, creamier texture, you can use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup.
Serving
Serve this kale and lentil soup with sourdough bread or some homemade vegan crackers on the side for a satisfying meal that will warm your heart and fill your belly!
Storage
Store: Keep any leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat: Heat until piping hot on the stove or in 30 second intervals in the microwave. Add a splash of water or vegetable stock if needed.
Freeze: This soup also freezes well for up to 3 months in airtight containers. Simply thaw overnight and reheat whenever a comforting meal is desired.
FAQs
You can also use other dark leafy greens such as collard greens, spinach, or Swiss chard. Simply cook until they are wilted down and are still a fresh looking green.
More Vegan Soup Recipes
I hope you loved this wholesome Lentil Kale Soup! If you're looking for more comforting vegan soup recipes, here are three you'll adore:
📖 Recipe
Lentil Kale Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion
- 2 medium carrots
- 1 stick celery
- 1 cup (100 g) mushrooms
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp grated ginger
- ½ tsp chilli flakes / red pepper flakes optional
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 cup (200 g) green or brown lentils dried
- 5 cups (1200 ml) vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 cups (90 g) kale thick stems removed
Instructions
- In a stockpot over medium heat, heat up the olive oil and saute the onion, carrots, celery and mushrooms for 5 - 10 minutes, until the veggies are soft and slightly browned.
- Add garlic, ginger and chili flakes and saute for 1 more minute.
- Stir in the lemon zest, dried oregano, paprika, cumin, and black pepper. Briefly fry for 30 seconds.
- Add the lentils, vegetable broth, lemon juice and bay leaf.
- Bring to a boil, then simmer covered with a lid at medium-low heat for 25 - 35 minutes, until your lentils are tender to the bite.
- Add the washed and chopped kale. Stir it in and simmer for about 3 minutes until the kale has wilted down, but is still a fresh-looking green.
- Serve and garnish with extra lemon zest and fresh herbs if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
This information is calculated per serving and is an estimate only.
Riv says
Wonderful spicy and nourishing soup perfect for the turn of the season into winter. I added some potato for extra carbs.