Mexican Red Lentil Soup has all the flavor of a good chili recipe, but it’s a meatless soup you’ll really love, with enough for 7 helpings!
Mexican Red Lentil Soup is a yummy, meatless main dish that is packed with flavor! If you enjoy chili, I’m confident you will enjoy this recipe, as well. Whether you’re a vegetarian or not, this soup is wonderful, budget friendly, and it’s worth checking out.
Red lentils (or other lentils) are an amazingly inexpensive, but high in protein superfood! Did you know that lentils have been around for thousands of years? Yes, they have!
Lentils contain large amounts of vitamins, minerals, potassium, fiber and polyphenols (think antioxidants!), and are a wonderful source of protein in “meatless” dishes.
If you’re not too familiar with lentils… what they are and to learn more about their history and nutritional value, check out the info on this amazing food source here.
Today I want to share this yummy recipe I found online many years ago online. So… here we go!
Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page
Rinse And Drain, Rinse And Drain!
Lentils need to be rinsed several times before cooking, to clean them. Pour the red lentils into a large saucepan (one that has a lid). Cover the lentils completely with water.
Stir or swirl them around in the water, then cover the pan with the lid, and drain off the water. Be sure to hold the lid on tightly so the lentils can’t “escape” while draining!
Repeat this process 1-2 more times or until the water becomes mostly clear, to ensure the lentils are cleaned and “good to go”.
Cook The Lentils
Add 4 cups of fresh water back into the pan with the lentils, and cover the pan. Turn the heat to HIGH, and let the water come to a boil
Once the water has begun boiling, turn off the heat, then remove the pan from the heat source. Keeping the lid on, let the lentils rest for 20 minutes, without disturbing.
Cook The Veggies While Lentils Are “Resting”
Place a large soup pot on the stovetop, and add olive oil. Begin to heat the oil on medium-low, then add diced onions and minced garlic.
Continue to cook, stirring often, until onions have become tender, then add diced celery, and stir to combine. Cook for a couple minutes until the celery starts to get soft.
The next ingredients to add to the pan are fire-roasted canned tomatoes, chili powder, turmeric, ground cumin and hot sauce.
NOTE: For the hot sauce I use Tabasco sauce, and use between 6-8 dashes, but if you like it HOT, add 10-15 dashes.
Stir these ingredients until they are fully combined, and then you are ready to finish this soup with lentils and broth.
Drain The Cooked Lentils
Drain the remaining water off of the cooked red lentils, then add the lentils to the soup pan. Pour the vegetable broth into the soup pot, as well.
Give the Mexican red lentil soup a stir to incorporate all the ingredients, then let the soup simmer (uncovered) on medium-low heat for 15 minutes.
Final Step Before Serving
After 15 minutes the soup will be nice and hot. Stir in chopped cilantro leaves, then squeeze in the the juice of one medium-sized lime.
Stir these ingredients into the soup, then take a little taste. Add salt or more hot sauce, if desired, to suit your taste. Now your Mexican Red Lentil Soup is ready to serve!
Enjoy A Bowl Of Mexican Red Lentil Soup
This soup will yield about 7 servings in total. Ladle each portion (about 1½ cups per serving) into bowls, serve hot… and enjoy!
I really hope you have the chance to make this delicious Mexican Red Lentil Soup for those you love. It’s REALLY good, and I’m sure you will enjoy it.
Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. It can be easily reheated on the stovetop or in a microwave. It freezes fairly well, also.
Thank you for stopping by today. I invite you to come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes! Take care, may God bless you, and have a GREAT day!
Looking For More SOUP Recipes?
You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have LOTS of delicious soup recipes, including:
- Mom’s Old-Fashioned Chili
- Grandma’s Southern-Style Chicken ‘n Dumplings
- Moroccan Meatball Couscous Soup
- Cream Of Asparagus Soup
- Creamy Butternut Squash Bisque
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Original recipe source, and with thanks to Beth Moncel, at: https://www.budgetbytes.com/2009/12/mexican-lentil-stew/
↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓
Mexican Red Lentil Soup has all the flavor of a good chili recipe, but it's a meatless soup you'll really love, with enough for 7 helpings!
- 2 cups dry red lentils
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion peeled, diced
- 4 stalks celery diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 29 ounces canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes =two 14.5 ounce cans
- ½ Tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 6-8 dashes Tabasco sauce or other hot sauce + more if heat desired!
- 1 medium lime (juice of)
- ½ cup chopped cilantro stems removed
Put lentils in a large pot (one with a lid). Cover completely with water. Stir or swirl them around in water; tightly cover pan with lid; drain water out. Repeat 1-2 more times until water is fairly clear.
Add 4 cups water to pan with lentils; cover pan. Turn heat to HIGH; let water come to a boil. Once boiling, turn off heat. Keeping lid on, let lentils rest 20 minutes, undisturbed.
Place large soup pot on stovetop; add olive oil. Heat oil on medium-low; add diced onions and minced garlic. Cook, stirring often, until onions are tender, then add celery; stir to combine. Cook 2-3 minutes until celery becomes tender.
Add tomatoes, chili powder, turmeric, ground cumin and hot sauce into pot; stir until combined. NOTE: For hot sauce I use Tabasco sauce, and use between 6-8 dashes; if you like it HOT, add 10-15 dashes.
Drain any remaining cooking water off lentils, then add lentils to soup pot. Stir in vegetable broth, until combined. Let soup simmer (uncovered) on medium-low heat for 15 minutes.
Stir in chopped cilantro (discarding stems), and juice of one lime. Taste the soup. Add salt or more hot sauce, if desired.
This soup will yield about 7 servings total. Ladle 1½ cups soup per serving into bowls. Serve hot... and enjoy!
Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!