Easy Chickpea and Lentil Soup Recipe

Nothing says comfort food like a filling soup, especially in the colder months. And this Easy Lentil and Chickpea Soup takes the comfort level up a notch with grounding ingredients like carrots, onions and lentils. The ingredients are simple and it comes together pretty quickly. 

The warming spices in the soup makes it a perfect meal for the cooler months or for your own personal fall and winter (i.e. luteal phase and menstrual phase).

Prep it ahead or double the recipe and freeze the leftovers for those luteal or menstrual phase days when you don’t feel like cooking. They taste even better the next day.

Since this recipe uses some canned items, the prep time is short and easy even if you do decide to make it the same day. You can even buy already diced onions and minced garlic in the jar to make prep even easier. 

You can use a grocery delivery service like Thrive Market to deliver your ingredients right to your door.

Simple Ingredients

One of the things that makes this soup one of my favorites is that the ingredients list includes stuff you probably already have in your pantry that’s fairly inexpensive.

• Chickpeas: Packed with plant-based protein, fiber, and essential vitamins like folate and iron. Their high fiber content supports digestive health while keeping you feeling full for longer. To keep my cooking time shorter, I used canned organic chickpeas.
• Lentils: Rich in protein, iron, and complex carbohydrates, lentils complement chickpeas to create a complete, balanced meal. They’re also a great source of soluble fiber, which helps regulate blood sugar and promote heart health. You can use any color, but I prefer red lentils. Keep in mind that they might take just a little bit longer than brown lentils or green lentils.
• Vegetables: Carrots, tomatoes, diced onion, and garlic add natural sweetness and depth of flavor to the soup, while also providing vitamins like A, C, and antioxidants that support immune function. These vegetables are low in calories but rich in nutrients.
• Spices & Herbs: Spices like cumin and turmeric enhance the soup’s flavor while offering anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. Herbs like fresh cilantro or parsley add a fresh, vibrant finish and are rich in vitamin K and other micronutrients.
• Bone Broth: Using bone broth adds more protein to this soup and increases its gut-boosting benefits. Both chicken and beef bone broth work well. I use whatever I have. Chicken broth or chicken stock works well, too.

Easy Chickpea and Lentil Soup Recipe

• 1 cup lentils, dried
• 1 medium to large carrot
• 1 celery stick
• 1/2 medium yellow onion
• 4 cups bone broth
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can chickpeas
• 1-2 garlic cloves 
• avocado oil
• 1/4 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons chili powder, to taste
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper or red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin, to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric (you can also use curry powder)
• 1 teaspoon Himalayan salt or sea salt
• Optional: parsley or cilantro

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions:

1. Wash and chop celery and carrots and dice onions. Mince garlic.
2. Heat large pot on medium heat. Add avocado oil and swirl.
3. Sauté onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and spices for about 5 minutes.
4. Add lentils, chickpeas, tomatoes and broth.
5. When the soup starts to boil, reduce to low heat and cover. Stir occasionally.
6. Simmer for about 20 minutes, until lentils are tender.
7. Optional: Add herbs like cilantro or parsley. Or squeeze some fresh lemon juice or lime juice into your soup.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 255.65 kcal Protein: 17.18 g Carbohydrates: 36.50 g Fat: 5.91 g Fiber: 10.68 g

Prep and cooking tools that make this recipe a breeze:

Customization Tips:

• Vegan/Vegetarian version: If you’d like to make this recipe vegan, you can opt for vegetable broth or vegetable stock as well. 
• Spice Level: Adjust the heat to your liking by adding or reducing red pepper, chili powder and black pepper.
• Texture Adjustments: Blend part of the soup in a blender or food processor for a creamy consistency or leaving it chunky for a more rustic feel.

Serving Suggestions:

• Crusty sourdough bread
• A dollop of Greek yogurt for added protein
• Fresh herbs for garnish.

Perfect for Meal Prep:

Since this soup is easy to prep, you can always make it ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze the leftovers. I love using stasher bags because they don’t leak and save space in both the fridge and the freezer. I also find that it tastes even better the next day or two and is easy to heat in the microwave or on the stove. If you’re using Stasher bags, you can even heat your leftovers in the bag.

Let me know in the comments if you try this lentil chickpea soup, or tag me over on Instagram.