This vegan red lentil soup with lemon and sumac makes a quick and healthy budget meal.

This vegan red lentil soup with lemon and sumac makes a quick and healthy budget meal that you can just prepare from storecupboard ingredients. Lemon and sumac add a fresh and tasty zingy flavour to it.
At this time of the year, soup is my favourite comfort food. I always have a batch waiting on the stove ready for a quick lunch or dinner.
Sumac is a Middle Eastern spice with a lemony taste. You can find it on most supermarkets’ shelves but I prefer to get mine from my local ethnic shop as it is more fragrant. Here, it goes perfectly with lentils but I also like it with beans like in Yotam Ottolenghi’s fried butterbeans with feta, sorrel, and sumac recipe.
This vegan red lentil soup recipe is high in plant-based proteins and low in fat. I love it topped with plenty of lemon juice and parsley. If you prefer, coriander works well with it too. Chilli and/or cream are optional. Enjoy!

Red Lentil Soup with Lemon & Sumac
Equipment
Disclaimer: the equipment list above includes affiliate links to products I use and like.
Watch How To Make This Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp sumac
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 175 g red lentils
- 400 g can chopped tomatoes
- 1 litre of vegetable stock
- 400 g can chickpeas
- 250 – 500 ml water [US 1 to 2 cups]
- lemon juice to taste
- parsley leaves
- 1 sliced red chilli – optional
- dairy-free cream – optional
Instructions
- Heat some oil in a large saucepan. Added chopped onion and crushed garlic. Fry gently until soft. Stir in tomato paste, sumac and ground cumin.
- Add lentils, chopped tomatoes and vegetable stock. Bring to the boil and then cook half covered for 20mins until lentils are done.
- Add half of the drained chickpeas. Whizz the soup to liquid adding enough water to suit your desired consistency.
- Season to taste with plenty of lemon juice (I use 1 1/2 to 2 lemons depending on size).
- Served this soup with the remaining chickpeas and topped with parsley leaves, sliced red chilli and cream if using.
Nutrition
Find this recipe online:
Red Lentil Soup with Lemon & Sumac
https://theflexitarian.co.uk/recipe-items/red-lentil-soup-with-lemon-sumac-vegan-gluten-free/
I cannot wait to see your posts!


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I really want to make this soup but I’m wondering about the calorie count. Is 1357 calories per serving? or for the whole recipe.
Thanks
Hi Susan, Thanks for pointing the issue. All fixed now! Annabelle x