Lemon, Kale, and Lentil Soup

By
Allyson Kramer
Allyson Kramer
Bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and food photographer who focuses on vegan and gluten-free cooking.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/19/23
Lemon kale and lentil soup recipe

The Spruce
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Total: 55 mins
Servings: 15 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
113 Calories
1g Fat
23g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 15
Amount per serving
Calories 113
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 1%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 453mg 20%
Total Carbohydrate 23g 8%
Dietary Fiber 5g 17%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 27mg 134%
Calcium 64mg 5%
Iron 2mg 13%
Potassium 570mg 12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This lentil soup is nice and light, yet very satisfying. This soup is highly flavorful and pleasantly mild, it's a surefire winner for an easy meal. You get ​your greens (kale), protein (lentils) and carbohydrates (potato) in one easy soup. This recipe is so tasty that it will change your mind about lentil if you hate it.

This is a perfect recipe to make ahead of time and freeze in small batches for when a soup craving strikes. It makes a lot of servings, so you can also enjoy half a batch immediately and save the rest for later. To warm up after freezing, simply heat over medium-low until soup is unfrozen and heated throughout.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes

  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed

  • 5 leaves fresh kale

  • 1/3 cup lemon juice

  • 2 cups (16 ounces) dried lentils

  • 3 teaspoons salt

  • 3 1/2 quarts water

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil

  • 1 medium Vidalia onion, diced

  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest

  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

  • 3 teaspoons cumin

  • 1 teaspoon turmeric

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for lemon, kale, and lentil soup
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  2. Scrub the potatoes until clean and then chop into even small pieces, no larger than 1 inch in any direction.

    Cube potatoes
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  3. Rinse the lentils in a colander and thoroughly sort out any foreign material that may be lurking in the lentils.

    Rinse the lentils
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  4. Chop the kale into 1/4-inch strips, leaving out the stems and discarding or reserving for later use, (such as for a smoothie or vegetable broth). You can easily cut the kale into strips by using a very loose and thick chiffonade cut.

    Chop the kale
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  5. In a large stockpot, combine the potatoes, kale, lemon juice, lentils, salt, garlic, and 14 cups water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

    Put in pot
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  6. In the meantime, while the mixture is coming to a boil, heat a large saucepan and drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Add the diced onion, lemon zest, cilantro, cumin, turmeric, and coriander and sauté until the onions are slightly translucent.

    Heat onions
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  7. Add the cooked onions and spices to the large stockpot.

    Put over heat
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  8. Once the water returns to a boil, turn down the heat to low and simmer just until lentils are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.

    Boil
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  9. Salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Serve hot.

    Salt and pepper to taste
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  10. Enjoy.

Tip

  • Store soup in an airtight resealable container for up to one week. Heat leftovers gently over medium heat until soup is heated.