This vegan Hungarian Red Lentil Soup is so simple to make and uses easy to find ingredients. Have a comforting, healthy dinner on the table fast with this dairy-free, gluten-free and oil-free bowl of deliciousness!
I’m always on the lookout for healthy recipes that can be made quickly. So when I was asked to review The Vegan 8 cookbook I was really interested in sharing this Hungarian Red Lentil Soup recipe with you.
A few things called to me about this recipe:
- I’ve visited Hungary a few times and I love the country. Budapest is an amazing beautiful and vibrant city. I was excited to use the paprika I brought home from there in this soup!
- The ingredients in this recipe are easy to find. No searching around the grocery store for any weird ingredients. I was lucky to have some Hungarian paprika from my travels, but really any sweet paprika will do.
- This recipe was was really easy to make. Aside from a little chopping the only other things I had to do were open up a few cans and throw in the spices.
This Hungarian Red Lentil Soup recipe comes from The Vegan 8, by Brandi Doming. You may have heard about or visited Brandi’s blog, The Vegan 8.
The book is based on easy-to-make recipes featuring 8 ingredients or less (not counting salt, pepper or water or anything optional). How refreshing does that sound?
Just like her blog, Brandi focuses the recipes in her book on comforting foods and classic dishes we all love, but are made easier and without a huge list of ingredients.
This book is for anybody who wants to incorporate more veggies or meatless meals in their diet without sacrificing flavor. There are no salads, green smoothies, tofu or superfoods, only regular food that appeals to everybody.
The recipes in The Vegan 8 are categorized by meal and the chapters include:
- The Vegan 8 Kitchen
- Breakfast
- Scrumptious Snacks & Appetizers
-
Time-Crunch Lunches
- Sauces & Dressings
- Easy Entrees
- Comforting Soups & Stews
- Crowd-Pleasing Desserts
- Vegan 8 Staples
Her recipes are all dairy-free and many are oil-free, gluten-free, and nut-free.
Other recipes I have my eye on in the book are:
- Double Chocolate Fluffy Pancakes
- Vegan Spinach and Artichoke Dip
- Skillet Baked Mac & Cheese
- Ginger Sesame Teriyaki Burgers
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Candy Bites
Hungarian Red Lentil Soup
This Hungarian Red Lentil Soup makes such a great meal for those wanting to get a health dinner on the table fast.
Nutritionally, lentils contain lots of iron, potassium, and vitamin B6. They’re also a great source of protein as well as fiber.
Lentils have been shown to aid in weight loss, improve/maintain heart health, combat blood sugar fluctuations and improve digestive health.
Lentils are also one of the easiest beans on your digestive system so I tell a lot of my clients to start with them when adding beans to their diet.
Impressive, huh? Makes you want to eat more of these guys right?
I really enjoy this soup because it’s:
- easy to make
- healthy
- satisfying
- totally delicious
If you make this Hungarian Red Lentil Soup recipe, let me know what you think by ★ star rating it and leaving a comment below.
Hungarian Red Lentil Soup
This recipe was printed with permission from Brandi Doming/The Vegan 8/Oxmoor House Press 2018.
Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow onion diced
- 3 medium sized carrots cut into 1/4 inch slices
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup dry red lentils rinsed well with cold water
- 6 TB tomato paste
- 2 TB Hungarian sweet paprika (see notes)
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- 1.5 tsp salt
- .25 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup canned “lite” coconut milk well shaken (see notes)
Instructions
- Add the onion, carrots, garlic, and 1 cup water to a medium pot over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, and cook for 8 minutes, stirring a couple of times during, or until the veggies are tender but not overly so.
- Remove the pan from the heat, and add the lentils, 2 1⁄2 cups (600g) water, tomato paste, paprika, dry mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir well, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the milk, and increase the heat to medium-low; cook 5 to 10 minutes or until the lentils are tender yet still firm, and the soup thickens some. Stir often, and do not overcook, as you don’t want the lentils to become mushy. Taste and add more salt, if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Make sure the paprika you are using is not hot paprika. If you can’t find Hungarian paprika, any sweet paprika will work.
- For the milk, it is important to use a creamy milk like cashew or “lite” coconut milk here for best results. The “lite” coconut milk is very creamy but yields no coconut taste. Almond and rice milks don’t do well, and definitely don’t use full-fat coconut, as it is too rich and thick and will ruin the flavor.
Nutrition
Please Note: The nutritional information is a computer generated estimate so these numbers should be used only as a guide.
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Mary Ellen Valverde MS, CNS, LDN is a Licensed Nutritionist and Certified Nutrition Specialist who empowers vegans to feel confident in creating sustainable habits that align with their values and health goals. She shares easy plant-powered food to nourish your body + satisfy your tastebuds. Mary Ellen’s recipes and nutrition info have been featured on Yahoo News, Parade, VegNews, LIVESTRONG, Dr. Axe, Greatist, LIVEKINDLY, Brit+Co, Well+Good, and more.
Jan says
Could Ripple (pea protein) milk be substituted for the coconut milk?
Mary Ellen says
Hi Jan! Honestly I’m not sure if that would work since I’ve never tried cooking with Ripple. I don’t know how the pea protein reacts to getting heated. It might make things a little thick. If you do try it, let me know how it goes.
Nicole says
Delicious soup recipe. I was able to make it including prep in about 30 minutes. I was shocked how flavourful and filling it was. Highly recommend.
Mary Ellen says
So glad you enjoyed it, Nicole! I love it’s so easy and flavorful too. Thanks for coming back and giving it a rating!
Christine Chevalier says
Quick, easy, and oh-so-good!!! Thank you!!!
Mary Ellen says
I’m so glad you enjoyed Christine! It’s one of my favs lately. 🙂
Christine @ Run Plant Based says
This book sounds great, thanks for the review and the soup is perfect for winter.
Mary Ellen says
thanks Christine! yes, I think it will be a go to all winter!