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    Home » Recipes » Soup and Stew Recipes

    Spicy Lentil Kale Soup Recipe

    Published: April 9, 2018 Updated: June 24, 2020 / By: Dawn | Girl Heart Food 44 Comments

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    Bowl of lentil and kale soup garnished with grated Parmesan cheese.

    This spicy lentil kale soup is hearty, delicious and pretty budget friendly. Made in one pot for easy cleanup, it’s like a little bowl of goodness for your tummy!

    Bowl of lentil and kale soup garnished with parmesan cheese.

    This soup was made for Monday. Monday gets a bad rap sometimes. But, think about it. If there wasn’t a Monday, then Friday wouldn’t be so special. Monday is taking one for the team. And if Monday wasn’t a thing, would Tuesday be the new Monday? This is too much for today.

    This spicy lentil soup is totally on the healthier side so it helps wipe away any weekend indulgences … that’s what I tell myself at least. 

    Totally ate too much this past weekend. Fries? Yes, please! Bacon and eggs? Sure! You had that extra glass of wine. Why not? 

    You had a busy week. You  don’t even want to look at those skinny jeans Monday morning; it’s not gonna happen. No worries, fill yourself with this goodness, and get yourself set for an awesome week!

    In my opinion, it’s all about balance. If you can’t indulge every once it a while (especially on the weekend), then that’s no fun at all. A little indulgence here, a little healthier there. Nothing complicated, just like this lentil and kale soup.

    Ingredients for a lentil vegetable soup recipe.

    Why We Love Spicy Lentil Kale Soup

    • It tastes delicious!
    • This soup is loaded with veggies, like kale, which adds flavour and heartiness.
    • It’s pretty budget friendly with simple pantry staples, like red lentils.
    • Uses ingredients that you probably already have on hand.
    • It’s made in one pot for easy cleanup.
    Bowl of lentil and kale soup.

    What To Serve with Soup

    • Grilled cheese sandwich
    • Simple green salad
    • Crusty bread for dunking
    • Croutons (delicious over top of the soup)
    A steaming spoonful of soup with broth dripping into a bowl.

    I don’t know about you, but I could eat soup all year long, even in the summer. And it’s weird because I like to say I run hot. Like, I’m usually always warm. But, offered a bowl of comforting soup and I’m all in. Hope you love this lentil soup as much as we do! It’s great on a cold day!

    More Yummy Veggie Soups

    • Asparagus Soup With Spinach and Lemon
    • Curried Carrot With Coconut Milk
    • Easy Mushroom Soup

    If you make this spicy lentil soup recipe, be sure to leave a comment below!

    This lentil kale soup was originally published in July 2015 but has been updated.

    Bowl of lentil and kale soup.

    Spicy Lentil Kale Soup Recipe

    Dawn | Girl Heart Food
    This spicy lentil kale soup is a hearty, delicious and pretty budget friendly. Made in one pot for easy cleanup, it's like a little bowl of goodness for your tummy.
    5 from 14 votes
    Print Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Lunch, Main Course, Soup
    Servings 6 servings
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 to 2 red Thai chili peppers, minced (or to taste)
    • 2 carrots, peeled and sliced about ¼-inch thick
    • 2 ribs celery, sliced about ¼-inch thick
    • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
    • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
    • ¾ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • 8 cups low sodium vegetable broth
    • 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, blend tomatoes with an immersion blender or roughly mash with a potato masher to break up before using
    • ½ cup dried red lentils, picked over (remove and discard any rocks, foreign objects and imperfect lentils), rinsed and drained
    • 6 cups chopped kale (bite-size pieces, leaves only, no stems)
    • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, or apple cider vinegar
    • Grated Parmesan cheese, garnish to taste (optional)

    Instructions

    • Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. (I used an enameled cast-iron Dutch oven.)
    • Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.
    • Stir in garlic and chili peppers and cook for about 1 minute until garlic is fragrant.
    • Add carrots, celery, thyme, oregano, salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
    • Add vegetable broth, tomatoes and lentils. Stir.
    • Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat (to about medium-low heat) to a simmer. Cook, covered, for 5 minutes. Next, stir in kale and cook for about 5 to 8 minutes until it's wilted.
    • Stir in balsamic vinegar.
    • Serve and garnish with Parmesan cheese (if using). Enjoy!

    A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

    Keyword lentil soup, soup with kale

    Tried this recipe?

    If you do make this recipe, thank you!! It would mean so much if you could leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed it, and it helps other readers too!

    More Soup and Stew Recipes

    • Cheeseburger Soup in a Bread Bowl
    • Easy Mushroom Soup Recipe
    • Green Lentil Soup With Coconut Milk and Veggies
    • Chunky Vegetable Soup (With Roasted Root Veggies)

    © Girl Heart Food Inc. All photographs and content are COPYRIGHT PROTECTED.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sasha @ Eat Love Eat

      April 17, 2018 at 5:10 pm

      5 stars
      This soup looks so tasty! Perfect comfort food as we transition into spring!! I looove lentils and kale 🙂

      Reply
      • Girl Heart Food

        April 18, 2018 at 1:45 pm

        Thank you Sasha 🙂 Me too!

        Reply
    2. Marlee

      April 17, 2018 at 12:37 am

      5 stars
      I love the feel of this soup! I am very much broth-based soup kind of girl. And I’m always trying to find new ways to cook lentils so this is perfect!

      Reply
      • Girl Heart Food

        April 17, 2018 at 12:28 pm

        Thank you Marlee 🙂 Hope you get a chance to try this one out!

        Reply
    3. Thao @ In Good Flavor

      April 13, 2018 at 10:56 pm

      I’m always running cold, so a hot bowl of soup is always welcomed! This healthy soup IS the perfect recover food after a weekend of overindulgence. I’m definitely going to keep it on my radar the next time I enjoy my weekend a little too much!

      Reply
      • Girl Heart Food

        April 14, 2018 at 12:04 pm

        Haha – good idea 😉 Thanks Thao!

        Reply
    4. Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop

      April 12, 2018 at 10:18 am

      5 stars
      There’s nothing better than a one pot meal full of delicious goodness! This looks like a satisfying meal!

      Reply
      • Girl Heart Food

        April 12, 2018 at 7:57 pm

        So true! Thanks Kathy! If you do get that snow, this would be just perfect 😉

        Reply
    5. Kevin O'Leary

      April 11, 2018 at 1:36 pm

      I can’t wait to curl up with a big bowl of this!

      Reply
      • Girl Heart Food

        April 12, 2018 at 7:50 pm

        With cold temps still lingering, I hear ya Kevin 😉

        Reply
    6. Katie Crenshaw | A Fork's Tale

      April 11, 2018 at 12:55 pm

      5 stars
      The ingredient combination in this soup is so wholesome. It is a great way to sneak in some kale. I love the beautiful colors. I am eating clean this week. I will have to try this. Thank you dear!

      Reply
      • Girl Heart Food

        April 12, 2018 at 7:49 pm

        Thank you Katie!! Good luck with your clean eating…this soup should help 😉 XOXO

        Reply
    7. Katherine | Love In My Oven

      April 10, 2018 at 12:20 am

      Dawn – I had a super indulgent weekend too and this soup is exactly what I need to detox my poor body!! With healthy recipes like these, at least you don’t have to feel toooo bad about those fries you ate 😉
      I have all of the ingredients except the kale for this soup – which can easily be remedied! Can’t wait to try it, especially since it’s still soup weather outside!!! XO

      Reply
      • Girl Heart Food

        April 10, 2018 at 11:21 am

        Haha – so true 😉 And glad I’m not the only one!! I’m sure you’ll enjoy this one, Katherine! Thanks so much 🙂 XO

        Reply
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    Hi, I'm Dawn! Welcome to Girl Heart Food, a food blog that's all about easy comfort food recipes (especially cheesy recipes) that'll satisfy your taste buds and make your belly happy. Have a look around and find something that'll inspire you to get into the kitchen and whip up something delicious to enjoy today!

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