Vegan Moroccan Red Lentil Soup Recipe: Gluten Free

This vegan Moroccan lentil stew is easy and quick to make! It’s filled with rich smokey notes without being too spicy. It’s the perfect gluten free soup for lunch or weeknight dinners.

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you. See my Affiliate Disclosure to read my policy and more about affiliate links.

Why You’ll Love this Moroccan Red Lentil Soup Recipe

I seriously think that this Moroccan red lentil soup is the best soup recipe on my blog. It’s so special that I made it two years ago, wrote the recipe down and still remember how blown away I was by the flavor.

Life went by and I didn’t make it for a while. But after making it for dinner one night my mom tried it and said this is really special. It really is a special recipe. Here’s why you’ll love Moroccan lentil soup.

• Gluten Free
• Vegan
• Paleo Friendly
• One Pot Dish
• Affordable Ingredients
• Minimal Prep
• Not A Lot of Clean Up
• Healthy
• Kid Friendly

Ingredients You Need to Make Moroccan Red Lentil Soup

• Olive Oil 
• Garlic
• Spanish Onions 
• Sea Salt
• Peruvian Spice Blend
• Carrots chopped 
• Red Lentils 
• Vegetable Stock 
• Coconut Milk (Cream)
• Lime

How to Make Moroccan Red Lentil Soup

This soup is so easy to make, just follow these four simple steps.

• Heat oil over medium low heat.  Add garlic, onion, and sea salt. Sauté until soft and translucent.  7 minutes. 
• Add spices. Bloom the spices for 2 minutes.  Add carrots and lentils. Sauté for 5 minutes.
• Add the stock and water.  Bring the soup to a simmer and then add the coconut milk. 
• Allow soup to simmer for 20 minutes or until the lentils are soft. 
• Stir in lime juice and serve!

Is Moroccan Red Lentil Soup Recipe Gluten Free?

Yes since lentils are naturally gluten free, and the rest of the ingredients in Moroccan lentil soup are naturally gluten free, this soup is 100% gluten free! If you look at the ingredient list for moroccan lentil soup, all of them are plant based and vegan but do not come from wheat.

What about cross contamination?

All of the ingredients in lentil soup are considered to be very low risk for cross contamination. The only processed ingredient in the entire recipe is canned coconut milk. Coconut milk’s risk for cross contamination during processing is so low that it doesn’t need to be labeled gluten free.

Of course if you’re eating at someone’s house or a restaurant, you should always tell the host or waiter that you have celiac disease. Make sure that they did not dip bread in the soup or add rice to it. Every cook makes Moroccan lentil soup with carrots differently. It’s always safest to check the ingredients if you are allergic to trace amounts of gluten or if you have celiac disease.

Is Moroccan Lentil Soup Low Calorie?

Yes! If you are counting calories you are going to love this soup recipe! Not only is it insanely filling but it’s also low in calories. One bowl of Eating Work’s Moroccan lentil soup recipe is only 104 calories!

How to Cook Lentils

Lentils are easy to cook. As a rule of thumb 1 cup of lentils requires 3 cups of cooking liquid (such as water or broth) and takes 25 minutes to cook.

What are Some Common Moroccan Spices?

When I think of Moroccan spices earthy, Smokey and warming spices come to mind. I also think of red and yellow hues that many of these spices take on. Some spices commonly used in Moroccan cooking that you can find locally include:

• Cumin
• Tumeric
• Coriander
• Ginger
• Paprika
• Gram Masala
• Black Pepper
• Fennel

Tips for Making this Carrot and Lentil Soup

Moroccan carrot and lentil soup is so easy to make that tips hardly seem necessary. However, if you’re new to cooking lentils these tips should help make your first pot of soup just as tasty as the 100th.

• Cut down the cooking time by using canned pre-cooked lentils. These lentils will cook in only 15 minutes. Cutting the cook time of this recipe down by 5-10 minutes.
• You can add salmon or chicken to this recipe to make it paleo and more protein heavy. I think it’s easier to digest without meat but both taste great.
• Use a cast iron pot for even cooking, heat retention and easy clean up.
• Buy pre-chopped onions and carrots to save on prep time for week night cooking.
• Use an instant pot.

Ingredient Substitutions for Moroccan Red Lentil Soup

• Spanish Onion: You can use white or yellow onions instead of Spanish.
• Fresh Garlic: If you don’t have fresh garlic on hand you can use 1 teaspoon of garlic powder or use 2 tablespoons of jarred garlic instead.
• Peruvian Spice Blend: If you don’t have my Peruvian Spice Blend you can buy it here. Or you can make it at home by combining 1 tablespoon of cumin, 1 tablespoon of paprika, 1 tsp of ginger and 1 tsp of 1 tsp of fennel.

Nutrition Facts for Vegan Moroccan Red Lentil Soup

Serving Size is 1 bowl of Moroccan lentil soup (8 ounces)

• Calories: 104kcal 
• Carbohydrates: 13g
• Protein: 3g 
• Fat: 5g 
• Saturated Fat: 1g 
• Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g 
• Monounsaturated Fat: 3g 
• Sodium: 1345mg 
• Potassium: 207mg 
• Fiber: 3g 
• Sugar: 4g 
• Vitamin A: 4518IU 
• Vitamin C: 6mg
• Calcium: 21mg 
• Iron: 1mg

How Long Does Red Lentil Soup Last?

This red lentil soup will last for up to 7 days in the fridge. The reason this soup lasts longer than other soup recipes is because it’s vegan. There is no meat or dairy to spoil the dish more quickly.

Can You Freeze This Moroccan Lentil Soup Recipe?

Yes! This soup freezes well for up to 6 months. I like to double the recipe and freeze single servings in plastic pint sized containers for easy lunches for one.

Is Lentil Soup Keto?

Generally speaking lentil soup is not keto friendly because one bowl of traditional lentil soup contains up to 38 grams of carbohydrates. However, you can get away with eating a small bowl of this Moroccan lentil soup recipe since it only has 13 grams of carbs.

Common Questions and Answers about Red Lentils

Can I cook red lentil soup in the instant pot?

Yes you can cook red lentil soup in the instant pot. Many recipes for Moroccan red lentil soup are written for the instant pot. While this one isn’t there is no reason why you couldn’t use one.

How to Cook Red Lentil Soup in the Instant Pot?

Saute the veggies in the instant pot until they are tender. Once the veggies are ready add the red lentils and the water and cook on high for ten minutes. Let the pressure from the pot release slowly before you open it.

Do I need to soak red lentils before cooking?

You don’t need to soak red lentils before you cook them since they cook pretty quickly on their own. Red lentils take 20-25 minutes to cook in boiling liquid. However, there are plenty of benefits to soaking red lentils if you have the time.

Benefits of Soaking Red Lentils

• Soaking red lentils will help clean them.
• If you soak your lentils they will naturally sprout. Sprouting red lentils makes them easier to digest and more nutritious.
• Reduce cooking time by soaking red lentils.

How long should I boil red lentils?

Red lentils take 20-25 minutes to cook in boiling water, broth or stock.

Spicy vegan red lentil soup google web story!