There’s something so comforting about sitting down with a bowl of thick, warming soup on a chilly evening. Full of fragrant Moroccan spices and nourishing red lentils, the recipe I’m sharing today is one of my family’s all-time favourite cold weather soups. It’s quick and easy to make, and budget-friendly (around 45p per serving).
Thanks to the lentils, this soup is naturally rich in protein, too. Each serving contains around 16 grams of plant protein, making it a satisfying meal in its own right. Add a couple of slices of toast and a serving of my Golden Pan-Fried Chickpeas as a topper, and the protein content increases to 27 grams. Pretty impressive for such a simple, inexpensive meal!
Easy, nourishing and budget-friendly, this Moroccan Spiced Red Lentil Soup fits perfectly into my 3 Healthy Meals for £3 a Day series, where I share delicious, affordable plant-based recipes for everyday life.
Ingredient Cost Breakdown
One of the things I love about soups is how much nutritional goodness you can pack into a bowl using just a handful of simple, everyday ingredients!
- 1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil (Tesco) – 11p
- 1 medium onion (120g) (Tesco) – 11p
- 1 medium carrot (60g) (Tesco) – 4p
- 2 tsp minced garlic (Lazy Garlic) – 6p
- 225g red split lentils (Tesco) – 58p
- 1 medium white potato (240g) (Tesco) – 21p
- 1 tsp ground cumin (Rajah) – 3p
- 1 TBSP ras el hanout (Schwartz) – 37p
- 2 TBSP tomato purée (Tesco) – 9p
- 1 litre vegetable stock (Marigold bouillon) – 20p
Total cost: £1.80
Cost per serving: 45p
Prices are for October 2026 and are mostly based on products from Tesco, where I currently do my main grocery shop. Prices will vary between shops and brands.
The Good Stuff
I love how these simple, everyday ingredients come together to provide our bodies with so much nutritional goodness!
✨ Red lentils are packed with plant protein, fibre, and iron. Protein helps build and repair tissues, iron carries oxygen around the body, and fibre supports healthy digestion.
✨ Onions and garlic contain antioxidants and beneficial sulphur-containing compounds.
✨ Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which our bodies convert into vitamin A to support normal vision, healthy skin and immune function.
✨ White potatoes provide carbohydrates for energy, along with potassium, vitamin C and fibre. Leaving the skin on adds extra fibre, too! Potassium supports normal muscle and nerve function, while fibre helps keep our digestive system healthy.
✨ Tomato purée is rich in lycopene, a red plant pigment with antioxidant properties. It’s lycopene that gives tomatoes their lovely red colour! Cooking and processing tomatoes can also make lycopene easier for our bodies to absorb.
✨ Ground cumin and ras el hanout contain naturally occurring plant compounds with antioxidant properties. Each spice brings its own unique compounds, adding both wonderful flavour and a little extra plant goodness to our meals.
Top Tips & FAQs
What is Ras el hanout?
Ras el hanout is a fragrant North African spice blend, particularly associated with Moroccan cooking. Its name is often translated as “head of the shop”, reflecting the idea of a spice merchant’s finest selection. There isn’t one fixed recipe for Ras el hanout. Blends can contain a mixture of spices such as cumin, coriander, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, paprika, cardamom, nutmeg and black pepper.
One thing to bear in mind: Ras el hanout can vary quite a lot in flavour and heat, so if you’re sensitive to heat or simply prefer your soups mild, start with 1 TBSP (or even less). You can always add more later.
Where can I buy Ras el hanout?
Here in the UK, you can often find Ras el hanout in larger supermarkets. I’ve spotted it at Asda, Waitrose, Morrisons and Marks & Spencer, on the herbs and spices aisle. Schwartz and Bart’s are popular brands. Some supermarkets sell their own-brand versions, too. Some independent health food shops and spice shops sell it in bulk jars too, which is handy if you only need a small amount. I often buy mine this way from Harvest in Bath.
Which type of lentil is best for this soup?
Red split lentils are ideal because they don’t require soaking , cook quickly, and break down beautifully as they simmer, creating the soup’s naturally thick, silky-smooth texture.
New to lentils?
If you’re new to eating lentils, I recommend starting with small portions and increasing them gradually to give your digestive system time to adjust to the extra fibre.
Why should I wash lentils before cooking?
Rinsing dried lentils helps remove dust and any small pieces of debris that may have found their way into the packet. Place the lentils in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold running water, agitating them with your fingers until the water runs clear. Drain well before adding them to the pan.
My soup has become super thick in the fridge. Is that normal?
Absolutely! Red lentils continue to absorb liquid as the soup cools, and the potato also contributes to that thick, creamy consistency. When you reheat the soup, simply stir or whisk in a little extra vegetable stock or water until it reaches your preferred consistency.
Can I freeze this soup?
Yes! This soup freezes beautifully, making it perfect for batch cooking. Allow it to cool, then freeze in individual portions in airtight containers for up to three months. Defrost in the fridge before reheating until piping hot throughout. Remember to add extra vegetable stock or water as the soup will be very thick after freezing, too!
Is this soup gluten-free?
Yes, provided you use gluten-free vegetable stock. Since the recipes can vary, it is also worth checking the Ras el hanout blend to ensure it’s gluten-free.
My favourite way to serve it
As a main evening meal, I love serving this soup with a swirl of homemade cashew cream, a scattering of golden pan-fried chickpeas and a little freshly chopped parsley.
The cool, tangy cashew cream provides a delicious contrast to the spices, and it’s really easy to make! My Cashew Sour Cream recipe can be found here.
And those chickpeas? If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you’ll know they’re my favourite way to top a bowl of soup! Their golden, crispy coating adds a delicious textural contrast to the smooth soup, along with extra plant protein.
Both the cashew cream and chickpea topper are quick to make, so you can prepare them while the soup simmers away.
Serve with a couple of slices of toasted sourdough or multigrain bread, or some warm flatbread for dipping, and you’ve got a deliciously cosy evening meal.
Recipe Card
Moroccan Spiced Red Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 medium carrot (about 60g) quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 225 g / 1¼ cups red split lentils thoroughly rinsed (see Notes)
- 1 medium white potato (about 240g) diced (no need to peel)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 –1½ TBSP ras el hanout to taste
- 2 TBSP tomato purée (tomato paste)
- 1,000 ml / 4½ cups vegetable stock (vegetable broth)
- ¼ tsp salt or to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Optional toppings
- Cashew Sour Cream
- Golden Pan-Fried Chickpeas
- Freshly chopped parsley
- Extra freshly ground black pepper
To serve
- Toasted sourdough, multigrain bread or warm flatbread
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook for around 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute, stirring regularly.
- Stir in the cumin and ras el hanout. If the spices begin to stick to the pan, add a small splash of water.
- Add the tomato purée and stir to combine. Cook for another 1–2 minutes, to deepen its flavour.
- Tip in the diced potato and rinsed, drained lentils. Stir well to coat them in the fragrant spice mixture.
- Pour in the vegetable stock, then add the salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, partially cover with a lid and simmer for around 20 minutes, or until the lentils and vegetables are very soft.
- Remove the pan from the heat and blend the soup using a stick (immersion) blender. Alternatively, carefully transfer it to a jug blender, working in batches if necessary and following the manufacturer’s instructions for hot liquids.
- Check the seasoning and add a little more salt, pepper or ras el hanout if needed. If the soup is thicker than you’d like, stir in a splash of hot water or stock.
- Divide between four bowls. Add a swirl of cashew cream, a generous spoonful of golden pan-fried chickpeas and a sprinkling of fresh parsley and black pepper, if desired. Serve with toasted bread or warm flatbread on the side.
Notes
Nutritional Breakdown
N.B. The above values are estimates and for illustration purposes only. The actual nutritional values will vary depending on the specific ingredients used. The % Reference Intake (RI) will also vary depending on your age, gender, height, BMI, level of activity and other personal variables.
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More Nourishing Soups to Try
If you love a thick, warming bowl of soup, here are a few more of my family favourites you might like to try:
- Lebanese Lentil Soup (Shorbat Adas)
- Cream of Mushroom Soup
- Creamy Broccoli Soup
- Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
If you make this Moroccan Spiced Red Lentil Soup, I’d love to hear your feedback and any suggestions for adaptations! You can leave a comment below, or connect with me over on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.
Please tag your photos with @goodstuffsharon on Instagram. I absolutely love seeing your creations! ❤️
With love,
Sharon xx