Mexican Lentil Soup
This Mexican Lentil Soup recipe (in Spanish its called Sopa de Lentejas) is a richly flavored vegetarian soup that’s quick and easy to make.
This vegetarian lentil soup recipe is made with green lentils, Ortega chilis, onion, garlic, vegetables and it’s perfectly seasoned with cumin and oregano. I love to garnish this Sopa de Lentejas with a few nachos, avocado and fresh cilantro. If you have any leftovers, this soup tastes even better the next day!
This Mexican Lentil Soup recipe is similar to my popular Italian Lentil Soup recipe, only we swap out the Italian seasoning and replace it with classic Mexican flavors. And instead of garnishing this vegetarian soup with cheesy croutes like we did with the Italian lentil soup, we garnish it with nachos. It’s so good!
Mexican Lentil Soup Recipe
- Lentils. We use either green or brown lentils for this soup because they tend to hold their shape.
- Aromatics. We use a delicious combination of celery (with some of the leaves), carrot, onion, green onion, garlic and cilantro for this soup.
- Extra-virgin olive oil. We saute the aromatics with extra-virgin olive oil.
- Canned chiles. We add canned chopped Ortega green chiles to this soup for an amazing flavor.
- Fresh cilantro. Fresh cilantro adds to the rich flavor of this soup.
- Seasoning. This soup is perfectly seasoned with dried oregano, ground cumin and bay leaves
- Canned crushed tomatoes with juice. Canned tomatoes with the juice adds a rich flavor to the broth for this soup.
- Broth. I use chicken broth for this soup, but you could use vegetable broth if you prefer.
- Garnish. I like to garnish this soup with avocado slices, fresh cilantro and a few cheese nachos.
Find printable recipe with measurements below.
Variations
This Sopa de Lentejas is a versatile soup, so you can add other ingredients that you may have on hand. Personally, I love a good soup crowded with lots of vegetables!
- Vegetables. Add chopped red potatoes, spinach, zucchini or yellow squash if you want a chunkier and more filling soup.
- Seasoning. Sprinkle in 1-1/2 – 2 tablespoons taco seasoning instead of cumin and oregano
How to Make Mexican Lentil Soup
- Aromatics. Heat oil in a large pot. Add the onions, celery and carrots and sauté for approximately 7-10 minutes until tender and the onions are golden in color. Add the garlic and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
- Seasoning. Stir in the chopped Ortega chilis, cilantro, oregano and cumin.
- Broth, tomatoes and lentils. Pour in the broth, water, crushed tomatoes and lentils.
- Simmer. Cover the pot and simmer for approximately 40 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
- Enjoy. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with nachos, plain tortilla chips, avocado, cilantro, cilantro pesto, cojita cheese, etc.
Do Lentils Need to Be Soaked
Nope! They don’t need to be soaked. Just rinse them and pick through to remove any debris or little stones you may find. Then add them right to the pot to cook with the other of the ingredients.
What to Serve with Mexican Lentil Soup
This Sopa de Lentejas is substantially filling on its own, but you could easily serve it with a light salad, quesadilla or a tostada.
Looking for Lentil Soup Recipes to Make?
More Mexican Soup Recipes
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Vegan Tortilla Soup
- Taco Soup
- Caldo de Pollo
- Mexican Chicken Posole
- Black Bean Soup
Mexican Lentil Soup
Mexican Lentil Soup (Sopa de Lentejas) is a vegetarian soup that's quick and easy to make. This Mexican lentil soup recipe to make with green lentils, Ortega chilis, onion, garlic, vegetables and it's perfectly seasoned with cumin and oregano. I love to garnish this Sopa de Lentejas with a few nachos, avocado and fresh cilantro.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 3 green onions (scallions), sliced whites and light green parts
- 3 large stalks celery, chopped
- 2 large carrots, chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and finely minced
- 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
- 1 4.5-ounce can chopped Ortega green chiles, drained
- 1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 3 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup dried green or brown lentils (rinsed and stones and debris discarded)
- 6 cups chicken broth (you can also use vegetable broth if you prefer)
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes (canned)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot. Add the onions, celery and carrots and sauté for approximately 7-10 minutes until tender and the onions are golden in color.
- Add the garlic and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in the chopped Ortega chilis, cilantro, oregano and cumin.
- Pour in the broth, water, crushed tomatoes and lentils.
- Add the bay leaves.
- Cover the pot and simmer for approximately 40 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with nachos, plain tortilla chips, avocado, cilantro, cilantro pesto, cojita cheese, etc.
Notes
Variations
This Sopa de Lentejas is a versatile soup, so you can add other ingredients that you may have on hand. Personally, I love a good soup crowded with lots of vegetables!
- Red potatoes (I really like to add red potatoes to this soup)
- Stir in 1 - 1-1/2 tablespoons taco seasoning instead of cumin and oregano.
- Zucchini and yellow squash
- Red and/or green bell peppers
- Spinach
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 177Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 1081mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 5gSugar: 6gProtein: 6g
theharvestkitchen.com attempts to provide accurate information, however, this nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. The nutritional information provided comes from online sources and calculations.
