A nourishing vegan Lentil Kale Soup recipe with potatoes and warm, flavorful spices! It's easy to make and filled with satisfying plant-based nutrients. (Vegan, gluten free, oil free.)

Bowl of vegan lentil kale potato soup with spoon

This hearty lentil soup recipe is easy, healthy, and budget-friendly. We find it's great for lunches and leftovers throughout the week.

Plus it's only 10 simple ingredients that are mostly pantry staples. So it's a great option for busy weeknights or even meal prep.

The lentil, potato, and kale combination is so satisfying and nourishing. Plus it's filled with plant-based protein, fiber, and other nutrients.

Dry brown lentils in a glass jar with wooden spoon

Ingredients for Lentil Kale Soup

For this recipe you will simmer in a large pot:

Yellow onion: Or you can use white onion or sweet onion if desired.
Carrot
Fresh garlic cloves: Or you can substitute 1-2 teaspoons dried garlic powder instead.
Gold potato: I like Yukon gold potatoes with this recipe because they are nice and buttery, but use white potato, red potato, or russet potato if desired.
Green lentils or brown lentils: I like the earthy taste and texture of green or brown lentils with this recipe. I have not tested it with red lentils or black lentils, but they could probably work too. (Red lentils will be more of a stew-like consistency after they boil.)
Diced tomatoes: You can either use regular or fire-roasted canned tomatoes.
Vegetable broth: Be sure to use low sodium if desired.
Fresh kale: Either curly or lacinato kale will work. Stir in as much or as little as you would like. You could also substitute with swiss chard or fresh baby spinach.
Ground cumin
Smoked paprika

Vegan kale and potato soup with lentils in a bowl

Customizing

Change up the spices or vegetables as you see fit. A few ideas include:

Herbs + seasonings: I like the warm taste of cumin and smoked paprika, but this would be great with many other flavors too. Switch it up with dried basil, dried oregano, Italian seasonings, or turmeric. Or garnish your bowl with fresh herbs, black pepper, or lemon juice before serving.

Make it spicy: Add fire-roasted tomatoes with medium diced chiles, cayenne pepper, or simply top with your favorite hot sauce before enjoying.

Vegetables: Add other veggies as desired. Zucchini, celery, yellow summer squash, bell pepper, spinach, green beans, peas, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, swiss chard, etc.

Thickness: This soup is dense. So if you prefer yours with more broth, then reduce lentils (to about 2/3 cup to 3/4 cup instead of 1 cup). Or simply add more broth or water during cooking.

Storing

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. We find they keep for about 4-5 days.

Tip: We find it's a great leftover meal! Simply reheat in the microwave when ready to enjoy.

For more inspiration, also browse all potato recipes or soup recipes.

Lentil Kale Soup with Potatoes

A nourishing lentil kale soup with hearty potato and flavorful spices. Warm, cozy, and filled with plant-based nutrients.

4.86 from 14 votes

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Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 1

Author: Kaitlin - The Garden Grazer

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Oil-Free, Vegan

Servings: 6 medium bowls

Ingredients

1 yellow onion
2 carrots
3-4 cloves garlic
2 medium gold potatoes (about 2 heaping cups cubed)
1 cup green/brown lentils, uncooked
15 oz. can diced tomatoes (or fire-roasted)
5 cups vegetable broth (or 4 cups broth + 1 cup water)
1/2 bunch kale (curly or lacinato)
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. smoked paprika

Instructions

Dice onion and carrot.
In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, sauté onion and carrot for about 7 minutes. (I use 3 Tbsp. water/broth for no-oil sauté method.)
Meanwhile, mince garlic and dice potato.
Add garlic, potatoes, cumin, and paprika to pot. Stir and sauté 1 minute.
Add 5 cups broth, tomatoes with juice, and lentils (rinsed and drained).
Increase heat and bring to a light boil. Then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 25-30 minutes or until lentils are tender.
Meanwhile, roughly tear/chop kale into bite-size pieces, large stems removed.
Stir in kale during the last few minutes of cooking. Salt/pepper to taste as desired.

Notes

Thickness: This soup is fairly dense. If you prefer yours more brothy, reduce lentils (to about 2/3 - 3/4 cup) or add more broth/water during cooking as desired.

Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)

Nutrition Facts

Lentil Kale Soup with Potatoes

Amount per Serving

Calories

201

% Daily Value*

Fat

Saturated Fat

Polyunsaturated Fat

Monounsaturated Fat

Potassium

812

Carbohydrates

Fiber

Sugar

Protein

Vitamin A

4554

Vitamin C

Calcium

Iron

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Sodium: This is omitted as I cannot provide an accurate number. I encourage you to calculate your own to provide a much more precise reading based on the exact ingredients, brands, and amounts you're using.

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Lentil Kale Soup with Potatoes

Ingredients for Lentil Kale Soup

Customizing

Storing