What you’ll love about this lentil soup recipe: 

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• Smoky + savory: Harissa brings the heat, roasted red peppers round it out.
• Pantry-forward: Brown lentils, jarred peppers, broth — there’s a good chance you already have it all.
• Meal-prep approved: Makes a generous batch that gets better with time and keeps great in the freezer!

Vegetarian Lentil Soup with Harissa and Roasted Red Peppers

Welcome to Soups That Eat Like a Meal — my unapologetically cozy corner of the internet for everyone who agrees that soup is a love language. These are soups with substance. You can serve them with crusty bread or a side sald if you want, but they’re meant to be hearty enough that you don’t have to. If you like your dinner to be comforting and luxurious, but with a minimal amount of effort, you’re in the right place.

This smoky lentil soup is the kind of weeknight recipe that make you feel like you pulled it all together. It’s cosy and satisfying, and won’t leave you with a huge pile of dishes to wash.

It leans on a few strategic shortcuts — pre-chopped mirepoix, jarred roasted peppers, and refrigerated or canned lentils — so you can get straight to the part where your kitchen smells amazing.

The harissa does a lot of heavy lifting in the flavor department, while the lemon at the end cuts through the richness with just enough brightness to balance things out and keep it from feeling muddy.

Even better, it freezes well so it’s great for meal prep, and it’s easy to dress up with fun garnishes like cilantro, a drizzle of olive oil, or , my favorite, a lemony yogurt that makes the soup extra creamy and bright.

As soon as I took my first taste, I knew I was going to want a second bowl!

lentil soup Ingredients

To make a simple yet satisfying lentil soup, you’ll need:

Pre-chopped mirepoix. This blend of onion, carrot, and celery is the base of so many delicious meals. Look for it in the produce section at Trader Joe’s or your favorite supermarket. If you can’t find it pre-chopped, you can dice 1 small onion, 2 carrots, and 2 ribs of celery. It’s the same, but less convenient.

Harissa. Harissa is a North African chili paste or spice blend that’s bold, smoky, and a little spicy, with a rich depth of flavor. It’s traditionally made with dried red chilies, garlic, olive oil, spices like cumin and coriander and adds so much flavor to recipes like this soup. It typically comes is a tube or small jar and can be purchased in specialty grocery stores, the ethnic foods aisle of some large grocery stores or on Amazon.

• If you can’t find harissa, you can approximate it’s flavor in this recipe by combining 1 Tablespoon each tomato paste and olive oil with 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, and a pinch of cayenne or crushed red pepper.

Roasted red peppers. These add a sweet, smoky flavor to the soup.

Cooked brown lentils. Using pre-cooked lentils saves a ton of time. You can find cooked lentils in the refrigerated produce section or use canned lentils.

Vegetable broth + Water. I use one carton of broth and add an extra cup of water to give the soup enough volume.

Lemon. Lentils have an earthy flavor and can taste heavy. A little lemon juice at the end adds acidity and perks the soup up.

Plain Greek Yogurt. Adds more acidity and a bright, creamy finish to the soup.

How To Make smokey lentil soup

Start by cooking the vegetables in a little olive oil until they begin to soften.

Add the garlic, tomato paste, and harissa and give it a good stir. Cooking the them for a minute before adding liquid helps deepen their flavor and makes a huge difference in the recipe’s final flavor.

Next, add the roasted red peppers, lentils, broth, and water and simmer it for about 20 minutes to let the flavors meld.

Finally, use an immersion blender (or transfer to a blender) to puree the soup about halfway. This way, you get a creamy texture while still keeping some texture for interest.

To give the soup and extra-special finish, mix together 1 cup of plain Greek yogurt with the zest and juice from 1 lemon, a teaspoon of olive oil, and a generous pinch of flaky salt. Drizzle the yogurt over each individual bowl of soup, or stir it right into the pot.

Frequently asked questions

More recipes you’ll love:

• Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi Soup
• 30-Minute Tortellini Vegetable Soup
• Spicy Broccoli and 3 Cheese Soup
• Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Miso Potato Soup with Crispy Chickpeas

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Smoky Lentil Soup with Harissa and Yogurt

Smoky Lentil Soup with Harissa and YogurtThis lentil & roasted red pepper soup uses pantry staples (hello, jarred peppers + harissa!) and comes together in 35 minutes. Top it with lemon yogurt and pretend you planned it all day.

Course Healthy Weeknight Dinner Recipes

Cuisine American

Keyword lentil soup, spicy lentil soup, vegetarian soup recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 361kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups chopped mirepoix (onion, carrot, celery mix)
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 Tablespoons harissa
• 12 ounces roasted red peppers drained and chopped
• 3 cups cooked brown lentils rinsed
• 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
• 1 cup water
• ½ lemon juiced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh cilantro for garnish

For the Lemon Yogurt

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 lemon zest and juice
• 1 pinch kosher salt

Instructions

• Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
• Add 2 cups chopped mirepoix and cook 4–5 minutes, until slightly softened.
• Add 2 cloves garlic , 1 Tablespoon tomato paste, and 2 Tablespoons harissa. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly, to bloom the spices.
• Stir in 12 ounces roasted red peppers,3 cups cooked brown lentils , 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
• Blend about half the soup with an immersion blender for a creamy texture (or leave it chunky if you prefer).
• Stir in ½ lemon (juice) and season with salt and pepper.

To make the lemon yogurt:

• In a small bowl, combine 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon olive oil, zest and juice from 1 lemon, and 1 pinch kosher salt. Stir until well blended.

To serve:

• Divide the soup between four bowls and top with fresh cilantro and a drizzle of lemon yogurt.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 361kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 1390mg | Potassium: 873mg | Fiber: 18g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 610IU | Vitamin C: 71mg | Calcium: 139mg | Iron: 6mg

This recipe for Smoky Lentil Soup with Harissa originally appeared on my other site, The Busy Foodie.

Nothing says fall like butternut squash! This creamy butternut squash pasta sauce is simple to make, with a sweet and nutty flavor that’s perfect for sweater weather.

What you’ll love about this recipe:

• Quick Comfort Food: A cozy, comforting meal that’s ready in under an hour (and makes plenty of extra for leftovers!)
• Chock-Full of Veggies: This creamy (but cream-free!) sauce is made from roasted fall vegetables for extra nutrition.
• Perfect for Meal Prep: Make the sauce ahead of time and freeze it for up to 6 months! You can also use it as the base for a creamy butternut squash soup – just add chicken or vegetable broth.

Cozy Up with Butternut Squash Pasta

As the leaves start to change color and the air gets crisper, nothing calls to me more than a cozy, comforting bowl of pasta.

The sweet and nutty flavor of butternut squash is always a favorite of mine, especially with pasta. My butternut squash mac and cheese is always a huge hit, but this butternut squash pasta sauce recipe is simpler and creamier with just a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese on top.

The sauce is luxuriously velvety, and is the perfect way to highlight the flavor of the squash.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Butternut Squash. Look for a medium-sized squash that feels heavy for its size.

Plum Tomatoes & Yellow Onion. Adds depth and a hint of acidity to balance the sauce.
Fresh Thyme. My absolute favorite herb! It reaaly helps bring the flavor of this sauce together and adds a touch of fresh flavor.

Red Pepper Flakes. Because I can never resist the sweet and spicy combination. You can leave them out if you must, but they help balance out the sweetness of the squash.

Penne Pasta: The perfect vehicle for our creamy sauce. Feel free to substitute with any medium pasta shape like rigatoni or farfalle. You can also use your favorite gluten-free pasta.

Vegetarian Parmesan Cheese. A sprinkle of parmesan adds a nutty, salty finish. But did you know that all parmesan isn’t vegetarian? If you’re making this dish for vegetarian friends or family, look for Parmesan that’s made with vegetable rennet. I like BelGioso.

You’ll also need a blender or food processor to puree your sauce.



Commonly asked questions

More delicious fall squash recipes

• How to Roast Acorn Squash
• Curried butternut squash soup with shrimp
• Butternut Squash Bisque with Maple Whipped Cream
• Miso Maple Roasted Carrots + Squash
• Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash
• How to Bake Spaghetti Squash
• Honey Chipotle Roast Acorn Squash

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Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce

Fall dinners just got a cozy upgrade! This creamy butternut squash pasta sauce is simple to make and ready in under an hour – it already freezes beautifully, so it's great to make a head of time for quick weeknight dinners.

Course Vegetarian Recipes

Cuisine American

Keyword butternut squash pasta, butternut squash pasta sauce

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 372kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 medium (1.5 pounds) butternut squash diced
• 2 plum tomatoes quartered
• 1 yellow onion quartered
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 pound penne pasta
• ¼ cup grated vegetarian Parmesan cheese
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil for serving

Instructions

• Heat your oven to 450ºF. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme and red pepper flakes. Mix well.
• Add the butternut squash, tomatoes and onion and toss to coat evenly.
• Spread vegetables on a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for 20-30 minutes, or until tender.
• While the vegetables roast, cook the pasta according to package directions. Reserving ½ cup of the pasta water before draining.
• Add the cooked vegetables and the reserved pasta water to a blender and blend until smooth.
• Pour the butternut squash pasta sauce over the pasta. Stir well to coat the pasta evenly.
• Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 372kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 470mg | Potassium: 259mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 292IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 1mg

Try these easy Shrimp and Corn Tacos with for a quick summer meal that shines a spotlight on sweet summer corn. The filling, inspired by Mexican street corn, is the perfect complement to sauteed shrimp. One bite and you’ll be hooked!

Savor the Season: Shrimp Tacos with Fresh Corn Salsa

These street corn tacos might be one of the best things I ate all summer.

There’s nothing quite like corn at the end of summer when it’s at it’s peak sweetness. When I saw that our local farmstand was selling them for under a quarter a piece, I couldn’t resist loading up my bag.

I must have had tacos on my mind after drooling over this instagram reel a few days prior, because it didn’t take me long at all to decide what I wanted to make first: bright and flavorful shrimp tacos loaded with the flavors of street corn and gooey, melty cheese.

I don’t usually buy precooked shrimp, but I happened to have a bag of them in the freezer from in Instacart mixup, and I knew they’d be perfect for this recipe. After a quick defrost, I popped the tails off and gently warmed them in the pan I had used to cook the other ingredients. They only needed a minute or two. It was so easy, and I loved not having to worry about them overcooking.

I’m looking forward to making them again and again, and I know you’ll love them as much as I do!

Ingredients and Substitutions

Note this is not the full ingredient list (scroll to the full recipe at the bottom of the post for that) but an overview that’s meant to give useful tips and substitution options.

Shrimp. For tacos, I like to use large shrimp (26-40 per pound) since they’re big enough to feel substantial but small enough to enjoy in one bite. I used precooked shrimp in this recipe, which was great because I really didn’t have to worry about over or under cooking them. Just make sure to remove the tails before gently heating the, – no one wants to find a shrimp tail in their taco!

Corn. Yes, cutting corn off the cob is annoying. Yes, it’s also worth it. Nothing compares the the sweetness and crunch of fresh off the cob corn. You can buy fresh corn kernels if you must, but please don’t use frozen or canned corn for this recipe or you’ll lose the flavor and texture that makes them so special.

Scallions/Green Onions. I love the delicate flavor that these give the salsa-like corn topping. They aren’t as sharp as regular onion, and they cook up fast which helps keep this recipe speedy.

Jalapeno. Remove and discard the seeds for less spice; keep them in for a hotter taco.

Tortillas. I’m usually a corn tortilla girlie, but this shrimp tacos recipe really calls for flour. The softer texture and milder flavor of flour tortillas really lets the other ingredients shine!

“Everything But The Elote” seasoning. This isn’t absolutely necessary so you can leave it out if you don’t have any (you can also make your own!), but it adds another great layer of flavor and introduces a subtle smoky flavor to the taco filling.

Commonly asked questions

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Shrimp + Street Corn Tacos

Shrimp and Corn Tacos are a quick summer meal that shines a spotlight on sweet summer corn. One bite and you'll be hooked!

Course Healthy Weeknight Dinner Recipes

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword Mexican street corn tacos, shrimp tacos

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 650kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 red bell pepper diced
• 2 jalapeno peppers minced
• 2 cups fresh corn kernels from about 3 ears
• 4 scallions green and white parts chopped
• ¼ cup cilantro chopped
• 1 tablespoon Everything But the Elote seasoning
• 1 pound large cooked shrimp thawed if frozen, tails removed
• 12 flour tortillas
• 12 ounces Monterrey Jack cheese shredded
• ¼ cup crumbled cotija cheese

Instructions

• Set a large skillet over high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the oil.
• Add the diced bell pepper and jalapeno. Cook 3-4 minutes, until beginning to soften.
• Add the corn kernels, scallion, and seasoning. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until warmed through. Stir in the cilantro and set aside.
• Heat a second pan over medium-high heat. Add as many tortillas as will fit in one layer. Sprinkle the tortillas with shredded cheese, if using, and fold them in half like a quesadilla. Cook 1-2 minutes per side, until the tortilla is warmed through and the cheese is melted. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Keep warm.
• In the same pan you used for the tortillas, heat the shrimp, covered, until warmed through, about 3 minutes. Stir the shrimp into the corn mixture.
• To serve, open each tortilla. Spoon the shrimp and corn filling over the melted cheese. Top with cotija cheese.

Nutrition

Serving: 3tacos | Calories: 650kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 189mg | Potassium: 607mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1909IU | Vitamin C: 54mg | Calcium: 570mg | Iron: 5mg