Easy Lentil Soup Recipe with Smoked Mushrooms (2024)

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4.50 from 2 votes

Jan 18, 2017, Updated Apr 10, 2023

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Lentil Soup with Smoked Mushrooms is an incredibly comforting, wholesome, nourishing, vegetarian and vegan, smoked mushroom soup that is dairy-free, gluten-free,withno added sugar.

Easy Lentil Soup Recipe with Smoked Mushrooms (2)

Don’t be scared though, this lentil soup recipe has incredible flavor and is pure comfort for a cold winter.

And if you don’t have a smoker you can easily sauté the mushrooms instead.

Table of Contents

  • Lentil Soup with Smoked Mushrooms
  • Ingredients
  • Mushrooms
  • Smoking the Mushrooms
  • How to Make Lentil Soup
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • More Soup Recipes
  • Lentil Soup Recipe with Smoked Mushrooms

Wholesome and clean soups are perfect for the new year when you need a little bit of a reset. Or perhaps just a weeknight meal when you want something light and fresh, and meat-free (even us hard core carnivores need a couple days a week without meat!).

In trying to compromise making something meat-free (and also sugar-free) we decided on one of our favorite soups, but altered it a bit to make it less rich — A Lentil Soup Recipe with some Smoked Mushrooms. We often make a creamy version of mushroom soup, but I wanted to cut the cream and add more vegetables. This is it!

Lentil Soup with Smoked Mushrooms

Easy Lentil Soup Recipe with Smoked Mushrooms (3)

Lentil Soup with Smoked Mushrooms combines a classic lentil soup, with the added richness of smoked mushrooms. It’s comforting, wholesome, nourishing, vegetarian and vegan, and also dairy-free, gluten-free,withno added sugar.

It starts with the secret (not-so-secret) ingredient, smoked mushrooms.

Ingredients

In addition to the smoked mushrooms we like to have a hearty amount of vegetables and a good broth.

  • Classic Trinity: Celery, carrots and onions are the base in addition to garlic and the mushrooms.
  • Stock: A good low sodium vegetable stock keeps the lentil soup vegetarian. You can add the salt yourself as you season the soup.
  • Herbs: Adding aromatics enhances the flavor. A bunch of fresh thyme wrapped with kitchen string is nice flavor as well as a dried bay leaf.
  • Lentils: We recommend brown or green lentils for this lentil soup.

Mushrooms

Cremini mushrooms are our favorite for this recipe because they have a meatier flavor than button (white) mushrooms. It’s also very easy to add any additional mushrooms or mix it up. If you do mix up the mushrooms consider shiitake as the next alternative.

Our ratio is 1 pound of cremini mushrooms for this recipe. If you add more mushrooms 4 ounces is the max to avoid the soup from being too dense.

Smoking the Mushrooms

Easy Lentil Soup Recipe with Smoked Mushrooms (4)
  1. Prepare Mushrooms: Coat mushrooms well with olive oil, salt and pepper. Be generous with this as it’s the only time you’ll be seasoning your mushrooms. If you feel like adding your favorite dry rub to the mushrooms go for it. We like to keep it simple with salt and pepper.
  2. Smoke Mushrooms: Place them on your smoker set to 200 degrees for up to 45 minutes. You may want to check on them after30 minutes, and taste one to see if you’re liking the flavor. We found the shiitakes needed less time on the smoker as they take to the flavor much quicker, but the creminis need at last 45 minutes or so. Just be sure to monitor them and adjust cooking times to how you like the flavor.
  3. Remove from Smoker: When they’re done just remove them and slice them when they’re cool enough to work with.
Easy Lentil Soup Recipe with Smoked Mushrooms (5)

How to Make Lentil Soup

  1. Soften Vegetables: Cook onions, carrots, and celery in a large pot or Dutch oven until tender. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute.
  2. Add Liquids and Herbs: Add the vegetable stock, thyme, lentils, bay leaf and the sliced smoked mushrooms.
  3. Simmer: Stir together and simmer 20-30 minutes, until lentils have softened.
  4. Serve: The lentils and the mushrooms will make the dish hearty and substantial enough to satisfy you as a stand-alone meal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to soak lentils before cooking them?

No. The lentils do not require you to soak them before using them in soup. Just rinse them in cold water, then add them to the cooking broth and they will soften in around 20 minutes.

Can you smoke mushrooms?

Yes. Because mushrooms retain a lot of water they are a great vegetable to smoke and still maintain a nice texture. Smoke at a low heat (under 225 degrees F) for the best flavor and texture.

Which lentils are best for soup?

Lentils that tend to hold their texture and not soften too much are best. Brown and green are best for soups because they stay al dente (slightly firm) after they have been simmered. Red/Yellow tend to get real soft and almost mushy if cooked too long.

Easy Lentil Soup Recipe with Smoked Mushrooms (6)

More Soup Recipes

  • Wild Mushroom Soup with Sherry and Thyme
  • Smoked Butternut Squash Soup
  • Smoked Chicken and Salsa Verde Soup
  • Chicken Tortilla Soup
Easy Lentil Soup Recipe with Smoked Mushrooms (7)

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Easy Lentil Soup Recipe with Smoked Mushrooms (8)

4.50 from 2 votes

Lentil Soup Recipe with Smoked Mushrooms

By Mary Cressler | Vindulge

Vegetarian and vegan, dairy free, sugar free, Lentil Soup with Smoked Mushrooms. Incredibly nourishing and wholesome! Not to mention ridiculously delicious!!!

Prep: 45 minutes mins

Cook: 30 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

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Ingredients

To Smoke the Mushrooms:

  • 16 ounces cremini mushrooms, cleaned and stems removed, (also called “baby bella”)
  • 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, optional but delicious add on.
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper

For the Soup:

  • 1 medium white onion, diced , (about 1 ½ cup)
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
  • 2 celery stalks, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 6 cups vegetable stock
  • ½ cup green lentils
  • 10 sprigs thyme, tied together with kitchen string
  • 1 bay leaf

Instructions

For the Smoked Mushrooms:

  • Preheat smoker to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. We like using fruit woods like cherry or apple for vegetables.

  • Season: In a large bowl toss the mushrooms with the olive oil, salt, and pepper until well coated. Lay out evenly on a baking sheet or lined tray.

  • Smoke: Place the tray on the smoker, cover, and smoke for approximately 45 minutes. Taste one to see if you like the smoke infusion. Remove from smoker. When cool enough to work with, slice the mushrooms.

For the Soup:

  • Sauté: In a med-large saucepan over medium heat add one tablespoon of olive oil and the onions. Cook 5 minutes, until starting to get soft. Add the carrots and celery. Stir together and cook an additional 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute.

  • Simmer: Add the vegetable stock, lentils, thyme, bay leaf and the sliced smoked mushrooms. Stir together and simmer 20-30 minutes, until lentils have softened.

Notes

We recommend green lentils for this recipe. If you use red lentils, be sure to watch the time on the simmer. Red lentils can soften much faster than others and overcook quickly.

Nutrition

Calories: 152kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 1167mg | Potassium: 681mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3965IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Author: Mary Cressler | Vindulge

Prep Time: 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Course: Entree, Soup

Cuisine: barbecue, dairy free, soup, sugar free, vegan, vegetarian

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 152

Keyword: best lentil soup, lentil soup recipe

Like this recipe? Leave a comment below!

Categorized as:

Dinner, Food, Recipes, Soups, Vegetarian

Easy Lentil Soup Recipe with Smoked Mushrooms (9)

Vindulge

About Mary

I'm Mary, a wine/food/travel writer, Certified Sommelier, mom of twins, former vegetarian turned BBQ fanatic, runner, founder of Vindulge, and author of Fire + Wine cookbook. Thanks for stopping by!

About Me

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Easy Lentil Soup Recipe with Smoked Mushrooms (2024)

FAQs

Should you cook mushrooms before adding to soup? ›

While it is not necessary to pre-cook the mushrooms before adding them to the soup, it can enhance their flavor and texture. Sautéing the mushrooms in a bit of butter or oil before adding them to the soup can help develop their natural flavors and bring out their earthy aroma.

Do I have to cook lentils before adding to soup? ›

Do you cook lentils before adding to soup? Nope! Dried lentils cook in 35 minutes in the soup, and there's no need to soak them either!

Why does my lentil soup taste bland? ›

Why does my lentil soup taste bland? Lentils have a relatively mild taste and take well to seasonings. To avoid a bland lentil soup, use a flavorful broth—whether that's homemade or store-bought chicken or vegetable broth. The other key is building flavor.

Why is my lentil soup not thick? ›

Cook It Longer

Sometimes soup just needs to simmer longer to reach the perfect consistency. Check to see if the vegetables are tender, and then taste the broth. If the soup tastes a bit watery, give it more time.

Can you overcook mushrooms in soup? ›

The mushroom stayed pretty much the same. It got a little bit tougher, but just 57%, which compared to the other stuff is not much at all. It was good at the end of the 40 minutes of cooking; you can't overcook it.

What kind of mushrooms are best for soup? ›

We like cremini mushrooms for their darker color and super meaty texture, but regular white button mushrooms are OK, too. Take your time sautéeing the onions and mushrooms—let the heat and butter draw out their natural juices, and then let them get a little bit of color, too.

How do you keep lentils from getting mushy in soup? ›

Avoiding Mushy Lentils

You want to see just a few bubbles in the water and some gentle movement in the lentils. They will plump up nicely without splitting their skins or becoming mushy. The other trick is to wait to add the salt or any acidic ingredients until the lentils are done cooking.

What color lentils are best for soup? ›

Red lentils are the fastest cooking and they dissolve as they cook and make for a smooth soup. Others, such as green and brown lentils, hold their shape and make a soup with more texture.

What happens if you don't pre soak lentils? ›

Don't worry about soaking lentils, split peas, or black-eyed peas (or cowpeas). Lentils and peas are softer than dried beans. They'll cook within 5 to 20 minutes without any soaking time.

What is the foam on top of lentil soup? ›

When cooking dal why does it create foam on the top? The grey foam that forms on top of a pan of lentils is caused by a substance in the beans called saponins. This substance lathers up in the water, just like soap – in fact, the word 'saponins' actually comes from the Latin word for soap, 'sap!

What are the best tasting lentils? ›

Black Beluga lentils have the most flavor, adding a rich, earthy taste and a firm texture that holds up well during cooking. Black lentils will be ready in 20–25 minutes; however, they will fall apart like their brown, green, and red partners once you cook them for too long.

What thickens lentil soup? ›

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

Should mushrooms be cooked first? ›

Cooking mushrooms concentrates their flavor and brings out notes of sweet earthiness from the Maillard reaction taking place. The best way to do this is to sear the mushrooms first in a dry pan.

Should you cook mushrooms before putting in stew? ›

Ideally, you'd cook the mushrooms in the same chicken pot (preferably in the chicken fat) and concentrate their flavors before building the rest of the stew right on top. Adding the raw mushrooms straight to the liquid in the pot diluted their flavor and didn't do anything to help their texture.

How do you keep mushrooms from getting rubbery in soup? ›

Mushrooms don't require extensive cooking time. Once they are added to the soup, simmer them for about 10-15 minutes to ensure they are tender but still retain some firmness. Overcooking can result in mushy or rubbery mushrooms, so it's best to monitor their doneness as you cook.

Do mushrooms get soggy in soup? ›

You'll want to wash and trim the mushroom stems before adding them. Sliced mushrooms are easier to eat in soup. I like to add mushrooms at the end of cooking the soup, so they don't get too mushy.

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