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Home » Recipes » Vegetarian » Sopa de Lentejas (Mexican Lentil Soup)

Sopa de Lentejas (Mexican Lentil Soup)

November 7, 2019 By Maggie Unzueta 11 Comments

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Sopa de Lentejas, or Mexican Lentil Soup, a warm taste of home. Comforting and cozy deliciousness. Hope you enjoy!
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Nothing warms you up like Mexican Lentil Soup, or Sopa de Lentejas. A big bowl of this soup is comforting, satisfying, and always enjoyable. By Mama Maggie’s Kitchen

A bowl of Mexican Lentil Soup in a white bowl next to pickled jalapenos and bolillo bread.

My son loves riding his bike, video games, and lentil soup. Yes, you read that right – lentils.

Once he came home from school, and he smelled a pot of Sopa de Lentejas (or Mexican Lentil Soup), cooking in the kitchen. His response, “Oh yeah! Soup!”

Who knew lentils would ever compete with chicken nuggets?! He was such a picky eater as a kid. He’s finally starting to enjoy other foods. YAY!

No one makes this soup better than my mom though. Here is her recipe…

A pot of cooked Lentils

Do lentils need to be soaked?


No. Lentils don’t need to soaked, but if you soak them, it reduces the cooking time in half.

Do you cook lentils before adding to soup?


This depends on the type of lentils you are using in the soup. Some dissolve when cooking, making a smoother soup.

I suggest cooking brown lentils beforehand so they can keep their shape.

Pro Tip: You can skip this step and go straight to step 4 in the recipe, but add 15 more minutes to the cooking time. See recipe for further instructions.

A cooking spoon holding cooked lentils over a pot of lentils.

Making them from scratch is the best. Plus, it’s very, very easy to make lentils.

How to Make Lentejas (lentils):

  • Rinse the lentils and add them to a large stock pot.
  • Add lots of water and salt. Bring to a simmer then reduce the heat.
  • Cover and simmer until they are soft.
  • To add more flavor, add 1/2 onion + 1 garlic clove.

You are looking for tender lentils. Not “snuggly soft” – easy-to-chew soft.

Yes, you can buy a can of already cooked lentils, but by making your own, you can control the salt.

More Mexican recipes using lentils: Mexican Lentil Tostadas and Lentil and Poblano Chile Tacos.

Onion and Carrot on white plate

How to Make Mexican Lentil Soup (Sopa de Lentejas)

  • In a separate stock pot, heat oil.
  • Then add diced carrots. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

I had carrots on hand. (The Hubs promised to make carrot juice but he wasn’t fast enough). That’s why they went into the pot.

Other ingredients you can add to the Sopa de Lentejas (Mexican Lentil Soup):

  • calabacitas or Italian zucchini
  • celery
  • green beans
  • peas

This lentejas recipe (lentil recipe) is incredibly easy and very adaptable. For a more complete meal, you can also add chicken, fish, beef. All these ingredients would work here too.

Deliciously satisfying Mexican soup recipes: Caldo de Res, Caldo de Pollo, Caldo de Albondigas.

Vegetables cooking in a stock pot.

  • Then add the onions.
  • Cook for 1 minute, or until they are translucent.
  • Add garlic, tomato sauce, cooked lentils, and chicken broth.
  • Lastly, stir and let everything simmer for 10 minutes.

Your entire house will smell of this delicious and comforting Mexican Lentil Soup, or Sopa de Lentejas. The kind that makes you go … MMM!

Note: Lentils are 100% vegetarian, making this recipe perfect for everyone in the family. Use vegetable broth for a completely meat-free recipe.

Also try these Vegetarian Mexican Soup recipes: Pumpkin Chipotle Soup, Sopa de Fideo, Sopa de Habas. FYI: All of these soups have vegan options.

A ladle holding Sopa de Lentejas over a stock pot filled with the soup.

My mom always served her Mexican Lentil Soup, or Sopa de Lentejas, with bolillo to soak up all the yummy juices from the bottom of the bowl and a few slices of bananas.

No, I’m not monkeying around. Many people in Mexico eat their Sopa de Lentejas (Mexican Lentil Soup) with banana. Don’t knock it til you’ve tried it.

Some people will even add cloves or cinnamon to their soup, but again, I’m giving you my mom’s lentejas soup recipe not theirs.

A white bowl of lentil soup next to pickled jalapenos.

How Long Does Sopa de Lentejas Last?

  • In the fridge, Sopa de Lentejas last 3-4 days.
  • In the freezer, Mexican Lentil soup can last up to 6 months.

For me, the spicy and saucy gal that I am, I stick to the P-word – Picante. I like to add a few slices of pickled jalapeños and steer clear of any monkey business. 🙂

Mexican Lentil Soup, or Sopa de Lentejas, is a warm taste of home. A comforting and cozy bowl of goodness that’s perfect on rainy days. Hope you enjoy!

Did you make this recipe? Please rate the recipe below!

Nothing warms you up like Mexican Lentil Soup, or Sopa de Lentejas. A big bowl of this soup is comforting, satisfying, and always enjoyable. By Mama Maggie’s Kitchen
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Mexican Lentil Soup, or Sopa de Lentejas

Sopa de Lentejas, or Mexican Lentil Soup, a warm taste of home. Comforting and cozy deliciousness. Hope you enjoy!
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time38 mins
Total Time43 mins
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 6
Calories: 317kcal
Author: Maggie Unzueta

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. lentils
  • Water
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Salt
  • 2 carrots peeled and diced
  • 1/2 onion divided
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 garlic clove finely minced
  • 1/2 cup tomato sauce
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • Bolillo optional
  • Bananas optional
  • pickled jalapeños optional

Instructions

  • In a large stockpot, add the lentils, water, bay leaves, salt, and 1/4 onion.
  • Cook until tender. About 25 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the carrots, dice the remaining onion, and finely minced the garlic.
  • In a separate stockpot, heat the oil and add the carrot.
  • Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
  • Add the onion. Cook for 1 more minute.
  • Add the garlic, tomato sauce, cooked lentils, and chicken broth.
  • Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Serve with bolillo and bananas (if using).
  • Enjoy!

Notes

If using dried lentils:
  • Rinse the lentils. Skip to step 4. 
  • In step 7, instead of cooked lentils, add dried lentils + bay leaf along with the other ingredients.
  • Simmer for 30 minutes in step 8. 
  • Be sure to remove the bay leaf before serving.
For a vegan or vegetarian option: Use vegetable broth instead. 
HOW LONG DOES SOPA DE LENTEJAS LAST?
  • In the fridge, Sopa de Lentejas last 3-4 days.
  • In the freezer, Mexican Lentil soup can last up to 6 months.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Mexican Lentil Soup, or Sopa de Lentejas
Amount Per Serving
Calories 317 Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 986mg43%
Potassium 1056mg30%
Carbohydrates 51g17%
Fiber 24g100%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 21g42%
Vitamin A 3515IU70%
Vitamin C 23mg28%
Calcium 68mg7%
Iron 6mg33%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Filed Under: Vegetarian Tagged With: dinner, easy meals, easy recipe, healthy, low calories, lunch, meatless, Mexican, Mexican food, soup, vegan, vegetarian

About Maggie Unzueta

Maggie Unzueta is the writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer, videographer, and creator of In Mama Maggie's Kitchen. She has been developing easy and authentic Mexican food, Mexican-inspired recipes, and traveling tips since 2010. From family recipes to her extensive travels throughout Mexico, she brings traditional Mexican flavors from South of the Border and into your kitchen. Maggie has been featured in notable culinary websites and other media outlets. For more details, check out her About page.

Comments

  1. Fabiola Rodriguez says

    October 26, 2017 at 10:56 am

    5 stars
    Hola, Maggie!
    I have included a couple of your recipes and linked back to your site in my latest post, a Day of the Dead recipe roundup. I hope you can take a look. 🙂

    https://myheartofmexico.wordpress.com/2017/10/26/blissful-mexican-recipes-to-celebrate-day-of-the-dead/

    -Fabiola

    Reply
    • Maggie Unzueta says

      October 26, 2017 at 11:13 am

      Gracias amiga. I’ll go and check it out. Thank you so much for all your support and social media love!

      Reply
  2. Ashton says

    November 20, 2018 at 8:17 pm

    I was wondering, is it really 1 lbs of lentils? It just seems like a lot but I have not made the recipe yet! Thought it might suppose to be 1 cup?

    Reply
    • Maggie Unzueta says

      December 11, 2018 at 2:45 pm

      It’s a lentil package of 16-ounces, or 1 lb.

      Reply
      • Ashton says

        December 11, 2018 at 8:35 pm

        Thank you so much! The soup was delicious! I’m making it again tonight! I did add some ground red pepper for some spice and a bit of ground cinnamon.

      • Maggie Unzueta says

        December 18, 2018 at 10:42 am

        That’s awesome. Ground cinnamon sounds like a great addition. Enjoy!

  3. Cammy says

    September 16, 2019 at 6:38 pm

    How much water do I need to add?

    Reply
    • Maggie Unzueta says

      September 17, 2019 at 4:09 pm

      The water should be about 2 inches above the lentils.

      Reply
  4. Patsy says

    October 2, 2019 at 6:00 pm

    5 stars
    I love adding Kielbasa sausage to my Lentils. Family loves it!!

    Reply
  5. foysal@porsell says

    November 14, 2019 at 3:49 am

    Thank you so much! The soup was delicious! I’m making it again tonight! I did add some ground red pepper for some spice and a bit of ground cinnamon.
    https://porsell.com

    Reply
    • Maggie Unzueta says

      December 2, 2019 at 5:04 pm

      Wonderful! I love it when people make my recipes.

      Reply

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