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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Soups and Stews

    Lentil Soup Mix for Holiday Giving (+ free printable recipe card!)

    Dec 8, 2022 by Becky Striepe
    Disclosure: This post may contain Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See my Privacy Policy for more details.

    Recipe Video Print
    lentil soup mix in a jar with red lentils scattered on the tabletop
    jar of lentil soup mix with red lentils scattered on the tabletop
    bowl of vegan curry lentil soup
    image collage of a bowl of lentil soup and the jar mix, text overlay

    Lentil soup in a jar with rice and deep, curry seasonings makes a great gift! It even comes with a free, printable recipe card.

    lentil soup mix in a jar with red lentils scattered on the tabletop

    I love giving (and receiving!) food gifts. You can't go wrong with tasty edibles, or mixes, and this layered lentil soup mix that I give out from time to time is always a big hit! Recipients often ask me for the recipe, so that they can make it again.

    If you need more DIY food gift ideas, homemade ginger syrup is another popular one!

    Jump to:
    • Recipe notes
    • To make the lentil soup
    • Storage directions
    • Lentil Soup Mix in a Jar
    • Frequently asked questions

    Recipe notes

    This recipe makes one jar of lentil soup mix, but if you're planning to make a lot of these, I recommend doing it assembly line style. Line up all of your ingredients and measuring cups around the table, so you can go from ingredient to ingredient.

    red and green lentils, rice, and spices in bowls on a wooden table

    Start by adding green lentils and all of your spices to the jar. You can use either powdered or cubed vegetable bouillon in this mix. If you do use cubes, just crumble them, so they'll blend in visually with the other dried spices.

    Then, layer on jasmine or basmati rice, and top it off with red lentils.

    The amount of red lentils you'll need is going to vary a bit. The key is to make sure that you pack the lentils into the jar tightly. The tighter you pack the jar, the better those pretty layers will hold up!

    I'm also including a page of printable recipe cards that you can attach to your jars that tells your giftee how to make the mix. Be sure to print that out. Then, cut out the cards, punch a hole in the corner of a card, and tie it to the jar top with ribbon or twine.

    image collage showing how to make the soup with the mix

    To make the lentil soup

    If you want to make this soup for yourself, put all of the jar mix ingredients into a bowl, so they're ready to add when it's time.

    Saute onion in a little bit of oil until the onion starts to turn golden. Then, add water and the jar mix.

    Simmer the mix with he pan covered until the lentils soften, then stir in a can of coconut milk. Season to taste with salt and lemon juice, and you're ready to dive into a cozy bowl of lentil soup!

    Storage directions

    The jar mix will keep for up to six months in the pantry.

    Store prepared lentil soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to five days.

    lentil soup mix in a jar with red lentils scattered on the tabletop

    Lentil Soup Mix in a Jar

    Lentil soup in a jar with rice and deep, curry seasonings makes a great gift! It even comes with a free, printable recipe card.
    Prevent your screen from going dark
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    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: Vegan
    Keyword: lentil soup in a jar
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour hour
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 290kcal
    Author: Becky Striepe

    Ingredients

    For the jar mix

    • ½ cup green lentils
    • 2 teaspoons powdered vegetable bouillon - or 2 vegetable bouillon cubes, crumbled
    • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
    • 1 tablespoon yellow curry powder
    • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
    • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
    • ½ teaspoon turmeric
    • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper - use ¼ teaspoon or omit for mild
    • 1 cup jasmine or basmati rice
    • ¼ cup red lentils - approximate - top the jar off with the red lentils, packing them down well

    For the soup

    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 small onion - sliced thin
    • 8 cups water
    • 15 ounce can coconut milk
    • salt and lemon juice - to taste

    Instructions

    Make the jar mix

    • Add the green lentils to a pint jar, then add the spices and smooth them out. Pour in the rice, and then top the jar off with red lentils. Make sure that you pack the jar tightly, so the pretty layers stay intact!
    • Print out the lentil soup recipe card page onto cardstock, cut it up, punch holes, and tie one recipe to each jar with twine.

    Make the soup

    • Heat the olive oil in a large pot on medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook for 8-12 minutes, until the onions start to turn golden.
    • Add the water and soup mix to the pot, and bring to a simmer. Turn down to low, and cook, covered, until the lentils and rice are cooked and very soft (about 45 minutes).
    • Add the coconut milk, and heat it through. Add salt to taste, and serve. Enjoy!

    Equipment

    • Pint Jar
    • twine optional

    Video

    Notes

    Nutritional information is for the prepared soup.
    The lentil soup mix in its jar will keep for up to 6 months in the pantry.
    The prepared soup will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave. Lentil soup tends to thicken when it gets cold, so thin it out with a splash of water, if needed, when you reheat it. 

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Lentil Soup Mix in a Jar
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    290
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    16
    g
    25
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    11
    g
    55
    %
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    3
    g
    Sodium
     
    188
    mg
    8
    %
    Potassium
     
    341
    mg
    10
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    32
    g
    11
    %
    Fiber
     
    5
    g
    20
    %
    Sugar
     
    1
    g
    1
    %
    Protein
     
    7
    g
    14
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    28
    IU
    1
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    2
    mg
    2
    %
    Calcium
     
    35
    mg
    4
    %
    Iron
     
    4
    mg
    22
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Tried this recipe? Share your photo!Mention @GlueAndGlitter on Instagram or Twitter!

    Frequently asked questions

    Do you have to soak the lentils before cooking?

    You don't! One of the reasons that lentils work well for soup mixes like this is that they cook up relatively quickly without needing to soak.

    Is lentil soup really good for you?

    Yeah, it is! Lentils are packed with protein and fiber, and this soup is packed with lentils.

    What mixes well with lentils?

    Rice and lentils are a great combination, especially with cozy, warming seasonings like ginger and curry powder.

    More Vegan Soups and Stews

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      Pineapple Cucumber Gazpacho
    • bowl of Instant Pot split pea soup topped with cashew cream and crushed red pepper and a side of dinner rolls
      Instant Pot Split Pea Soup
    • bowl of creamy vegan miso ramen with tofu, bok choy, and other veggies
      20-Minute Creamy Miso Ramen
    • bowl of creamy vegan broccoli soup topped with steamed broccoli and red pepper flakes
      Dairy-Free Creamy Broccoli Soup

    About Becky Striepe

    Headshot of Becky Striepe in front of a teal wall

    Hi there! I'm Becky Striepe (rhymes with sleepy), and I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here.

    Learn more about me >>>

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Christine

      December 18, 2022 at 2:48 pm

      My broth cubes are Edward &Sons garden veggie cubes. It says the serving is 1/2 cube (5.25g) to 1 cup water, do I still need 2 cubes? Which by their guideline would be enough for 4 cups water?
      Thank you so much for the printable recipe cards! I’m making this today for my neighbors.

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        December 18, 2022 at 2:50 pm

        Yes, I use the same cubes. The extra cube gives is so much flavor! :)

        Reply
    2. Melissa

      October 29, 2021 at 6:15 am

      Hi how many does one jar serve please?

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        October 29, 2021 at 1:35 pm

        I'd say 2-3 servings.

        Reply
    3. Michelle

      December 11, 2019 at 6:09 pm

      If I were to just use curry powder how much powder would I use?

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        December 12, 2019 at 9:36 am

        I'd use 2-3 teaspoons per jar.

        Reply
    4. Sheila

      May 07, 2019 at 3:11 pm

      You can ignore my curry question — thought it was it's own spice. You learn something new every day! I had no clue it was a combination of spices. Was never a big fan, but now I have to try because my son LOVES it!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        May 07, 2019 at 6:25 pm

        I hope he loves it as much as my family does, Sheila!

        Reply
    5. Sheila

      May 07, 2019 at 3:07 pm

      There is no curry in this recipe. I thought it was "Curried Lentil Soup"?

      Reply
    6. kathy stahl

      December 15, 2018 at 3:34 pm

      what size can coconut milk?

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        December 15, 2018 at 5:00 pm

        15 ounce!

        Reply
    7. Elizabeth

      December 03, 2016 at 2:15 am

      Thank you for recipe. How many servings does the soup recipe make?

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        December 03, 2016 at 7:36 am

        Ooh good question. It makes 4 servings. Enjoy it!

        Reply
    8. Susan

      March 13, 2016 at 8:04 pm

      Cannot locate the lentil soup recipie card. Anyone know instructions

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        March 13, 2016 at 8:32 pm

        Hey Susan! Is this link not working? I made some back-end changes, so if you can't download from here, I need to figure out how to fix that for sure! Thank you for the comment, so we can troubleshoot this! https://www.glueandglitter.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Lentil-Soup-Mix-Recipe-Card.pdf

        Reply
    9. Cadry's Kitchen

      December 12, 2012 at 11:03 am

      I love this idea! Lentil soup is so delicious and easy. Plus, it's nice to see an idea that's savory instead of sweet for holiday gift-giving!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        December 12, 2012 at 11:47 am

        Thank you!

        Reply
    10. Abby Cohen

      December 11, 2012 at 7:33 pm

      You must be reading my mind! I have been wanting to give healthy edible gifts, and have been looking at the soup-in-a-jar recipes on line but not seeing anything I really liked.

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        December 12, 2012 at 7:57 am

        I'm so glad I could help, Abby!

        Reply
    11. heidikerr

      December 11, 2012 at 4:15 pm

      My friends are health nuts and also really into homemade gifts. I think this will be perfect. Also, I have all of the ingredients in my pantry. Score!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        December 11, 2012 at 4:18 pm

        Awesome! Happy gifting! :)

        Reply
    12. Jes

      December 11, 2012 at 1:47 pm

      I really wish I'd had the time to whip up edible gifts this year--definitely bookmarking for next!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        December 11, 2012 at 4:17 pm

        I hear ya! I made way fewer gifts this year than last. 2012 has been a busy one!!

        Reply
    13. AdamK

      December 11, 2012 at 9:45 am

      I'm a huge fan of lentil soup..but I dont recognize this variant. I am skeptical but willing!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        December 11, 2012 at 10:10 am

        Let me know how you like it! I love Indian spices in anything, especially lentils!

        Reply
    14. Andrea

      December 10, 2012 at 8:03 pm

      I like this clever idea. The jars would make a great hostess gift as well as a holiday gift.

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        December 11, 2012 at 9:25 am

        Thanks, Andrea! I love the idea of giving them as hostess gifts!

        Reply

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    About Me

    photo of Becky Striepe
    Hi! My name is Becky Striepe (rhymes with “sleepy”). I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here. → READ MORE

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