Healthy vegan black lentil pasta soup with Beluga lentils, vegetables, and lots of herbs, this is the perfect soup for a cold winter day.

An easy-to-make, wholesome, black lentil pasta soup that I make quite often... mostly whenever I have no other idea what else to cook or don't have the time to go shopping for ingredients, I normally have all the required ingredients at home.
This Beluga lentil soup with pasta is quick, healthy, and delicious; perfect for the weather we have right now. It warms you up from the inside; it has a little heat to make it interesting, and it's full of flavor and comfort.
For more lentil soups, check out the traditional German lentil soup with sausages, the Yellow Lentil Soup (with Beef Bones), or the Lentil Turkey Soup.
And this black lentil soup with noodles is one of my favorite versions. And definitely the healthiest of them all!
Pantry ingredients
As mentioned above, I never ever have to go shopping just to make this lentil and vegetable soup. I have all the needed ingredients in the pantry at all times.
Lentils:
- I use black Beluga lentils, which get their name from their resemblance to Beluga caviar. They are small, black, and shiny; they really look like caviar or small black jewels. Use more Beluga lentils to make this amazing Vegetarian Butternut Squash Lentil Lasagna.
- If you cannot find them, you can substitute them with French lentils or lentils du Puy. They are also dark but rather brown and small and retain their shape when cooked.
- Whatever you do, don't use red lentils. Red lentils make wonderful but completely different kinds of soups. They have a different taste and kind of disintegrate when cooked, resulting in thick and rather creamy soups.
Pasta:
- I use whole wheat elbow macaroni.
- Any kind of short pasta shape can be used instead.
- Try to stick to whole wheat; I find their special taste and consistency to be the best fit for this lentil soup.
- However, if you don't have or don't like whole-wheat pasta at all, you can use regular pasta instead.
Herbs:
- When I make this lentil pasta soup in winter, I tend to use dried herbs like marjoram and/or oregano.
- In spring and summer, I always use fresh marjoram or oregano from the garden. Both versions are delicious!
- Fresh chives are always available in the supermarket, so I always use fresh ones. If I don't have them, frozen chives are a perfect substitute. And I always have those in the freezer.
- Never use dried chives for anything; they have no taste at all.
Vegetables:
- For me, always tomatoes and scallions, I always have them, and I love them in this soup.
- You can change that according to your taste or whatever you have in the house.
- Leeks, broccoli, or kale, for instance, are great as well.
How to make Beluga lentil soup with pasta?
- Cook the chopped onions and garlic until slightly softer (1).
- Add the black lentils and stir for a couple of minutes (2).
- In the meantime, chop the vegetables and herbs, keeping them separate.
- Add all the ingredients except the chives, and cook until the pasta is al dente (3).
- Adjust the taste, add the chives, and serve.
Expert Tips
- Cooking times: Always check the packet's instructions when cooking both lentils and pasta.
- The Beluga lentils I use only require between 20 and 30 minutes of cooking time, but du Puy lentils need longer, about 45 -50 minutes.
- Check the pasta's cooking time and add the pasta when the lentils are almost done.
- Cook the pasta al dente; it will become softer during the few minutes you will need to bring the pot to the table.
- Serving: The black lentil soup with pasta is best when served immediately. The main reason for that is that the pasta will absorb most of the stock when standing, so the pasta will become softer, and the liquid will kind of disappear.
- Store: If you have leftovers, keep them in the fridge and add more vegetable stock when reheating the soup.
Serving suggestions
To keep the meal completely vegan, serve the black lentil pasta soup with bread, for instance, this quick Spelt Bread. The Homemade Crispbread Recipe with oats and seeds or the Wholegrain Spelt Crackers are great as well.
You can spread some Low-Calorie Hummus, Muhammara Dip, or Fava Bean Dip on the bread as well.
More vegan soup recipes
Black Lentil Pasta Soup (Vegan Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¾ cup black lentils Beluga, 150 g, Note 1
- 7 cups vegetable stock
- 2 large tomatoes
- 1 bunch scallions
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano or marjoram Note 2
- 6 oz whole wheat elbow macaroni
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt or Kosher, to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1-2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 small bunch chives
- red chili flakes optional
Instructions
- Chop the onion and the garlic cloves very finely.1 onion + 2 garlic cloves
- Saute: Heat the oil in a soup pan and cook the onions and garlic for a few minutes until translucent. Add the lentils and stir for 1-2 minutes until the lentils are covered with a thin film of oil.¾ cup/ 150 g Beluga lentils
- Cook: Add the vegetable stock, bring everything to a boil, and cook until the lentils are almost done, observing the instructions on the packet of lentils.7 cups/ 1 ⅔ liter stock
- Chop: In the meantime, chop the tomatoes into small pieces and the green onions into small rings. Wash and finely chop the marjoram/oregano (if using fresh herbs) and the chives. Keep the herbs separated.2 large tomatoes + 1 bunch green onions
- Add vegetables: When the lentils are almost done, add the tomatoes, green onions, dried herbs, pasta, salt, pepper, and vinegar to the soup and cook until the pasta is al dente.6 oz/ 170 g pasta + 1 teaspoon dried herbs + ½ fine sea salt + ⅛ black pepper + 1 tablespoon vinegar
- Adjust: Add the chives and adjust the taste with more vinegar, salt, and pepper if necessary. Sprinkle with some red chili flakes, if desired. Serve immediately.1 small bunch chives + sprinkle of red chili flakes
Notes
- French lentils du Puy can be used instead. They have a longer cooking time, check the packet's instructions.
- Use a small bunch of fresh oregano or marjoram, if available.
Sarah | Well and Full says
I wish I had a garden! All I have is a windowsill full of potted plants 😉 I'll have to snip a little of my oregano for this recipe though!
Adina says
Enjoy, Sarah!
angiesrecipes says
Looks nice and tasty!