Last Updated on September 9, 2026 by Carrie Korem, FNTP
Lentil, carrot, and kale soup with crème fraîche and dill is a nourishing meal and perfect for a cold day.
For this soup, I recommend soaking the lentils overnight. This is an important step because lentils contain anti-nutrients that require neutralization. In fact, this goes for all nuts, seeds, grains and legumes. Nuts and seeds contain enzyme inhibitors that block digestion – potentially causing negative effects on the health of the body. Grains and legumes contain phytic acid that robs the body of important minerals like magnesium, calcium, zinc, copper and iron.
Over time, when we consume these foods without properly preparing them, serious health issues like leaky gut, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and autoimmune problems can arise.
Soaking these lentils may sound intimidating, but it’s actually very easy! It basically involves putting the food in a bowl, covering it with water, adding a neutralizer, letting it sit at room temperature, and then draining.
It takes a little forethought, but your body will certainly thank you! Here’s more info on this topic.
You can make this soup with various other vegetables if you’d like. Switching out the carrots for other root vegetables, or the kale for other leafy greens would be a fun way to use up whatever you have on hand!
Lentil, Carrot, and Kale Soup with Creme Fraiche and Dill
- Prep Time: 8 hours 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Total Time: 9 hours 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large leek, chopped
- 3 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
- 1 bunch of kale, chopped into bite-size pieces
- 10 cups chicken stock (homemade preferred)
- 1/4 cup red wine (optional, you can substitute with chicken stock))
- 1 (28-ounce) jar crushed tomatoes
- 2 1/2 cups French lentils, soaked overnight, drained
- 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1/2 cup crème fraiche or sour cream
- Dill, for garnishing
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large stock pot over medium heat. Stir in leeks and carrots. Cover pot, turn heat to low and let vegetables sweat for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to boil, add the kale and let boil for 8 minutes (this helps reduce the goitrogens in the kale). Drain.
- Add the chicken stock, wine (if using), crushed tomatoes, and lentils to the carrot mixture. Bring to a boil and then lower heat and simmer for about 45 minutes or until lentils are soft. Using a ladle transfer about 4 cups of soup into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour pureed soup back into pot. Stir in cooked kale and lemon juice. Season soup with salt and pepper if needed. Serve soup with a dollop of crème fraiche and a sprig of dill.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Serves 8-10
What a scrumptious, healthy meal. It looks wonderful and I can't wait to try it!
I applaud you for sitting down at the table most nights. We're trying to make that our goal (our kids are young yet). We're hoping one day they'll actually be able to sit through a meal without falling off their chairs.
Carrie,My family is the same way with the Olympics. We never miss a minute. Thankfully…its only every two years.
That is so funny about your kids. My husband asks me this when I make soup. It is not his favorite but I give him the same excuse! 😉
Sounds like mine…..Just soup????? Looks lovely, Its almost kale-over season and I still haven't had any!
That's a soup we would all love in this house. Lentil soups are my absolute favorite, and something about using carrot or sweet potato in them makes them so much tastier!
Two of my favorite soup ingredients, lentils and kale – superfoods for super health. This is definitely on my cooking to-do list this week, looks delicious. I just found your site on blogged and am pretty excited to check out your other recipes – I'm also a busy mom and have a compulsion for safe, healthy ingredients and already appreciate your recipes here. Thanks!!
This sounds so delicious and hearty-what a great combination of flavors!
Sounds perfect! Thanks for sharing I cant wait to try out the recipe…
Your Lentil, Carrot, and Kale Soup with Crème Fraiche and Dill looks delicious! I love a hearty soup for dinner.. so filling, yet healthy. I hope I win a copy of the cookbook, would love to try these recipes!
I’ve never cooked with lentils. I assume you used dried ones? If so, do they soften that quickly for this recipe? Thanks!
(I made the Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry from the DO cookbook tonight, and it was a hit!)
Yes, the are dried ones. And yes, because they are so small they will soften in about 45 minutes. I’m so glad you enjoyed the stir fry! 🙂
I made this earlier this week. My family LOVED it. My husband and I just began The Maker’s Diet, so we skipped the grilled cheese… but my kiddos loved that too (feels so much better using real ingredients like raw cheddar in lieu of processed American). I loved that the recipe is ready in a relatively short period of time…. tastes like it simmered on the stove all afternoon.
Thanks for the feedback. I’m so glad you all enjoyed it. The Maker’s Diet was one of the first books I read about traditional foods. It’s such a great resource!
This looks/sounds SO good! Thanks for posting it. I usually make a lentil stew/porridge with red lentils, carrots, onion, a little tomato paste, chicken stock and spices in the slow cooker (sometimes I sub butternut squash, rutabagas, or parsnips for the carrots.) But I love the idea of thinning it to make an actual soup, adding the crushed tomatoes, and esp adding the kale. Gotta try this soon, and I’ll definitely suggest it to my Iranian friend, who first taught me how to make red lentil ash (“ash” is Farsi for “stewp”) 😀
Can you use any other lentils beside ‘French’?
Green lentils would make for a nice substitute.
This is a fabulous soup! Made it yesterday and absolutely loved it. Took it to the office to share today, and the group was wild about it! Thanks so much!
Thanks for the feedback. I’m so glad you all enjoyed it! 🙂
What kind of kale should be used?
Any kind will work, but I prefer Lacinato.
This was SO GOOD!!! Perfect for a cold evening. My three year old gobbled hers up. I have a feeling the leftovers will be even better!
I think the wine should be mandatory though, not optional ;). I can’t imagine this without that subtle flavor!
Wow! Really, really good! I made this because of the comments that children liked it – and the beautiful picture – and guess what….my picky eater who never likes any lentil recipe ate it, twice!!! I loved that it’s a simple ingredient list, mostly things I have on hand, but so flavorful. I agree, the wine is not optional, it adds a lot of flavor. I switched up the ingredients just a tiny bit, and it was a great vegan dinner. Definitely a keeper. Thanks, Carrie
Can this be cooked in the slow cooker instead of on the stove?
wait, so lentils aren’t a grain? I guess I always associated them with grain, more like peas then?
Lentils are a legume. 🙂
I have made lots of lentil soups over the decades, and this might be the best ever… I made a few changes due to available items, but followed the spirit of the recipe. Subtly DELICIOUS. My boyfriend says it’s so good it’s like dinner, dessert, and everything good all in one. And so good for you, too.
So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂