$1 Lentil Soup Recipe: My Go-To Meal When Money’s Tight

$1 Lentil Soup Recipe: My Go-To Meal When Money’s Tight

Lentil soup recipe for under a dollar saved me countless times when I was stretching every penny.

I know the feeling when you’re staring at your bank account, wondering how to feed yourself or your family without breaking the bank. That knot in your stomach isn’t just from hunger – it’s from the stress of making every dollar count. I’ve been there, and this is the recipe that got me through those tough months.

KEY INFO

Total Cost: $6-8 for entire batch
Cost per portion: $0.75-1.00 (Very inexpensive)

Ingredient breakdown per portion:

• Lentils: $0.15
• Onion: $0.08
• Carrots/celery: $0.10
• Spices: $0.05
• Broth: $0.10 (free with water + bouillon)
• Oil: $0.05
• Optional vegetables: $0.15

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Servings: 8
Difficulty: Beginner-friendly
Dietary tags: Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, high-protein, high-fiber

EQUIPMENT NEEDED

Essential:

• Large soup pot (any heavy-bottomed pot works)
• Sharp knife
• Cutting board
• Measuring cups
• Wooden spoon

Cheaper alternatives:

• Use any large pot instead of Dutch oven
• Skip the immersion blender – mash with a fork for texture
• No ladle? Use a large spoon

INGREDIENTS

• 1½ cups (300g) brown or green lentils, rinsed and picked over
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (or any cooking oil you have)
• 1 large onion, diced (yellow onions are cheapest)
• 2 carrots, diced (or substitute with any root vegetable)
• 2 celery stalks, diced (leeks work too if on sale)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (or ½ teaspoon garlic powder)
• 8 cups (2 liters) water or vegetable broth (bouillon cubes + water = major savings)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme (oregano or basil work too)
• 1 bay leaf (optional but adds depth)
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (brightens everything up)

Optional add-ins:

• 2 cups chopped kale or spinach
• 1 can diced tomatoes (when on sale)
• 2 medium potatoes, cubed

METHOD

1. Heat oil in your large pot over medium heat.
2. Add onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Cook for 5-7 minutes until vegetables start to soften.
3. Stir in garlic, cumin, and thyme. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Add lentils and water or broth. Toss in the bay leaf if using.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover partially and cook for 25-30 minutes.
6. Check lentils at 25 minutes – they should be tender but not mushy. If they need more time, continue cooking and check every 5 minutes.
7. Remove bay leaf. Add any leafy greens now if using.
8. Taste and season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Start with ½ teaspoon salt and build up.
9. Serve immediately or let cool for storage.

CRUCIAL TIPS

Money-saving strategies:

• Buy lentils in bulk from warehouse stores or ethnic markets
• Use water + bouillon cubes instead of expensive cartons of broth
• Add whatever vegetables are on sale or about to go bad
• Make double batches and freeze half

Success secrets:

• Don’t skip the sautéing step – it builds flavor that water can’t provide
• Taste before adding salt – some broths are already salty
• Add lemon juice at the end to brighten the whole pot
• If soup gets too thick, thin with water or broth

Storage:

• Refrigerate up to 1 week in airtight containers
• Freeze for up to 3 months in portion-sized containers
• Soup thickens in the fridge – thin with water when reheating

Scaling tips:

• Double recipe easily in a large pot
• Halve for smaller households
• Recipe feeds 8 generously or 4 people for 2 meals

Common mistakes I’ve learned from:

• Oversalting early (can’t take it back)
• Cooking lentils too hard – they’ll turn to mush
• Forgetting the acid (lemon juice) – it makes everything taste brighter

Variations That Keep It Under $1

• Mediterranean style: Add canned tomatoes and oregano
• Curry-spiced: Swap cumin for curry powder
• Hearty winter: Add diced potatoes and extra carrots
• Green goddess: Stir in spinach or kale during last 5 minutes

I started making this soup during a particularly tight month when I was building EatHealthier.co.uk. My grocery budget was £20 a week, and I needed meals that would stretch. This soup became my lifeline – filling, nutritious, and so cheap I could eat it every day without guilt.

The beauty of lentil soup lies in its forgiveness. No two batches are exactly the same, and that’s perfectly fine. Use what you have, skip what you don’t, and trust that this humble combination will nourish you without emptying your wallet.

Price level per portion: Very inexpensive – This is as budget-friendly as nutritious cooking gets.