Brits are saving £12 a week with this 4-ingredient autumn soup: could 49p fill your bowl today?

As heating bills rise and lunches shrink, kitchens across Britain are turning to soup pots for cheaper weekday comfort warmth.

One budget recipe is quietly winning the season: a four-ingredient lentil soup coming in at about 49p a portion, with enough for the whole household.

Why a four-ingredient pot is winning autumn

With grocery costs squeezing wallets, a simple pot that feeds six or seven for under £3.50 has obvious pull. The version winning fans relies on four supermarket staples — onion, carrots, leeks and red lentils — and a stock cube if you have one. Shoppers say it takes under 15 minutes to prep, then simmers away while you get on with the evening.

Headline numbers: roughly £3.48 for the ingredients at a discount supermarket, working out at around 49p per portion.

Beyond the savings, the soup fits busy routines. It batch-cooks well, freezes cleanly and reheats reliably. For parents juggling clubs and homework, or commuters watching the clock, that matters more than any showy garnish.

The core method, no fuss

Four ingredients, one pot

Chop an onion, five carrots and two leeks. Soften them gently in a splash of oil. Rinse 100g of red lentils, stir them through for a minute, then pour over boiling water or stock to your preferred thickness. Simmer until the lentils collapse and the carrots turn tender — around an hour on a low bubble. Season, then blend smooth or leave rustic. Finish with parsley if you have it, and bread if you want a cheap side.

The base doesn’t change: onion, carrots, leeks and red lentils. Everything else is optional.

What the money actually looks like

Price tags move weekly, but the basket below mirrors what shoppers report paying at a major discounter this month. Quantities assume you buy whole packs and use the amounts listed for one batch.

That puts a generous bowl at roughly 49p–58p depending on whether you ladle six or seven portions. Prices vary by region and store, but the overall picture is consistent: this is lunchbox-friendly food at pocket change.

Nutrition and what you actually get

Red lentils bring plant protein and fibre; the veg add sweetness, carotenoids and potassium. Using 100g dried lentils across seven bowls gives a modest protein lift — roughly 3–4g per serving from the lentils alone — which rises if you pair the soup with seeded bread or add an extra handful of lentils. Carrots and leeks contribute vitamin A precursors and prebiotic fibre that support gut health.

Make it heartier by bumping lentils to 150g. Cost per bowl rises by pence, fullness rises by miles.

A typical serving lands near 120–180 kcal before bread, depending on how much oil and stock you use. It’s light enough for an office lunch yet warming enough to stand in for dinner when the heating stays low.

Time, energy, and saving on the hob

Simmering for an hour sounds costly, but a gentle bubble on an induction hob can use around 0.4–0.6 kWh, or roughly 12–18p at the current unit rate, and often less on gas. There are ways to shave that down further:

• Use a lid and the smallest burner that fits your pot to cut energy loss.
• Bring to the boil on high, then cook low and slow; lentils don’t need a rolling boil.
• Try a pressure cooker: 10–12 minutes at pressure delivers the same tenderness with lower energy use.
• Slow cooker set to low: 4–5 hours while you’re out, with minimal oversight.

Make it yours without blowing the budget

Flavour upgrades for 20–50p

• A pinch of cumin, coriander or smoked paprika added with the lentils for a warmer base.
• A splash of lemon juice at the end to lift the sweetness of carrot and leek.
• A swirl of yoghurt, or a spoon of tahini, for creaminess without cream.
• Chilli flakes or harissa if you prefer heat.

Prefer chunkier veg? Dice larger and skip the blender. Want café-style smoothness? Blend fully and thin with extra stock for a silkier finish.

Storage, batch-cooking and food safety

Cool the pot within two hours. Refrigerate portions for up to three days, or freeze for as long as three months in labelled tubs. Reheat until piping hot throughout, stirring well — especially if it’s a thicker blend. Rinse red lentils before cooking to remove dust and help the broth stay bright. Check stock cubes for allergens such as celery and gluten if dietary needs apply.

How it fits a weekly plan

A Sunday batch covers weekday lunches and can be stretched into two dinners with bread or toasties. For families, doubling the lentils to 200g lifts protein and keeps the cost per portion comfortably below £1. Students can split a pot with housemates and still spend less than a coffee on each serving.

Six to seven bowls from one pot, a freezer full of backups, and lunch sorted for under £3.50.

If you have extra veg to hand

The base welcomes offcuts: celery ends, half a pepper, a lonely potato or the tail of a butternut squash. Add them after the onion softens and cook until tender. The soup stays balanced because carrot and leek bring natural sweetness while lentils thicken the broth.

Useful add-ons and smart swaps

For a gluten-free bowl, use a suitable stock cube and pair with baked potatoes instead of bread. For a higher-protein option, stir through canned chickpeas in the last 10 minutes, or finish with grated cheddar on each bowl. If you’re cutting sodium, choose low-salt stock and season with herbs and lemon.

If you’re tracking spending, multiply the batch across a month of workdays. Four pots at 49p per portion can cover 24–28 lunches for around £14–£16, saving £50–£80 compared with bought soups and meal deals. That’s where the quiet magic sits: small, repeatable savings that still feel like comfort food when the weather turns.