Curry Lentil Soup

5 from 1 vote

This hearty Curry Lentil Soup is packed with veggies, red lentils, bold spices, and creamy coconut milk for a cozy, flavor-packed meal!

Prep Time30

Cook Time40

Total Time1 10

Course: Condiment, Dinner, Side Dish, Soup, Vegetarian

Cuisine: Healthy, Indian, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword: Curry Lentil Soup

Servings: servings

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $7.61

Equipment

Large cast-iron pot

Ingredients

3 tablespoons coconut oil or butter
1 cup diced red onion 1/2 a large onion
2 cups thinly sliced carrots 3 large carrots
1 cup diced Yukon gold potatoes 1–2 potatoes
1-1/2 tablespoons finely minced garlic 3 cloves
1-1/2 tablespoons finely minced ginger 1-inch piece
1 tablespoon yellow curry powder see note 1
1-1/2 teaspoons paprika
1-1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
Salt and pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
3/4 cup red lentils see note 2
1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk full-fat, divided
3 cups vegetable stock or broth, see note 3
1 cup frozen sweet peas
Serving suggestions see note 4

US - Metric

Instructions

Measure the lentils and pick over to remove debris or shriveled lentils; add to a fine-mesh sieve, thoroughly rinse with cool water, and set aside. Prep the veggies: finely dice the onion and thinly slice carrots (cut thick carrots in half lengthwise first and thinly slice (to create half moons), dice potato (no need to peel if using Yukon gold) into 1/2-inch pieces. Cut carrot and potato small so they’ll cook in the right time. Finely mince garlic cloves and ginger.
Measure the coconut oil when solid and heat in a large cast-iron pot to medium-high heat. Add in onion, carrots, and potatoes. Sauté for 7–9 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden. Add garlic and ginger. Cook another 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly. Nothing should be overly browning or burning; if so, turn down the heat. If you aren’t using a cast-iron pot, cook times will be longer (cast iron holds heat better). While everything is cooking, measure out spices.
To the pot, add all the spices. Season with salt and pepper; I add 1 and 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1–2 minutes or until very fragrant. Add in the (undrained) tomatoes, reduce heat to medium, stir, and cook 2–3 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot to release any browned bits.
Vigorously shake the can of coconut milk. Open and remove 1/4 cup and set aside for later. Add vegetable stock, lentils, and remaining coconut milk to the soup. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and gently simmer, uncovered, for 15–20 minutes or until lentils and veggies are tender. Stir occasionally. Red lentils can get mushy if overcooked, so check at 15 minutes. If soup thickens too much, add a splash more broth/stock (I like this soup pretty thick!) and if it’s too thin (or lentils aren’t tender), increase the heat a bit to simmer at a slightly higher heat.
Remove from heat. Stir in the frozen peas and optional 1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro. Stir in the zest and juice of a lemon. Taste and adjust any seasonings; flavors should sing, so add extra salt, pepper, or lemon juice if needed.
Ladle into bowls and serve with lemon wedges. (I love lots of lemon in this soup!) Use a spoon to drizzle reserved 1/4 cup coconut milk onto the tops of bowls and sprinkle in toasted coconut flakes if desired. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Note 1: Garam masala and curry powder are a blend of a lot of spices, so they have a varied impact on how the soup tastes and its spiciness. For this soup, I use Private Selection Garam Masala Blend and Great Value Organic Yellow Curry Powder. (These brands keep everything very mild.)

Note 2: Use dried red lentils for this soup. While any brand works, I like Bob’s Red Mill best (not sponsored). There is no need to soak the lentils before adding to this soup. Red/orange lentils are more processed, break down quicker (about 15–20 minutes), and thicken the soup quite a bit. This recipe, for timing and flavor, relies on red lentils, so I don’t recommend a different type.

Note 3: I love Swanson’s vegetable stock best (not sponsored); you can use chicken stock if you aren’t vegetarian.

Note 4: Serving suggestions: Zest and juice of a lemon (3 tablespoons juice), 1/3 cup finely diced cilantro, and toasted coconut flakes.

Storage: Store this soup for 4–5 days in an airtight container in the fridge. It doesn’t freeze very well.

Nutrition