Curried Lentil Soup

This curried lentil soup is naturally vegan, boldly flavored, and extra comforting and nourishing. It's also super easy to make with budget-friendly ingredients - the perfect meal for a cold weeknight!

A bowl of this curried lentil soup will definitely warm you up on a chilly day! Made with a mix of veggies, lentils and coconut milk, this curry lentil soup is also nutritious and absolutely delicious.

It's also very easy to make with a simple blend of spices for loads of flavor. I like to make it with French green lentils, but you can make it with brown lentils, too.

This coconut curry lentil soup pairs well with a wide range of sides, including crusty bread, pita bread, naan and even freshly cooked basmati rice.

Why you'll love this curried lentil soup

• It's an extra nutritious soup packed with flavor that's perfect for a healthy lunch or even a light dinner.
• You can add any veggies you want and play with the spices to make the soup your own.
• It's a budget-friendly recipe!

What goes into this coconut lentil soup

Coconut oil - I like to sauté the veggies in some coconut oil, but you can substitute with any vegetable oil you like.

Onion, carrot and celery - This mix of veggies is the base of any good soup. Dice the veggies on the small side so they cook quickly.

Garlic and ginger - Freshly minced or grated garlic and ginger infuse this soup with loads of flavor. You can substitute with a garlic ginger paste if it's more convenient.

Jalapeño - Feel free to adjust the quantity depending on how spicy you want the soup. To make it extra fiery, don't deseed the jalapeño before adding it to the soup.

Spices - This is the type of soup that you can truly make your own by playing with the spices. I used a mix of ground cumin, ground coriander, garam masala and mild chili powder. To make it even easier, you can use 2-3 tablespoons of your favorite curry powder or curry paste instead.

French lentils - I like to use French lentils in this curried soup because they keep their shape better than other green lentils. Brown lentils are another good option here but don't use red lentils because they will turn to mush in this soup.

Vegetable stock - Use a low-sodium vegetable broth as needed in this curry lentil soup.

Coconut milk - A can of full-fat coconut milk is best for this curried lentil soup because it makes it extra creamy.

Baby spinach - You can substitute the baby spinach with other leafy greens such as kale or swiss chard.

Lemon - This is optional, but I highly recommend you try it. A splash of freshly squeezed lemon juice brightens the soup and enhances the curry flavors.

How to make coconut curry lentil soup

Heat the coconut oil in a heavy-bottomed pot and sauté the onion, carrot and celery for 8-10 minutes over medium heat until softened.

Stir in the garlic, fresh ginger and jalapeño and continue to cook for another minute.

Add the spices, stir to combine and cook for another minute.

Next, stir in the French lentils, vegetable stock and coconut milk. Stir to combine, bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes until the lentils are tender.

Stir in the baby spinach and simmer for another 1-2 minutes until wilted.

Add the lemon juice and fresh coriander, season to taste and serve hot with a slice of your favorite bread if you like.

Leftovers and storage

• Store any leftovers for up to five days in an airtight container.
• Reheat the soup in the microwave or on the stovetop.
• This curry lentil soup is suitable for freezing for up to 3 months.

Recipe notes and tips

• Make this curried lentil soup as spicy as you like by adding more jalapeño or stirring some cayenne pepper with the rest of the spices.
• Some other veggies you may add to this curried lentil soup include sweet potato, red pepper, diced tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower and butternut squash.
• Serve the soup topped generously with fresh cilantro or some coconut flakes.

If you liked this curried lentil soup recipe, you might also like some of my other easy veggie soup recipes:

• Spring Minestrone Soup
• Vegetable Stelline Soup
• Creamy Vegetarian Tortellini Soup
• Red Lentil Potato Soup with Lemon
• Greek Chickpea Soup with Lemon (Revithia)

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