This tasty lentil curry soup combines a rich tomato broth, creamy coconut milk, and a satisfying mixture of lentils and veggies. It's easy to make and perfect to make a big batch to reheat later in the week.
Adding more vegetarian meals to your table is a great way to reduce how meat you eat which is great for the planet and your health! This coconut lentil curry soup makes this transition easy!
It's so full of flavor and super satisfying that no one will complain there's no meat in it. Want to explore more easy ways to eat meatless? Mediterranean lentil salad and this artichoke and spinach galette are favorites around our house!
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Why You Will Love Coconut Curry Lentil Soup
- Great flavor! It's sweet, spicy, fragrant and really quite delicious.
- Mostly hands-off cooking that way I can get dinner started but have time for other things while it cooks.
- Perfect for make ahead meals. It reheats great and you can even freeze it too.
- A tasty way to introduce more vegetarian dishes to your family dinners.
Ingredients
The ingredient list for curry lentil soup recipe requires mostly pantry staples and a few items of fresh produce. Here are the highlights of what you will need to make it.
- Oil: I prefer using olive oil but you can also use coconut oil, ghee, or another healthy neutral oil.
- Veggies and aromatics: The combination of onions, carrots, red bell pepper, and minced garlic lay down a nice base of flavors while also providing some chunky bits of vegetables in the soup. You can also add in a cup of chopped celery and cook it at the same time as the other veggies.
- Fresh and dry spices: You will need to have curry powder and turmeric in your spice cabinet along with some fresh ginger.
- Lentils: Brown or green lentils work great. These lentils hold their shape well giving the soup a nice hearty texture.
- Tomatoes: Canned crushed tomatoes add more depth of flavor to the broth of your curry lentil soup.
- Liquid: The lentils cook in vegetable broth and then coconut milk is added which lightly sweetens the soup ever so slightly and makes it ultra creamy.
- Topping: Chopped cilantro adds a pop of flavor and brightness when serving.
How to Make Curry Lentil Soup
Are you ready to get started making this coconut curry lentil soup? Here's an overview of the steps involved but you will find detailed instructions in the recipe card.
- Prep up all your vegetables and gather the ingredients you need to prepare this recipe.
- Heat your enameled cast iron pan over medium heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, and carrots and sauté for 5-7 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
- Stir in the garlic and spices and cook 2-3 minutes. This releases the fragrance of them and makes it taste more flavorful.
- Stir in the lentils, broth, water, and crushed tomatoes. Bring it to a boil and reduce the heat to low.
- Continue cooking until the lentil are tender. Give it a stir occasionally so it doesn't burn on the bottom.
- Add the coconut milk and cook until heated through.
- Serve and top with cilantro if you are using it.
What to Serve With Coconut Curry Lentil Soup
Not sure what else to serve for dinner?
- Naan, pita, or other flatbread is my favorite bread to serve with this soup. Sourdough is also one I love!
- Make some spinach roti, an Indian flatbread. It's perfect for scooping up bites of soup.
- Other breads that would go well are this cheesy Dutch oven bread, whole wheat dinner rolls, or garlic herb dinner rolls.
Add a simple salad such as this fruit and microgreens salad or strawberry basil salad.
Expert Tips
- For a little added heat, sometimes I will add in ½-1 ½ teaspoons crushed red pepper.
- I cannot serve this soup without the cilantro topping, but if you aren't into cilantro, omit it!
- Make sure you use canned coconut milk for the best flavor. The beverage in carton isn't as rich and creamy.
- Store leftovers after completely cooled, in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days or in the freezer for up to three months.
- Reheat thawed soup in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stove over medium heat. You may need to add more vegetable broth if the soup thickens while stored.
- Cut the veggies into small pieces so they cook simultaneously as the lentils.
FAQs
Yes, you can! Red lentils will make the soup more creamy as they usually fall apart when cooked whereas brown lentils stay intact. They will also require a shorter cooking time.
No, it isn't necessary to soak lentils. They are a quicker cooking legume so this step isn't necessary.
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Lentil Curry Soup
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 2 cups chopped carrots
- 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 cup lentils brown or red lentils are what I usually prefer
- 1 14.5 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 4 cups water
- 1 13.5 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
- 2 cups cilantro for topping
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat your enameled cast iron pan over medium heat. Add in the onions, bell peppers, and carrots and sauté for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
- Stir in the garlic and spices and cook 2-3 minutes.
- To this, stir in the lentil, broth, and crushed tomatoes.
- Bring it to a boil and reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Continue cooking, being sure to stir occasionally so it doesn't burn on the bottom. Mine took about 45 minutes. Once the lentils are tender, stir in the coconut milk.
- Serve and top with cilantro if you are using.