Go Back
+ servings
Overhead view of a bowl of curry lentil soup swirled with coconut milk

Cozy Curry Lentil Soup

5 from 7 votes
Emily Dixon, One Lovely Life
This cozy Curry Lentil Soup recipe is perfect for cold weather and cozy days in. It'll warm you up from the inside out!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Print Pin
Servings: 10 cups soup
Calories: 286kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil
  • 1 onion diced (about 1 cup)
  • 2 carrots diced (about 1 cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh ginger
  • 1 Tablespoon yellow curry powder I use regular/mild
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt plus more, to taste
  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper (1/16-1/8 teaspoon)
  • 1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (13 oz.) can full-fat coconut milk
  • 5 cups veggie broth (or chicken broth, if not vegan)
  • 1 pound red lentils, sorted and rinsed* (about 2 cups)
  • 5 oz. fresh spinach roughly chopped
  • 1/4-1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro plus, additional for garnish, if desired
  • Lime wedges optional
  • 1-2 Tablespoons additional coconut milk or plain yogurt dairy or non-dairy as needed for garnish.

Instructions

  • Cook Veggies. In a Dutch oven or soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and carrots and cook 5-7 minutes, or until crisp-tender.
  • Build Flavor. Add garlic, ginger, curry powder, salt, and cayenne. Stir and cook 1 minute, until fragrant. Add tomato sauce, coconut milk, and veggie broth to the pot and stir to combine.
  • Rinse & Sort Lentils. If you haven't already, sort and rinse your lentils,* then add them to your soup pot.
  • Simmer. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer the soup (stirring occasionally) about 20-25 minutes, stirring or until lentils are tender and the soup has thickened.
  • Finish. Turn off the heat and stir in the spinach and cilantro. The residual heat from the soup will wild the leaves within 1-2 minutes. Taste and add additional salt, as desired.
  • Serve & Store. Enjoy bowls of soup with lime wedges, a dollop of yogurt or a drizzle of coconut milk, and additional cilantro as desired. Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge 3-4 days, or freeze up to 2 months. 

Notes

  • HOW TO SORT & RINSE LENTILS: Pour lentils into a fine mesh sieve and pick out any damaged, or discolored lentils and discard them. Then, rinse the lentils under water for about 1 minute before adding to your recipe.
  • SOUP TOO THICK? Lentil soup continues to thicken as it cools and sits. Feel free to add a splash of water or broth to thin it out to your liking!

Video

Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: best lentil soup, curry lentil soup, lentil soup, lentil soup recipe, vegan lentil soup

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup Soup | Calories: 286kcal | Carbohydrates: 35.9g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 10.5g | Saturated Fat: 8.3g | Sodium: 222.5mg | Potassium: 683.4mg | Fiber: 6.9g | Sugar: 2.9g | Vitamin C: 11.9mg | Calcium: 64.3mg

Nutrition facts are an estimate only and will vary based on brands and amounts used.