Thick, hearty, and filled with a variety of fragrant spices, my curry lentil soup has a little taste of warmth and “magic” in every spoonful. Prepared with finely diced veggies and finished with a splash of rich coconut cream, this warmly spiced soup enlivens the taste buds and comforts the soul!
Curry Lentil Soup, a Little Taste of Magic
Whenever I open up my precious little spice cabinet, I often marvel with a grateful heart at the rows and rows of fragrant, delicious “powders” that it contains within it.
For a “kitchen alchemist” such as myself, a cook, these spices are my magical ingredients, those things that when sprinkled into a pan or a pot in just the right amounts, make a dish utterly come alive and invigorate the one partaking of it on many different levels.
Curry, turmeric and cumin are some of my favorite spices, as they bring not only intense flavor but also contribute a lovely, earthy color to a recipe. They also provide inner warm and comfort, and a sense of pleasure and well-being.
On such an occasion when my soul longs for something a bit magical, warming, and scrumptiously comforting that will nurture and nourish me from within, I go to that precious little spice cabinet, pull out several “magical powders”, and take pleasure in preparing this curry lentil soup, a hearty and cozy favorite of mine.
How to Make Curry Lentil Soup Brimming with Delicious Spices
The wonderful (and convenient) thing about lentils is that they cook up rather quickly in under 30 minutes typically, not requiring any soaking or pre-boiling.
For this curry lentil soup recipe I like to use red lentils, which look quite orange in the bag when dry, but turn a pale yellow once cooked, lending a warm hue to this soup that works well with the yellow curry and turmeric.
To prepare the lentils, I simply rinse them in a fine mesh strainer under cold water, and pick through them to check for any little debris or stones which may have slipped through during the processing of the lentils.
As for the fragrant spices I use in this cozy soup, I opt for some yellow curry powder, golden turmeric, cumin, paprika, black pepper and a pinch of white pepper.
This combination of aromatic spices infuses the soup with just the right amount of kick, as well as a deep earthy flavor.
Here’s a little glance at the steps for my curry lentil soup recipe:
- I add a little ghee (clarified butter) or coconut oil to my soup pot, and once hot, I add in my diced veggies; once softened, I sprinkle in my spices and some garlic, and stir those in just until they become aromatic.
- Next, I add in my rinsed lentils and my chicken stock/broth, cover things with a lid, and allow the soup to gently simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender and split, and the soup thickened.
- To finish the soup, I add in the coconut cream and fresh cilantro leaves, and serve with warm naan bread on the side.
Tips & Tidbits for my Curry Lentil Soup:
- Ghee or coconut oil for flavor: Ghee can typically be found in the oils section of the market quite readily these days. It is clarified butter, most used in Indian cuisine, and has a high smoke point and delicious flavor. If you prefer to go dairy-free, or would just like to underscore the coconut flavor in this soup, opt for coconut oil instead.
- Vegetarian or vegan curry lentil soup: To make this soup either vegetarian or completely vegan, use coconut oil and substitute vegetable stock/broth for the chicken. Super easy and delicious!
- Added protein: To make this soup a bit heartier and packed with more protein, feel free to add some shredded/diced chicken to the mix. I like rotisserie chicken for convenience, and add it to individual bowls, as desired.
Feast your eyes on these, or just jump to the recipe:
Recipe
Curry Lentil Soup
by Ingrid Beer
Print RecipeYield: Serves 6
Nutrition Info: 269 calories
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter), or coconut oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced
- 1 rib celery, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
- Salt
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Pinch white pepper
- 1 pound split red lentils
- 6 cups chicken stock, hot
- 1/2 (14 ounce) can coconut cream
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves
Preparation:
- Place a pot over medium-high heat, and add in the ghee; once hot, add in the onion, carrot and celery, and saute for about 5-6 minutes, until slightly tender.
- Add in the garlic, curry powder, turmeric, cumin, smoked paprika and black pepper, and stir to combine; once aromatic, add in the lentils and stir to blend, followed by the chicken stock.
- Cover the soup and allow it to gently simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until lentils are tender and soup is slightly thickened.
- Finish the soup by stirring in the coconut cream and the cilantro, and serve with warm naan bread, if desired.
Hungry for more fragrantly spiced recipes? Check out this Cauliflower Curry, this Cashew Chicken, this Lentil Soup, this Spiced Chickpea Soup, or this Chorizo Soup!
Cook’s Note: This recipe was originally posted in 2014, and has been updated with even more love!
Nice soup. Thank you.
Thanks so much, Liz!
Oh my gosh, I made this soup in the am for lunch , my kitchen was so fragrant , I tried a bowl and…I had to have a bit more, it’s wonderful , thank you so much for this recipe , my husband and are in our 60s and are changing the bread meat and potatoes in for healthful eating ,this is our go to soup 🙂 Namaste:)
Hi Carol, I’m so exited that you and your husband tried this soup! So comforting and hearty, isn’t it? That’s great that the two of you that you are incorporating healthier eating habits, and that this soup recipe will be one of your go-to’s! 🙂 Namaste to you, too!!
Another great recipe from The Cozy Apron. I’m eating this tonight while I’m writing this comment and it is so delicious. I’m serving it with hot garlic naan bread.
Marina, how very kind of you to say that! So thrilled that you’re enjoying this soup, and with the garlic naan, to boot! Thanks so much for sharing with me—I’m happy you’re enjoying some of the recipes!
thank you so much-this soup is perfect!!
Thanks so much, Brittany!
Is coconut cream the same as coconut milk?
Hi Heather, coconut cream is thicker and creamier. Typically, you can find it in the section where the coconut milk is; but if you can’t, you can just add coconut milk, or the thicker, cream-at-the-top found at the top of the can (but don’t shake the can!).
Thank you! I couldn’t find coconut cream. Lots of varieties of coconut milk though so I just bought one of the full-fat ones and will use the thicker part from the top of the can. I have this soup planned for the weekend!
Perfect, Heather! Enjoy!
Heather…Sometimes found in the supermarket where they sell Liquor.
Wow! Just made this. The only thing I did was double the amount of garlic (because we’re anti social people so it doesn’t matter!) but my husband adored it as well as myself.
My husband loves curry anything but this is SO going on our top soups list. I also love how there is next to little prep work (especially if you have a food processor to chop things up fast) and it doesn’t take that long to cook but the amount of flavour in this is amazing. Thank you so much!
Hi Holly, so glad you guys enjoyed! I think doubling the garlic is great—we actually love a lot in ours, too, but wanted to go “medium” level for others. 🙂 Thank you for your comments!
Did you use red lentils? The bowl of soup is green. Can I use green lentils in your
recipe? I desperately need to eat healthier and the curried vegetables recipe will be my first attempt. Thank you
Hi Joanna! Yes, these are actually the “red” lentils (they look bright orange before they’re cooked). As they cook their color becomes a bit more muted, and pale gold. But you can use the grey/green lentils, instead—sure! Congrats on healthier eating; I think you’ll really enjoy this recipe! 🙂
Did you use dried lentils or canned? Sorry, Im no lentil pro 😉
Hi Cher, dried lentils. 🙂
Seems a lot of lentils.. am working in grams..and converts into 453.59
Is that the right amount..?
Thank you Lisa
Hi Lisa, yes, 1 pound of dried lentils is the correct amount, and that does convert to 453.59 grams.
I’m wondering if this will work well in the slow cooker ? Might give it a go 🙂
Hi Aneika, I don’t use a slow cooker and so I’m not certain as to the adjustments needed for the recipe when using one, but if you’re proficient, I’d definitely tell you to try this recipe out! Really comforting.
I made this in my slow cooker by basically dumping everything in and having it on high for around 4-6 hours then adding coconut cream. Made it 3 times now it’s currently my favourite soup recipe!
Hi Aneika, thanks for the info! Glad you’re enjoying!
Hi Aneika! I made this in the slow cooker on low for 8 hrs and then pureed it and it turned out beautifully. Not sure if it would be overly mushy without pureeing, I generally convert soup recipes to the slow cooker and do 4 hrs high or 8 hrs low. I generally puree them so no worries about mushy veggies. I’m a vegetarian so not sure how to convert soup with meat, but this one worked 😀
Is it really 1 lb of dried lentils? That seems like a lot when you’re using only 6 cups of broth.
Hi Marie, yes—it really is 1 pound of lentils. Since the soup only simmers for about 20 minutes, the consistency you end up with is what you see in the photos: a nice, hearty, and thicker consistency soup. But if you’re still skeptical, by all means—prepare according to your preference. 😉
I’m cooking for a vegetarian friend. Could you sub vegetable broth for the chicken broth?
Hi Margret, yes, of course! Please make according to needs. 🙂
Hi the soup is delicious but the coconut cream at the end–is it the cream of coconut (looks clear and is very sweet).. My husband said cream of cocnut was the wrong thing that is used for pina coladas and it was too sweet. Thank goodness I didn’t put it in the entire batch!
Hi Sandy, it should not be sweet like that at all! Typically coconut cream is in the section where you find coconut milk, usually in the Asian food section; it’s just a little more concentrated and rich, more like when you find cream at the top of certain types of organic whole milk, etc. Glad you didn’t use the pina colada variety, lol! And if you can’t find it, you can easily just scrape the thick, creamy part from the top of a can of coconut milk, just don’t shake it. 😉
Excellent pantry-ingredient soup. I used frozen homemade, salt-free chicken stock, added 1/2 t sweet paprika (only because I like it so much) as well as the hot smoky paprika and used coconut milk (no coconut cream in the pantry). Healthy, quick, flavourful. It checks all the boxes! Thanks!
Hi Bev, that’s wonderful…so glad you found some comfort in the recipe!
Thanks for the delicious lentil soup….but what is the dollop of white garnish in the picture? Sour cream or coconut cream? I wonder if coconut milk instead of coconut cream would work in the recipe and use the entire can, rather than half?
Thank you again, really enjoyed the soup!
Hi Phyllis, it was a little extra coconut cream on top- but I’m so glad you enjoyed! Thanks so much for commenting! (And sure- you can certainly use coconut milk if you prefer.)
Hi! Would it be ok to use unsweetened coconut milk from the carton? I am out of canned coconut milk!
Hi Summer, it won’t be the same, but if that’s all you’ve got, feel free to use it! Just know it won’t have that thicker, creamier consistency.
One of my girlfriends made this for our soup swap and it was insane. SO good. She pointed me in your direction for the recipe, which I can’t wait to try. But I have a question: Did you soak the lentils first or did you just throw them in dry?
Hi Raina, so glad you enjoyed the soup! And no—no pre-soaking required, easy-peasy. Just give the lentils a rinse and a pick-through, and add ’em in. Hope you enjoy preparing the recipe!
When you say pick through what do you mean?
Hi Bianca, sometimes a bag of lentils can have little pebbles or debris in with them; so it’s always recommended to “sort through” them with your fingers, just to pick out anything that seems like it doesn’t belong 😉 .
Hi can you freeze this soup?
Hi Chelle, I haven’t personally tried it, but I don’t see why not! Should be fine!
I have made this wonderful soup many times and it freezes beautifully.
Margaret, thanks so much for commenting! I’m thrilled you’ve been enjoying the soup, and I’m grateful you passed along the info about freezing it!
This recipe is our family’s absolute favorite. I add cayenne pepper and a jalapeño because we like HEAT! It is phenomenal and I have impressed many tough critics. Thank you sooo much for sharing, very kind of you.
Hi Amanda, I’m so happy to read that the recipe has impressed some “tough critics”, lol! 😄So glad you’ve been enjoying it. I love that you’re adding extra “heat”—we do that, too, as we also like things spicy in our kitchen. 😉 Thanks for sharing!
Heading to the grocery store tomorrow. Unfortunately I don’t have all these awesome ingredients on hand. So excited to give this a try🙌
Hi BJ, I’m excited you’re making this, too! Hope you have fun preparing it, and that you get a lot of comfort & enjoyment eating it! 🙌🏻😉
Our family just loves this soup! Our daughter is 3 and has been eating this since she was a baby! I start making it once everyone starts getting colds. Thank you for this easy yummy recipe!
Lauren, that just just made this mommas heart leap! I’m so, so honored that your little one (as well as the rest of the family) enjoys this soup so much! It’s precious to me she’s been eating it since she was a baby ❤️. Thank you so much for sharing that with me, and may you all continue to receive comfort & coziness from this soup for many years to come!
I tried this today, using green lentils (that’s all I had in the pantry), and it turned out great. Not as pleasing a colour as it would be with the red lentils, I’m sure, but still yummy.
Thanks for a nice recipe!
Hi Lindsay, that’s great that you made good use of those lentils you already had in the pantry—waste not, want not, right? All that matters is that the soup turned out so well for you, and that you were comforted & enjoyed the recipe! Thanks so much for sharing your experience.
Hello, Ingrid from Lake Orion–
I loved your beautiful description of this soup. So I will try making it for my erudite French-speaking lunch bunch this coming week. It sound perfect for our very chilly fall here in SE Michigan. I will let you know how it was received!
Hi Suzie from SE Michigan!
Hope you all enjoy the soup—I think it’ll be a really comforting lunch, perfect for a cool fall day!
Awesome! Added extra garlic and some cayenne. Upped the curry. Used the top (thick) half of a can of coconut milk. Will get making this A LOT this winter!!!! Thanks! ♥️🍲
Lisa, extra garlic and cayenne are totally the way to go, as well as that good cream from the top of the can. Lots of extra flavor and spice, my personal favorite!
So glad this is a keeper for you, and I hope you do enjoy it many, many times this winter!
Hi there…can you tell me how many cups are equal to a pound of lentils…even an estimate? Thankyou
Hi Sandy, about 2 1/3 cups. 😉
I love this soup! I make it a once in awhile. I would love to incorporate into my meal planning. Do you have the nutritional information for the soup. Just basic info like amount of grams for protein, carbs, and fat for 1 1/2 cups. Thank you!
Hi Andrea, I can tell you that the calories are 269 per serving. Hope that helps!