It's soup day here on WGC and this Curry Lentil Soup is going to go right up there with your other favs like Chicken Tortilla Soup, Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili, and Potato Leek Soup I can guarantee it! No questions asked!
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
Soups are an essential part of the next few months. And we are solid when it comes to soups here on WGC over in the soup section - but one that kept popping up from your requests was a lentil soup! I'll be honest, I was hesitant at first because I was somewhat skeptical of lentils as a kid - but mix it with coconut milk and curry and a TON of garlic and ginger and I could eat this lentil soup every day.
This Curry Lentil Soup is the perfect soup no matter who you're feeding. It's naturally vegan, incredibly filling and packed with flavor from the curry and the coconut milk. All in all... it's perfection. And, if this soup is on your rotation and want to try something similar, try the curry coconut noodle soup, which is also delicious.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Coconut Oil
- Yellow Onion
- Red Bell Pepper
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Curry Powder red, yellow or green curry powders all work
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Lentils you can use any color lentils you have on hand
- Canned Crushed Tomatoes
- Cilantro feel free to sub for chives or basil
- Salt and Pepper
- Unsweetened Coconut Milk
- Limes
*For a full list of ingredients and instructions please see recipe card below.
How to Make Curry Lentil Soup
Step 1: Heat the oil in a medium dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and sauté, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
Step 2: Add garlic, ginger, curry powder, and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Step 3: Add the lentils and cook for about 1 minute more, stirring occasionally.
Step 4: Add tomatoes, cilantro, 2½ cups water and season with salt and pepper. Set aside a few tablespoons of the coconut milk and add remaining coconut milk to dutch oven.
Step 5: Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce heat to simmer, stirring occasionally, until lentils are soft but not mushy, 20-25 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
How to Store Curry Lentil Soup
You can store this soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. When time to eat, warm it in the microwave or on stovetop in a saucepan till its warmed through.
How to Freeze Curry Lentil Soup
You can freeze this soup for about 3 months in airtight container. It would be much easier if you pre-portioned before freezing. This way you can just thaw as much as you need overnight and just warm it through in a microwave or stovetop when its time to eat.
Tips & Tricks
You can use any color lentils you have on hand for this lentil soup recipe! And some goes for curry powder... red, yellow and green all work in this recipe interchangeably! The rest is pretty self explanatory. If you're anti-cilantro then use some chives or basil on top! Just promise me that you won't forget to garnish with the lime juice. That fresh pop of flavor really makes this lentil soup sing!
FAQs
Why is my lentil soup not thick?
It's usually because too much liquid was added or the lentil soup did not simmer long enough for the lentils to absorb all of the cooking liquid.
Can I use any lentils?
Yes, you can use any type of lentils you have on hand. Just keep in mind that cooking time may vary depending on the type of lentils.
Similar Recipes
If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today
Curry Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 yellow onion finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper finely chopped
- 8 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 2 ½ inch piece of ginger peeled and finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¾ cup lentils
- 14.5 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- ½ cup cilantro finely chopped, plus more for garnish
- kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 13.5 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
- lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a medium dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and sauté, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
- Add garlic, ginger, curry powder, and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the lentils and cook for about 1 minute more, stirring occasionally.
- Add tomatoes, cilantro, 2½ cups water and season with salt and pepper. Set aside a few tablespoons of the coconut milk and add remaining coconut milk to dutch oven.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce heat to simmer, stirring occasionally, until lentils are soft but not mushy, 20-25 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- To serve, divide soup among bowls. Drizzle with reserved coconut milk and top with plenty of cilantro. Serve with lots of lime wedges.
Such great flavor and an easy recipe!
This has been on the regular rotation in our house for a long time. Easy, delicious, and cheap. Great if you are looking to try vegetarian dishes. Freezes beautifully!
Made this tonight using brown lentils. So good!
This was so easy and good!
I have a bag of lentils and now know what we are having for dinner tomorrow!!!
Made this for dinner tonight. So good! Thanks!
Gaby,
Are these fresh or canned lentils?
uncooked - from a bag
I wonder what a serving size equals in ounces? I want to track my nutrients - especially calcium and protein.
I have made a similar recipe using the same amount of coconut milk. I love curry lentil soup and would enjoy this recipe as well as another one I have used. Adding potatoes and carrots and approximately a 14 oz can of diced tomatoes and more Indian spices are the differences.
Thank you for this! Whole fam loves recipe as is.
Sounds delicious, but I’m confused by the amounts of coconut milk (113 ounces?) and the crushed tomatoes (114 ounces?). Crushed tomatoes usually come in either 15 or 28 ounce cans and I can’t believe itt would be 4+ 28 ounce cans of tomatoes! Help! And thanks - I love your recipes!
Hi Anne - its 1 13-ounce can and 1 14-ounce can. I just updated the recipe so it's a bit easier to read
Hi Gaby, made this soup last night - really yummy! My new favorite thing now Red Lentils! Just made a Red Lentil Hummus too! Thanks for all of your wonderful recipes! Never have not liked one!
Hi Gaby,
I absolutely love making this soup and I'm making a list of freezer friendly meals for when my baby is due in early October. Would you consider this recipe freezer friendly? I wasn't sure how the lentils will hold once frozen.
Thank you!
sure do!!
I didn't have bell peppers, but I did have butternut squash--holy moly wowowow so good
We make this ALL the time. It’s my one year olds favorite too. Sometimes I add in carrot and celery if have on hand. I usually stir in Greek yoguRt to serve to baby and my husband and I love it with the green yogurt you! Love this recipe! Thank you! Delicious with Trader Joe’s frozen naan.
Excellent soup! I only made a few tweaks because I didn’t have certain ingredients. I used a cilantro paste and a ginger paste. Both the pastes can be used as fresh measurements (1T paste = 1T of fresh). The ginger was a guess how much a 2 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger chopped would be tablespoon wise. Can anyone give me an estimate? I also omitted the red pepper flakes (I didn’t have any) and I added more curry. Serving it with the coconut milk drizzle and squeeze of lime is a must! It’s definitely a keeper and will be made routinely.