Coconut Curry Lentil Soup (Print Version)
Hearty lentils simmered with coconut milk, curry, and spinach create a creamy, flavorful dish.
# What You Need:
→ Lentils & Legumes
01 - 1 cup dried red lentils, rinsed
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 medium carrots, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
06 - 4 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
07 - 1 medium tomato, diced or 1 cup canned diced tomatoes
→ Liquids
08 - 1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk, full fat or light
09 - 4 cups vegetable broth
10 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
→ Spices & Seasoning
11 - 1 tablespoon curry powder
12 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
13 - ½ teaspoon turmeric
14 - ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
15 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
16 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
17 - Juice of ½ lime
→ Garnish (optional)
18 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
19 - Lime wedges
# How to Make It:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and diced carrots, sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and grated ginger, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add curry powder, ground cumin, turmeric, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute while stirring to release aromas.
04 - Add diced tomato, rinsed red lentils, coconut milk, and vegetable broth. Stir well to incorporate all ingredients.
05 - Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally until lentils are tender and soup thickens slightly.
06 - Stir in chopped baby spinach and continue to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until spinach wilts.
07 - Incorporate lime juice, taste, and adjust seasoning as necessary.
08 - Serve hot, garnished with chopped fresh cilantro and lime wedges if desired.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- It tastes like slow food but comes together in under an hour, which feels like magic on busy nights.
- The coconut milk makes it creamy without dairy, and the spices warm you from the inside out.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day when the flavors have mingled and deepened.
02 -
- Rinse the lentils well before adding them or the soup can turn foamy and cloudy.
- Dont skip toasting the spices, that one minute step makes the difference between flat and deeply flavorful.
- Add the lime juice at the very end, heat kills its brightness.
03 -
- Use full fat coconut milk if you want the soup to feel indulgent, the richness is worth it.
- If your curry powder is old, it wont have much flavor, fresh spices make all the difference.
- For a silky texture, blend half the soup with an immersion blender before adding the spinach.