Coconut Curry Lentil Soup (Printable Format)
Wholesome lentils with coconut and curry spices, enhanced by fresh spinach for a comforting meal.
# What You Need:
→ Base
01 - 1 tablespoon coconut oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
→ Spices
05 - 1 tablespoon curry powder
06 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
08 - 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
09 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
10 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Lentils and Liquids
11 - 1 cup dried red lentils, rinsed
12 - 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
13 - 4 cups vegetable broth
14 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
→ Vegetables
15 - 2 medium carrots, diced
16 - 1 medium tomato, diced (or 1 cup canned diced tomatoes, drained)
17 - 4 cups fresh baby spinach (about 3.5 oz)
→ Garnishes
18 - Fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
19 - Lime wedges (optional)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Heat coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and grated ginger; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Incorporate curry powder, ground cumin, turmeric, chili flakes, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring to release aromas.
04 - Add diced carrots and tomato. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - Add rinsed red lentils, coconut milk, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until lentils and carrots are tender.
06 - Stir in fresh baby spinach and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until wilted.
07 - Add fresh lime juice, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chopped cilantro and lime wedges if desired.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- It comes together in under an hour and requires nothing fancy—just honest cooking with ingredients that actually work together.
- The soup tastes even better the next day when the spices have settled in, making it perfect for batch cooking.
- One pot, minimal cleanup, and you end up with something nourishing enough to feel like real food.
02 -
- Don't skip rinsing the red lentils; it removes the starch that would otherwise make your soup gluey instead of creamy.
- The moment the spinach goes in is not the moment to walk away—it wilts so fast that if you're not watching, it can get overcooked and lose its color.
- Toasting the spices in oil for those few seconds is what separates this from tasting like a pale imitation of curry; it's worth being present for.
03 -
- If you want a thicker, creamier soup, use an immersion blender to blend about half of it once the lentils are tender—this gives you body without losing all the texture.
- Red lentils are forgiving and break down naturally, but if you prefer lentils with more bite, swap in green or brown lentils and add 5 to 10 minutes to the simmer time.