Coconut Curry Lentil Soup

Easy Coconut Curry Lentil Soup is loaded with veggies, lentils, coconut milk, and curry spices for a flavor-packed vegan lentil soup recipe. It comes together in one pan in 35 minutes to make a healthy well-balanced meal. Gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan.

Raise your hand if you are a fan of curry 🙋🏻‍♀️🙋🏻‍♀️

Curry is one of my favorite foods and I will take it in any form you give it to me. And I’m always looking for a new way to incorporate it into our meals. Enter this easy plant-based coconut curry lentil soup!

I love this recipe so much because it’s so easy to make and will not disappoint with flavor. It comes together in about 35 minutes (including prep time) and you only need one pot. You can easily whip this up during a busy weeknight and have a cozy and nutritious meal with minimal effort.

It’s loaded with lentils, which I’m a huge fan of. Not only are they reasonable to buy, but they have a good source of plant-based protein. They also are full of complex carbs and fiber, helping slow down digestion and are good for the gut, and full of vitamins and minerals like B vitamins, iron, phosphorus, potassium, copper, manganese, zinc, and magnesium.

The ingredients to this curry lentil soup are basic things you have in your house, like lentils, canned tomatoes, coconut milk, broth, and spices. And then some simple veggies as well like carrots, onion, and bell peppers.

It makes a lot (8 cups) so you can serve it to a crowd as an appetizer, an entree for 4 people, or make it for meal prep. It keeps throughout the week and you can also freezes well for months down the road.

Coconut curry lentil soup

This healthy lentil soup recipe is loaded with veggies, is super comforting and filling, and makes a well-balanced and hearty plant-based meal packed with plant-based protein, healthy fats, complex carbs, and fiber.

Here is what you need:

• coconut oil
• garlic
• ginger
• curry powder
• ground turmeric
• onion
• carrots
• lentils
• bell peppers
• coconut milk
• canned diced tomatoes
• broth
• curry paste
• cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper

First, we want to toast the spices. This is a step that only takes about 30 seconds, but it helps really pump up the flavor. Add your oil to a large pan or Dutch oven and let it get hot. Then add the garlic, ginger, curry powder, and turmeric and mix into the oil. Toast for about 30 seconds – you can tell it’s done when they are fragrant.

Next, add your carrots and onion and mix well into the spice mixture. Add a couple of tablespoons of broth to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom. Saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.

Then add the lentils and mix well. Next add the remaining ingredients – bell pepper, coconut milk, diced tomatoes, broth, curry paste, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper – and mix well to combine and make sure nothing is stuck on the bottom.

Place the lid on the pan, leaving it just slightly ajar for the air to get in/out, and simmer for 25 minutes until the lentils are tender. That’s it! Serve with lime wedges (a must!) and whatever other toppings you enjoy!

This curry lentil soup is super thick and hearty, just the way I like soup. If needed, you can add some more broth or coconut milk to thin it out.

The best lentils to use for lentil soup

I suggest using brown or green lentils for lentil soup as they hold up, maintain their form, and have the best texture. While red lentils cook faster than brown and green, they tend to breakdown, disintegrate, and can get mushy. The flavor is there, but the texture is a little off.

I tested this soup with red and brown lentils and prefer using brown. If you only have red, feel free to use them, but they won’t need to cook as long and the texture will be a little softer.

Do lentils need to be soaked?

Unlike other legumes or pulses, lentils do not have to be soaked. Pick out any weirdly shaped pieces and then rinse under water to remove any dust or dirt until the water runs clear.

How to serve curry lentil soup

This soup is super hearty and filling on its own. I love to customize it with toppings each time we have it. Here are some of my favorite things to dress it up or serve with it.

• with a side of naan (you can also do your favorite bread)
• salad – soup and salad is the perfect combo
• sandwich – not your usual to-go for a curry soup, but would make a great addition
• toppings – lime wedges, green onion, cilantro, a drizzle of coconut milk, or yogurt

Lentil soup nutrition

I love lentils cause they make a great plant-based protein (with actually a decent amount of protein), are full of complex carbs and fiber, and have a good source of B vitamins, iron, phosphorus, potassium, copper, and manganese.

One cup of this coconut curry lentil soup is 271 calories with 11 grams of plant-based protein, 33 grams of complex carbs, 10.6 grams of healthy fats, and 6.4 grams of fiber. It makes a great side dish or you can increase the serving size for a full meal.

Meal prep and storage

Since this lentil soup makes a decent amount, it is great for meal prep! It will last in the fridge for 5 days in a tightly sealed glass container.

If you have extras that you can’t go through, it can be frozen. Allow soup to cool completely and then freeze in an airtight container (I love these weck jars) for up to 6 months. Defrost in the fridge, preferably overnight as it will take time to defrost. You can heat it up in the microwave or on the stove when ready to eat.

More healthy soup recipes

• Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup
• Curried Butternut Squash Soup
• Buffalo Chicken Soup
• Chicken Fajita Soup
• Roasted Red Pepper and Squash Soup
• Cheesy Chicken Soup (Dairy-Free)

4.25 from 8 votes

Coconut Curry Lentil Soup

Author: Kelly

Easy coconut curry lentil soup is loaded with veggies, lentils, coconut milk, and curry spices for a flavor-packed vegan lentil soup recipe. It comes together in one pan in 35 minutes to make a healthy well-balanced meal. Gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan.

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Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Calories: 271kcal

Protein: 11g

Carbs: 33g

Fat: 10.6g

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 cups

ingredients

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1/2 tablespoon ground turmeric
• 1 cup diced carrots (120 grams)
• 1 cup diced onion (120 grams)
• 1 1/2 cups brown lentils
• 2 cups diced bell pepper (about 1 large/205 grams)
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) full fat coconut milk
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes (I used petite diced tomatoes)
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon red curry paste
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper, to taste
• for toppings: lime wedges/juice, cilantro, coconut milk, yogurt...

instructions

• Heat a large dutch oven or nonstick pot over medium-low heat. Add oil and let it get hot, about 30 seconds. Add garlic, ginger, curry powder, and ground turmeric and toast the spices by stirring until fragrant and well combined, about 30 seconds. Careful not to let the garlic burn.
• Add carrots, onion, and salt and pepper and mix well into the spice mixture. Add a couple of tablespoons of broth (you can just take it from the total amount needed for the recipe) to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom. Saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
• Add the lentils and mix well. Then add the bell pepper, coconut milk, diced tomatoes, broth, curry paste, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper and mix well to combine and make sure nothing is stuck on the bottom. Place the lid on the pan, leaving it just slightly ajar for the air to get in/out. Simmer for 25 minutes until the lentils are tender.
• Serve with lime wedges (a must!) and additional toppings you enjoy!

notes

This curry lentil soup is super thick and hearty. If needed, you can add some more broth or coconut milk to thin it out.

nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Coconut Curry Lentil Soup

Amount Per Serving (1 cup)

Calories 271 Calories from Fat 95

% Daily Value*

Fat 10.6g16%

Saturated Fat 9.8g61%

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g

Monounsaturated Fat 0.3g

Potassium 504mg14%

Carbohydrates 33g11%

Fiber 6.4g27%

Sugar 5.8g6%

Protein 11g22%

Vitamin A 3785IU76%

Vitamin C 42mg51%

Calcium 40mg4%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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