Quick, flavorful Coconut Red Lentil Soup. This one-pot wonder harmoniously blends Indian curry spices, creamy coconut milk, and zesty lime for a creamy soup that's rich in plant-based protein. Eat this as is or serve over rice, quinoa, or vegan naan. Make this delicious soup in 30 minutes or less.
If you love lentil recipes, make sure to check out my Yellow Lentil Dal, Instant Pot Red Lentil Soup, Easy Chickpea Lentil Coconut Curry and my post about How To Cook Red Lentils if you'd like more tips, next.
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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- Made in one pot and only takes 30 minutes to cook.
- Easy weeknight healthy dinner idea with zero cholesterol.
- Red lentils are full of nutrition and protein, easy to find, good for the soil and earth, and super affordable.
- Made with affordable, easy to find, staple ingredients.
- Great recipe every time of year, but especially during the colder months.
- Ideal for vegans and gluten-free folks.
🧂 Ingredients and substitutions
Red lentils - Also called masoor dal, in Indian cuisine. Red lentils are great to cook with because you don't need to soak them before hand, and they cook very quickly.
Seasonings - I use a mix of cozy spices like curry powder, chili powder or red pepper flakes (leave this out if you don't like things spicy), ginger powder (you can also use fresh ginger) and turmeric powder.
Vegetable broth - I keep my fridge stocked with vegetable bouillon paste because it's much more affordable than buying a box of vegetable broth.
Crushed tomatoes - if you don't have any on hand, you can just blend a can of diced or fire-roasted tomatoes to make crushed tomatoes. You can also use tomato paste instead. Just a tablespoon or two, and add a little more water to replace the crushed tomatoes.
Fresh cilantro - this is added to garnish and add a pop of flavor at the end.
Lime juice - I also garnish with a lime wedge. Lime juice helps to balance all of the earthy flavors of this soup and really makes everything pop. You can also use lemon juice.
Fresh garlic - you can use garlic powder if you don't have fresh garlic on hand.
Coconut oil - I like using coconut oil because it has a delicious flavor that goes really well with this red lentil coconut soup. But you can use any neutral tasting oil, like olive oil, or none at all if you'd like to keep this oil free.
Can of Coconut milk - I prefer to use light coconut milk because it will make this soup less thick and doesn't have as much of a coconut flavor. But feel free to use full fat coconut milk if you love that richness.
Onion - I prefer red onion because it has more flavor, but yellow onion also works.
Vegetables - I love using kale and carrots to keep this simple. Sweet potatoes would also be delicious in this.
👩🍳 Recipe tips
If you'd like a super creamy texture, use an immersion blender for 30 seconds to blend the soup.
Use soy sauce instead of salt to add a richer depth of flavor to vegan soups.
Toast the spices! Toasting the spices in a little oil for 30 seconds helps to deepen their flavor. Don't skip this step.
🔪 Directions
Make sure to scroll to the recipe card for full step-by-step instructions.
Step one: Add coconut oil to a large pot on medium heat. Add the diced red onion once the pan is hot. Sauté until the onions become slightly golden brown.
Step two: Add the curry powder and spices and toast them in the pan. Move the onions aside so the spices have room to toast. This enhances their flavors.
Step three: Add the vegetable stock, red lentils, chopped carrots and crushed tomatoes and stir well. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil, then turn down to medium-low heat and let the soup simmer for 15 minutes or until the lentils and carrots are cooked.
Step four: Stir in the chopped kale, then add in the canned coconut milk and lime juice. Top with fresh cilantro and lime wedges.
🌱 Serving suggestions
Serve this coconut red lentil soup as is, or over some Easy Homemade Quinoa, brown rice or white rice to make this a bit more filling. This also goes really well with vegan naan bread, chapati or even a Crispy Oven Baked Potato.
❓ Recipe FAQs
This soup will last about 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
Yes! This soup freezes really well. Make a big batch and freeze any leftovers in a freezer friendly bag that you're not going to eat right away. It will last up to three months in the freezer. Thaw it out in the fridge overnight, then heat it up on the stove.
Brown lentils will change the texture of this soup and add to the cooking time, if you're cooking them from scratch. If you want to use brown lentils, cook for about 30 minutes instead of 15-20 minutes. You may need to add more vegetable broth as well.
Yes! This is a great soup to cook in a pressure cooker. I added instant pot directions to the recipe card below.
Yes! It's always best to rinse your lentils before making soup. This will help get rid of any dirt or small stones in the lentils and will make your soup taste better.
🥄 More recipes to try
If you loved this recipe, leave a 5 ⭐️ rating on the recipe card and comment below!
📖 Recipe
Creamy Curry Coconut Red Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- ½ large red onion (diced)
- 2 tablespoons curry powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1 carrot (peeled and diced)
- 2 cups dry red lentils
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 4 cloves of garlic (minced)
- 15 ounces crushed tomatoes (one can)
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 15 ounces light coconut milk (one can) (or full fat)
- 1 cup of chopped kale
- ½ lime (juiced)
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
Instructions
Stove top directions
- Add oil to a large pot and heat on medium heat. Add the diced onions once the oil is heated up and sauté until golden brown.1 teaspoon coconut oil, ½ large red onion
- Move the onions to the side and add your spices and let them toast for 30 seconds. This will enhance their flavors. Stir the whole time.2 tablespoons curry powder, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon ginger powder
- Add the lentils, carrots, garlic, vegetable broth and crushed tomatoes and stir. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the lentils and carrots are cooked.1 carrot, 2 cups dry red lentils, 6 cups vegetable broth, 4 cloves of garlic, 15 ounces crushed tomatoes (one can)
- Add in the chopped kale and cilantro and let it wilt for 30 seconds. Pour in the coconut milk, soy sauce and lime juice and stir for 1 minute.1 teaspoon soy sauce, 15 ounces light coconut milk (one can), 1 cup of chopped kale, ½ lime, ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- Taste and add any extra salt or soy sauce as needed. Top with more fresh cilantro and lime wedges. Serve as is or over rice.
Instant pot directions
- Add oil to pressure cooker and heat on medium heat. Add the diced onions once the oil is heated up and sauté until golden brown.1 teaspoon coconut oil, ½ large red onion
- Move the onions to the side and add your spices and let them toast for 30 seconds. This will enhance their flavors. Stir the whole time.2 tablespoons curry powder, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon ginger powder
- Add the lentils, carrots, garlic, vegetable broth and crushed tomatoes and stir. Cover and set turn the knob to seal. Heat on high pressure for 3 minutes. Let is naturally release for 5 minutes then quick release.1 carrot, 2 cups dry red lentils, 6 cups vegetable broth, 15 ounces crushed tomatoes (one can), 4 cloves of garlic
- Add in the chopped kale and cilantro and let it wilt for 30 seconds. Pour in the coconut milk, soy sauce and lime juice and stir for 1 minute.1 teaspoon soy sauce, 15 ounces light coconut milk (one can), 1 cup of chopped kale, ½ lime, ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- Taste and add any extra salt or soy sauce as needed. Top with more fresh cilantro and lime wedges. Serve as is or over rice.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Debra
If I don't use the 1 cube bouillon cube should I use 4 cups of vegetable broth instead of plain water?
Damn Tasty Vegan
That will work too! Taste it when it’s all done cooking and add a little more salt if needed. Enjoy!