Coconut Curried Red Lentil Soup (Plant-Based)

This plant-based coconut curried red lentil soup is one of our favorite cold weather go-tos. Easy to make and boldly flavored, it’s made with veggies, aromatics, warm spices, and a light, brothy coconut base. Inspired by something we tried at a restaurant years ago, we created our own version, and it has quickly become a staple whenever the weather cools down. Onion, carrot, ginger, garlic, spices, and red lentils simmer with broth, tomatoes, and coconut milk for a hearty, flavorful vegan soup. It’s finished with avocado, cilantro, and a drizzle of coconut cream or yogurt for a bowl that’s simple, satisfying, and just right.

Why You’ll Be Obsessed with This Curried Red Lentil Soup

• Naturally vegan and dairy-free. There is no butter or cream in this red lentil soup with coconut milk, just veggies, lentils, spices, herbs, and coconut milk for richness. You can top the soup with coconut cream or coconut yogurt (or you can use regular yogurt if you aren’t vegan). 
• Hearty enough for dinner, light enough for lunch. Many lentil soups are thick, almost like porridge, but this one is brothy, seasoned with bold spices and brightened with fresh cilantro. The brothiness makes it feel less heavy than a thicker lentil soup, meaning it will fill you up but won’t weigh you down.
• Made with pantry staples and a few fresh aromatics. For this coconut curry lentil soup, you’ll need pantry items like canned coconut milk, veggie broth (or you can use refrigerated bouillon paste + hot water), fire roasted tomatoes, dried red lentils, and spices. For fresh items, you’ll need a few veggies, fresh cilantro, and any toppings you want.
• Cozy, warming spices without being overpowering. Because this is a brothier soup with more volume than most lentil soups out there, we can get away with using bolder, stronger flavors. This recipe uses a hefty amount of curry powder, but it’s slightly mellowed out by the coconut milk, tomatoes, and broth. If you don’t like bold flavors, you can use less spice, but we recommend making this recipe as is for tastiest results.
• Comes together in one pot. We love a one-pot recipe, especially when the weather is chilly and we don’t feel like doing extra dishes. This soup cooks all in the same large pot, making cooking and cleanup easier.

Ingredients for Coconut Curried Red Lentil Soup

To make this soup, you’ll need a few ingredients, most of which are shelf-stable and can be kept in your pantry ahead of time. We love that about this dish, because you can stock up on a few of the ingredients, then when you’re ready to make this soup, all you need to get are a few fresh items:

• Veggies and herbs – use a mix of onions (yellow or sweet), carrots, fresh ginger, garlic (or shallots, if you prefer), and cilantro.
• Spices – cumin, yellow curry powder (ours has turmeric, fenugreek, cayenne, coriander, and other spices), salt, and pepper help give bold flavor to this lentil soup.
• Lentils – red split lentils cook easily and quickly in soups.
• Tomatoes – we like the flavor that canned, diced fire roasted tomatoes give this soup.
• Broth – we like using vegetable broth to keep this soup vegan/vegetarian.
• Coconut milk – this gives the soup dairy-free creaminess and richness.
• Toppers – we like to top this soup with a drizzle of coconut cream or yogurt thinned with a little water (use coconut yogurt to keep this vegan), sliced or cubed avocado, and more cilantro.

How To Make This Curried Lentil Soup

Cook the veggies and aromatics. Add olive oil to a large soup pot or Dutch oven with a lid. Heat over medium heat, then add the onions and carrots and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until they begin to soften. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for a couple minutes. If your pot is looking dry, add another tablespoon of olive oil, then add the salt, cumin, and curry powder. Toss the spices with the carrots and onions until everything is coated. 

Add the lentils and the liquids. Rinse the lentils in a fine mesh sieve and check for rocks (sometimes, you’ll find little pebbles mixed with the lentils). Add the lentils to the pot, then add the crushed tomatoes and broth.

Shake up the can of coconut milk to make sure it’s emulsified, then add it to the pot. Add most of the cilantro, reserving some for garnishing the soup later. 

Boil, simmer, and finish the soup. Bring the soup to a boil, then cover the pot with the lid. Reduce the heat to a simmer (around low heat) and cook, covered, for 15 minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with avocados, more cilantro, and coconut cream or coconut yogurt mixed with a little water to thin it out (or you can use dairy yogurt for a non-vegan option).

Make It Your Own

If you want to put your own spin on this soup, you can customize it to your liking. 

• Want it spicier? Add chili flakes or a pinch of cayenne.
• Want a thicker soup? Add another cup of lentils. Alternatively, you can keep the lentil amount the same and just add 4 cups of broth instead of 6. Just note that you may want to reduce the curry powder to 1 tablespoon if you reduce the broth because there will be less volume to mellow out the flavor. 
• Craving more acidity and brightness? Squeeze some fresh lime juice in the soup at the end. 
• Feeling like something creamier? Partially blend the soup for a slightly creamier texture.

What To Serve With Lentil Soup

We like to serve this curry lentil soup on its own because it’s pretty hearty and satisfying as is. However, you could also eat it with warm flatbread or naan on the side. It would be great followed up with a light fruit-based dessert too, like our Berries and Cream (skip the cream and swap the honey for maple syrup for a vegan version).

Storage & Reheating

This curried red lentil soup keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 or 5 days. Store it in an airtight container (glass works best, if you’ve got it, because the turmeric in the curry powder can stain plastic or other containers), and keep the toppings separate. The soup will slightly thicken as it cools. Reheat leftovers in a pot on the stove over medium heat. You can also microwave it in a microwave safe bowl. 

This soup should also be freezer friendly, but we honestly never have enough leftovers to be able to freeze because we eat it so quickly!

Final Thoughts

This curried red lentil soup is the kind of recipe you’ll come back to all year. It’s simple, nourishing, and easily adaptable. If you make this curry lentil soup with coconut, we’d love to hear from you! Let us know how it went by leaving a rating and comment below, and be sure to tag us on social media too.

If You Love This Vegan Lentil Soup, We Think You’ll Also Love:

• More lentils! We have to admit that we’re kind of obsessed with these tiny legumes. They’re great in salads too, like our Easy Cold Lentil Salad recipe!
• A super quick and simple (and easy!) Cucumber Avocado Salad! It takes 10 minutes from start to finish. And honestly? It’ll be hard to not eat it all that quickly too (but don’t because eating fast isn’t good for you…).
• For a lighter option that’s great for spring or summer, check out or retro vegan Cabbage and Ramen Salad! It’s packed with crunchy green and purple cabbage, carrots, edamame, a crispy ramen and almond topping, and a soy sauce vinaigrette.