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Bowl filled with Coconut Curry Lentil Soup, topped with sliced avocado, cilantro, and coconut cream. A black spoon is in the soup bowl, and an avocado is pictured in the upper left corner.

Coconut Curry Lentil Soup

This vegan lentil soup has a flavorful broth richened with coconut milk, curry, cumin, fire roasted tomatoes, and fresh cilantro.
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Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:35 minutes
Total Time:45 minutes
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: Coconut, Curry, lentils, Vegan
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 medium carrots, diced small (about ¾ cup)
  • 2 inch piece of ginger, minced
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 1 ½ tbsp curry powder
  • 2 tsp cumin powder
  • ¾ cup red split lentils
  • 6 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 14.5 oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes
  • 1 14 oz can coconut milk
  • 1 medium bunch of cilantro, chopped
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Avocado for topping, optional
  • Coconut cream for topping, optional
  • Yogurt for topping, optional (note: unless using plant-based yogurt, this will make the soup vegetarian, not vegan)

Instructions

  • Rinse lentils well in a fine mesh strainer and set aside.
    ¾ cup red split lentils
  • Add 1 tbsp olive oil to a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions and carrots to the pot and cook until beginning to soften, about 3-5 minutes.
    1 onion, 2 medium carrots
  • Add ginger, shallots, and salt, mix with the other veggies, and cook for about a minute.
    2 inch piece of ginger, 1 shallot, 1 tsp salt
  • Make a well in the middle of the pot and add 1 more tbsp of olive oil. Add the curry powder and cumin to the oil to fry it for a few seconds and then mix the spices with the vegetables.
    1 ½ tbsp curry powder, 2 tsp cumin powder
  • Add the lentils to the pot and stir. Let the lentils cook with the veggies for about a minute.
    ¾ cup red split lentils
  • Add the canned tomatoes and stir in the vegetable broth, coconut milk, and about 3/4 of the chopped cilantro.
    6 cups vegetable broth, 1 14.5 oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes, 1 14 oz can coconut milk, 1 medium bunch of cilantro
  • Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Remove the cover and taste the soup for seasoning. If your vegetable broth is low sodium, you may need to add a little more salt. The soup is done when the lentils are soft enough to eat but have a very slight bite to them.
  • Ladle the soup into bowls and top with a drizzle of coconut cream or a dollop of yogurt (which will make this soup vegetarian instead of vegan), sliced avocado, and the remaining cilantro.
    Avocado for topping, Coconut cream for topping, 1 medium bunch of cilantro