Creamy Curried Red Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk

Name: Creamy Curried Red Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk
Prep time: 21 min
Cook time: 43 min
Total time: 1 h 4 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 2 tbsp (30 ml) coconut oil or olive oil; 1 large (about 10 oz) (300 g) yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped (about 1½ cups); 1 medium (about 3½ oz) (100 g) medium carrot, peeled and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice; 4 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, minced or finely grated; 2 tbsp (20 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated; 2 tbsp (14 g) curry powder; 1 tsp (3 g) ground turmeric; ¼ tsp (½ g) cayenne pepper, for mild heat; omit for a gentler soup (optional); 2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste; 1½ cups (about 10½ oz) (300 g) split red lentils, rinsed in a sieve under cold water until the water runs mostly clear; 5 cups (1200 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth, at room temperature or warm; 1 can (13.5 oz) (400 ml) full-fat coconut milk, shaken well; 1½ tsp (9 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lime juice, from about 1 large lime, plus wedges for serving; ¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped, for garnish (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A silky, golden soup built on red lentils that melt as they simmer, with onion, garlic, ginger and toasted curry powder. Coconut milk makes it rich, and a squeeze of lime keeps it bright. It's vegan, ready in about an hour, and uses mostly pantry staples.

Prep: 21 min
Cook: 43 min
Total: 1 hr 4 min
Makes: About 7 cups (1.7 L), serving 6 (about 1¼ cups each); a bit more if you thin it with the optional water

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Ingredients

6 servings

2 tbsp (30 ml) coconut oil or olive oil
1 large (about 10 oz) (300 g) yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped (about 1½ cups)
1 medium (about 3½ oz) (100 g) medium carrot, peeled and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice
4 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, minced or finely grated
2 tbsp (20 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
2 tbsp (14 g) curry powder
1 tsp (3 g) ground turmeric
¼ tsp (0.5 g) cayenne pepper, for mild heat; omit for a gentler soup (optional)
2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste
1½ cups (about 10½ oz) (300 g) split red lentils, rinsed in a sieve under cold water until the water runs mostly clear
5 cups (1200 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth, at room temperature or warm
1 can (13.5 oz) (400 ml) full-fat coconut milk, shaken well
1½ tsp (9 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lime juice, from about 1 large lime, plus wedges for serving
¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped, for garnish (optional)

Equipment (6)

4- to 5-quart (3.8–4.7 L) heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven with lid
Fine-mesh sieve
Immersion blender or countertop blender
Microplane or fine grater
Wooden spoon
Ladle

Steps

Before you start

Use split red (or orange) lentils. Brown or green lentils need much longer and won't turn creamy.
Shake the can of coconut milk well before opening so the cream and liquid are evenly mixed.
Use a pot of at least 4 quarts (3.8 L). The soup foams as it simmers and needs headroom.
Plan on about 1 hour total: 21 minutes of hands-on work (chopping, blending, finishing) and 43 minutes on the stove.
If you're using a countertop blender, plan to work in batches and keep the lid vented. Hot soup builds steam pressure. This adds about 5 minutes of cooling time.

1
Prep vegetables and lentils
- Chop the onion, dice the carrot, mince the garlic and grate the ginger.
- Put the lentils in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold running water, stirring with your fingers, for about 1 minute until the water runs mostly clear.
- Drain well.
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Ready when: Lentil rinse water looks only slightly cloudy, not milky.
Tip: Rinsing removes surface starch and dust that cause excess foaming.
2
Sweat onion and carrot
- Heat the oil in the pot over medium heat for 1 minute.
- Add the onion, carrot and ½ teaspoon of the salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 7 to 8 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is soft, translucent and just beginning to turn pale gold at the edges; carrot is slightly tender.
Tip: If the onion browns quickly, lower the heat. Dark browning will make the soup taste bitter and dull the golden color.
3
Add garlic and ginger
- Stir in the garlic and ginger.
- Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
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Ready when: The mixture smells strongly fragrant; the garlic should be pale, not browned.
4
Toast spices and paste
- Add the curry powder, turmeric, cayenne (if using) and tomato paste.
- Stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes, pressing the paste into the vegetables so it coats everything.
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Ready when: The spices smell toasty and deeply aromatic, and the paste darkens slightly to a brick color.
Tip: If the pot looks dry and the spices stick, add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of the broth.
5
Add lentils and boil
- Add the drained lentils and the broth.
- Scrape the bottom of the pot with the wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits.
- Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil, which takes 5 to 8 minutes.
- Stir once or twice while it heats, then skim off any foam that rises to the surface with a spoon.
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Ready when: Large bubbles break across the whole surface.
Tip: Don't walk away near the end. Lentil foam can boil over quickly.
6
Simmer until lentils collapse
- Reduce the heat to medium-low so the soup simmers gently.
- Partially cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar.
- Simmer for 18 to 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes and scraping the bottom, as red lentils settle and can scorch.
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Ready when: The lentils have broken down into a thick, porridge-like soup, and a lentil crushed between your fingers is completely soft with no firm center.
Tip: If the soup becomes too thick to stir easily, add ½ cup (120 ml) of water.
7
Stir in coconut milk
- Pour in the coconut milk and stir until fully blended.
- Add the remaining 1 teaspoon salt.
- Heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until steaming hot with small bubbles at the edges.
- Remove from the heat.
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Ready when: No white streaks remain, and the soup is steaming and evenly golden.
Tip: Keep it below a hard boil. Vigorous boiling can make coconut milk separate and look greasy.
8
Blend until silky
- Use an immersion blender directly in the pot and blend for 1 to 2 minutes until smooth.
- For a countertop blender, cool the soup for 5 minutes first, fill the blender no more than half full, vent the lid with a towel over it and blend in 2 batches until smooth, then return to the pot.
- Thin with up to ½ cup (120 ml) hot water if you prefer a lighter texture.
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Ready when: The soup is completely smooth and pours from a spoon in a thick, velvety ribbon.
Tip: Never fill a blender with hot liquid past the halfway line; steam can blow the lid off.
9
Brighten and season
- Stir in the lime juice.
- Taste and add more salt, a pinch at a time, until the flavors taste bright and balanced.
- Add a splash more lime juice if it tastes flat.
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Ready when: The soup tastes rich but lively, with no flat or dull aftertaste.
Tip: Season at the end. Lentils and broth vary in saltiness.
10
Serve
- Ladle into 6 warm bowls.
- Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges alongside.
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Tip: Serve with warm naan, basmati rice or crusty bread.

Good to know

Tips

Stir and scrape the bottom of the pot regularly during the simmer. Red lentils sink and stick easily.
For extra depth, finish each bowl with a spoonful of spiced oil: warm 1 tablespoon oil with ½ teaspoon curry powder for 30 seconds and drizzle over the top.
The soup thickens as it cools. Thin with hot water or broth when reheating rather than adding more coconut milk.
Add 2 big handfuls of baby spinach after blending and let it wilt for 1 to 2 minutes for added greens.

Make ahead

Make the soup through step 8 (blended, before the lime juice) up to 4 days ahead. Cool completely, refrigerate in airtight containers, and reheat gently over medium-low heat, adding a few tablespoons of water to loosen. Stir in the lime juice (step 9) after reheating, then garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: store in airtight containers for up to 4 days. Freezer: up to 3 months, leaving ½ inch (1 cm) headspace. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in a pot over medium-low heat, stirring often, and thin with a few tablespoons of water or broth, since the soup thickens as it sits. Bring to steaming, not a hard boil.

Substitutions

full-fat coconut milk → Light coconut milk, or 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream plus ¾ cup (180 ml) extra broth. Light coconut milk gives a thinner, less rich soup. Cream makes it non-vegan but equally creamy.
low-sodium vegetable broth → Water plus an extra ½ teaspoon salt. The soup will taste a bit less savory. Add a little more curry powder or lime juice to compensate.
curry powder → 1 tbsp ground cumin plus 1 tbsp ground coriander plus ½ tsp garam masala. Gives a similar warm flavor. Adjust to taste, since curry powder blends vary in heat.
fresh lime juice → Fresh lemon juice. Use the same amount. It gives a slightly sharper, less floral acidity.