This easy Curry Lentil Soup is made with carrots and warming spices, then finished with an energetic burst of lemon. It’s comforting yet lively, and a great addition to your lentil soup repertoire!
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An Indian-inspired way to do lentil soup.
Prior to this curry lentil soup, I felt pretty satisfied with my Lentil Soup lineup here on Well Plated.
This Instant Pot Lentil Soup has over 100 five-star reviews, my Crockpot Lentil Soup is perfect if you don’t have an Instant Pot, and then there’s the classic stovetop version too.
But I realized what was missing was a red lentil soup with Indian-inspired flavors, and that’s how this curry lentil soup was born.
- Red lentils break apart when cooked, which makes the soup thick and creamy, even without any coconut milk or heavy cream.
- Indian spices make it aromatic and flavorful. (Your house will smell amazing as it simmers too.)
- It’s also one of those recipes that tastes even better after a day in the fridge! You can easily stash some in the freezer too—your future self will thank you.
5 Star Review
“I’ve never commented before but love so many of your recipes and after making this soup yesterday I HAD to comment how flavorful and easy it was to make. All my favorite spices, so hearty and filling.”
— Donna —
Key Ingredients
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
- Red Lentils. In addition to being delicious, lentils are also extremely good for you. They’re packed with nutrients like vitamin B, magnesium, iron, and potassium.
- Carrots. Sautéed carrots are the master of bringing delicious caramelized flavor to soups like this (and they taste amazing on their own in this Sautéed Carrots). They become delightfully tender and bring oodles of vitamin A to the soup.
- Curry Powder, Cumin, Turmeric, and Coriander. Add these to your pantry and you’ll be able to cook a wealth of Indian recipes (might I suggest this Tofu Tikka Masala).
- Cayenne. I added a pinch of cayenne for a little heat.
- Garlic and Ginger. Garlic brings a lightly sweet, caramelized flavor, and ginger adds a touch of zing and zip.
- Canned Tomatoes. Crushed tomatoes are important for both liquid and flavor in this curry lentil soup.
- Vegetable Broth. The main liquid base for our soup. Using vegetable broth also keeps the soup vegan. I recommend low sodium so that the soup doesn’t become too salty.
- Lemon Juice. The pop that wakes up the lentil soup and turns it into a show-stealer. Don’t miss it.
A Few Tips for Making This Curry Lentil Soup
- To substitute brown or green lentils in red lentil soup, you will need to extend the cook time by 10 to 15 minutes, and the soup won’t be *as* creamy. The recipe will still be delicious, however, so if these are the lentils you have on hand, please do go ahead and try it.
- Don’t skip any of the spices! My best advice with any curry recipe is, if you are craving it but don’t yet own the spices you need, go ahead and invest in them now. It’s a small price in the long run, and you will open yourself up to an entirely new world of recipes to make, from Instant Pot Lentil Curry to Tofu Curry to Potato Curry and more.
What to Serve with Curry Lentil Soup
- Salad. A light, more subtly-flavored salad like Arugula Salad would be a nice counterpart to this bold soup.
- Over Toast with an Egg on Top. This was one of my favorite ways to eat this soup! The lentil soup is nice and thick, so it’s perfect for ladling over a thick, crusty piece of toasted bread. A fried egg seals the deal. Trust me.
- Bread. Not into the egg addition? Try this soup with a simple side of Crock Pot Bread or Homemade Naan.
- Add Some Grains. To make this soup even more hearty while keeping it vegan, stir in Cooked Quinoa or Brown Rice (though I find the soup plenty filling on its own).
Curry Lentil Soup
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings (about 5 1/2 cups)
Video
This quick, easy, and healthy Curry Lentil Soup has warm spices, carrots, and a bright pop of lemon. It's naturally vegan, filling, and full of flavor!
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus additional as needed
- 1 medium yellow onion cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 3 large carrots cut into 1/4-inch dice
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus additional to taste
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 1 cup red lentils rinsed and drained
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth or low sodium chicken broth
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice about ½ medium lemon
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and salt. Cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 4 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add the curry powder, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cayenne, stirring to coat the vegetables with the spices. Add the garlic and ginger. Stir and cook 30 seconds. If the spices start to stick, drizzle in a bit more oil as needed so that they do not burn.
- Add the lentils, broth, and crushed tomatoes. Increase the heat to bring to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender but not mushy, about 25 minutes. If the soup is thicker than you would like, splash in a bit of water to reach your desired consistency. (We like our soup fairly thick.)
- Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Taste and add additional salt as desired (the amount you need will vary based on your vegetable broth). If you'd like it spicier, add a touch of additional cayenne (a little goes a long way). Serve warm, topped with chopped fresh cilantro.
Notes
- TO STORE: Store curry lentil soup in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: Gently rewarm leftover soup in a Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Add splashes of broth as needed to thin the soup. You can also rewarm this soup in the microwave.
- TO FREEZE: Place leftover soup in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
Serving: 1(of 4); about 1 1/3 cupsCalories: 334kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 19gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gPotassium: 1144mgFiber: 18gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 7922IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 101mgIron: 6mg
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This recipe is stellar! I love how quick it was to make, & my husband thanked me several times throughout us enjoying it for dinner. It has been rainy & chilly the last few days, so this was exactly what we needed. I even used canned lentils as they are what we had, & it was even easier. I just reduced the amount of broth, & it was great. Definitely try this recipe!
I’m SO happy to hear that it was a hit, Kori! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I’ve never commented before but love so many of your recipes and after making this soup yesterday I HAD to comment how flavorful and easy it was to make. All my favorite spices, so hearty and filling. Thank you!
This MAKES my day, Donna! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Best recipy ever with excelleny food information.
Thanks.
Hi Annette! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Absolutely delicious! Easy recipe, I just added more lemon, cayenne, and ginger. Thank you.
Hi Tineke! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
So, today the temp got into the 40s in south Florida and I just happened to have all these ingredients on hand including fresh ginger, lemons, and W.F. low sodium organic chicken broth. Perfect! Low salt, no ham, and lots of flavor!
1
Hi Constance! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This recipe looks absolutely delicious. Can I make this in a crockpot question
Hi Sandra! I haven’t tried this specific recipe in the crockpot but I do have something similar that might help you out: https://www.wellplated.com/crockpot-lentil-soup/ Hope you enjoy it!
Absolutely delicious! Followed recipe, except I made in instant pot. The flavors are addictive! YUM!!
Hi Kristy! So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for this kind review!
This was super easy to make and super delicious .I doubled the recipe so we would have leftovers.
This is on the make again list.
Hi Helene! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I used the pre-cooked lentils sold at Trader Joes which made this super easy. Excellent flavor and robust texture. Just enough curry flavor that my husband even liked it ! Great recipe.
Hi Cynthia! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Your recipe is great, but the amount of ads is insane. I was watching a video while reading your recipe, and it stopped FIFTEEN times because video ads kept popping up and cutting it off. I know you gotta make money, but that’s insanity.
I’m truly sorry for any inconvenience the ads caused you, Diana! I will certainly keep paying close attention to the number of ads and how they load, as I never want them to hinder your ability to view the recipe or the blog post. I do truly appreciate your feedback and apologize again for the inconvenience! Also, there is a quick and convenient “jump to recipe” button that will help you get to the recipe faster and a print button to have the recipe quickly at your fingertips. Hope this helps!
Took longer than 1/2 hour for the lentils to soften .. more like an hour .. I added extra curry and ginger ..
Thanks for the feedback Kathy!
Hey Erin! Are you able to use green/brown lentils with this recipe?
Hi Key, yes but you will need to extend the cook time by 10 to 15 minutes, and the soup won’t be *as* creamy. Enjoy!
A great tasting variation of lentil soup with easy preparation!
Thank you Bryna!
It turned out pretty good. I didn’t have any chicken broth so I just used water. I also doubled the seasonings (except for the turmeric). I might make it again!
So glad to hear, Lu! Thank you!
Had low expectations because lentil soup can be boring, but this one was way better than I thought. Super budget-friendly too. I added a dollop of yogurt on top and it made it even better. Will probably make it again soon. Thanks
So glad you enjoyed it, Jessica! Thank you!
Had a bag of lentils from my mom lying around, so I decided to try this. Honestly, it came together so easily and felt really homey. The flavor’s more on the simple side, but still tasty in that wholesome, homemade kind of way. Definitely saving this one. Thanks
Made this for dinner and it’s the kind of meal that makes you feel good after eating it. Hearty, flavorful, and comforting but still light enough that you don’t feel overly full. The lentils cooked down into a smooth, thick texture which I liked. Really enjoyed this meal. Thank you!