The recipe for this soup came together a couple of weeks ago when we were experiencing a cold snap (ok, it was 60 degrees) here in SoCal and a craving for soup hit me, hard. Putting a roadblock in my soupy daydreams however, was a long day of work still to come and a less than stocked fridge at home. I knew that my go to French Lentil Soup was not going to happen. Nobody has time to let lentils simmer for 45 minutes on a Monday night. Enter the glorious red split lentil, also known as a chief lentil. Because they’re split in half, red lentils cook up in a third of the time of their green or black counterparts. Traditionally used in Indian dals, these amber hued protein and fiber packed mini powerhouses shine when accompanied by the spicy sweet flavors of curry.
Once I’d settled on the curry route, I considered the contents of the ‘ol ‘fridgerator. Onions and carrots are a staple in our veggie bin and I happened to have the remains of a can of coconut milk, leftover from weekend piña coladas (ok, so it wasn’t that cold on the weekend), and everyone knows that curry + coconut = good. Peas are always at home in a curry but frozen would have to do in this case. Portioning out all of the spices required for a curry – cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, cloves – can take ages. Enter curry powder and garam masala, which cover everything in two handy spice jars. I dumped everything in a pot, crossed my fingers and toes, and hoped for the best.
And guess what, it was soooooo good! We officially have a new soup in our weekly rotation. The flavors of this soup – curry, coconut, veggies galore – are so complex that you’d think it was left to simmer for hours, when really, it’s borderline crazy how quickly it comes together. The recipe as listed makes just over 12 cups but it can be cut in half for a weeknight meal. We topped ours with freshly chopped cilantro and a bit of cashew cream. I highly recommend.
- 2½ cups red split lentils
- 2 cups onion, diced
- 2 cups carrots, diced
- ¾ cup frozen corn
- ¾ cup frozen peas
- 8 cups low sodium vegetable broth (2, 32oz. cartons)
- 2 cups light coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- 1½ teaspoons sea salt
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- salt & pepper
- chopped cilantro (optional)
- cashew sour cream
- Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add carrots, spices, and salt and sauté a few minutes more. Rinse lentils and add to pot with coconut milk and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook covered for 15 minutes.
- Transfer 2 cups of soup to a blender and puree. Return to pot, add corn and peas, and simmer 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve garnished with cashew sour cream and cilantro.
I have made this recipe 3 times in the past two weeks. It is fantastic! A well-balanced, one dish meal with great flavour. This instantly became a staple in our house!
Sounds like you love it as much as we do at our house! Thank you so much for your feedback, Mychal!
8.5 years later and this recipe is still in our regular rotation. Love it!!
It’s never a bad idea to remind amateur cooks that using a blender with something HOT can have somewhat explosive results. A recommendation to exercise caution to those out there without a stick blender or a food processor is good idea. I’m a big safety nut and know only too well that carelessly slicing into ones hand (fingers usually) during the rush or receiving a nasty burn does take away a lot of the fun of preparing delicious food for persons. This soup is delicious. Thank you for the recipe! Not being vegan I used ghee and chicken stock…..I love lentils.
Hi Paul, so glad you liked the soup! And thanks for the very thorough safety reminder. I’ve definitely had my own oops moments in the kitchen. It can be a dangerous place! 🙂
I don’t very often comment or review anything, but this soup is amazing! I’ve never had lentil soup I liked more!
Thank you, Cheryl! Your comment made my day, so glad you liked the soup. It’s one of my earliest recipe posts but still one of my faves too.
Can this soup be frozen.
Yes, I’ve got a half batch in my freezer right now!
This recipe is excellent! My son requests it constantly! Thank you!
You’re very welcome, Pam. So glad your son likes it!