This Red Lentil Soup is one of my absolute favorites to make—it's thick, hearty, and packed with flavor!
With the perfect balance of turmeric, ginger, cumin, and coconut milk, it’s got this incredible creamy texture that’s so satisfying.
Plus, it’s loaded with red lentils, onions, and spinach for a healthy, nourishing meal.
Red Lentil Soup
Whether you're looking for something gluten-free, dairy-free, or vegan, this soup ticks all the boxes.
And honestly, it’s super easy to throw together. The spices come together effortlessly, and the coconut milk gives it that rich, comforting feel without the fuss.
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Lentil Soup Video
Ingredients
- Turmeric - One of the most potent spices out there. I love to use fresh turmeric root for its beautiful color and its anti-inflammatory benefits. But be careful and use gloves when handling the turmeric.
- Red lentils - Creamy soft lentils full of healthy nutrients.
- Vegetable broth - Don’t skip this step as it adds so much extra taste to the dish. For the non-vegan option, the best is to choose chicken or beef broth.
- Onion and garlic – Not one dish is complete in my kitchen without those two secret ingredients.
- Chili flakes - Oh my gosh, this is the best part! I'd suggest starting little by little. You can always increase the amount later on ... By the way, I also love to use fresh sliced jalapenos for individual portions (looks beautiful too, have you seen my Easy Vegan Chili yet?).
How To Make Red Lentil Soup
- In a large pot, add the oil, onion, and garlic. Add a pinch of salt, stir, and sauté over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes until the onion softens.
- Stir in the turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, and cardamom until combined. Continue cooking for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), entire can of coconut milk, red lentils, broth, salt, and plenty of pepper. Add red pepper flakes or cayenne, if desired, to taste. Stir to combine. Increase heat to high and bring to a low boil.
- Once it boils, reduce the heat to medium-high, and simmer, uncovered, for about 18 to 22 minutes, until the lentils are fluffy and tender.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the spinach until wilted. Add the lime juice to taste. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if desired. Ladle into bowls and serve with toasted bread and lime wedges.
Do You Soak Red Lentils for Soup?
NO! Red lentils are soft and perfect for soups because they dissolve and cook very quickly.
All you need to do is to rinse them properly until water becomes translucent and your lentils are ready for cooking.
How to Store Red Lentil Soup
Red lentils soup will keep in the fridge for 3 to 5 days, or can be frozen for 3 months – just thaw then reheat using your chosen method.
If your soup is too thick, add a touch of water gradually when reheating.
Tips
- Spinach loses its color rather quickly so if you prepping this soup in advance don't add the spinach leaves until you are ready to reheat and serve 😉 You don't need to cook spinach, as soon as it reduces in size (30 seconds) the soup is ready!
- The time mentioned in the instructions to cook the lentils is recommended but not set in stone and you can always adjust the timing depending on how soft you like to have your lentils in soup. It all comes down to personal preference in the end!
- Instead of red lentils you can also use brown lentils but the cooking time would be longer, around 25 minutes or until soft. Rice is another substitute.
- Always rinse your lentils before cooking to remove debris.
- You can store the soup for 1-2 days at its best, but no longer, as it will not taste the best on day one, and the lentils will become very mushy.
- The color of the soup will be some red/orange and slightly yellow, depending on a) sort of crushed/diced tomatoes used (some have deep red color and some lighter versions) and if fresh turmeric or turmeric powder used instead. Well, and of course if you're following the quantities listed in this recipe! 🙂
Healthy Soup Recipes
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Red Lentil Soup Recipe
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INGREDIENTS
- ¾ cup uncooked red lentils, rinsed and drained
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2-3 cloves garlic (I used 2 large), minced
- 1 ½ teaspoon turmeric, fresh
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 can diced tomatoes, (14 oz can)
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk, (14 oz can)
- 3 ½ cups vegetable broth, low-sodium
- 1 ½ teaspoon fresh lime juice, or lemon juice
- Salt and pepper , to taste
- Red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper, to taste (for a kick of heat!)
- 4 cups spinach, fresh or frozen
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a large pot, add the oil, onion, and garlic. Add a pinch of salt, stir, and sauté over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes until the onion softens.
- Stir in the turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, and cardamom until combined. Continue cooking for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), entire can of coconut milk, red lentils, broth, salt, and plenty of pepper. Add red pepper flakes or cayenne, if desired, to taste. Stir to combine. Increase heat to high and bring to a low boil.
- Once it boils, reduce the heat to medium-high, and simmer, uncovered, for about 18 to 22 minutes, until the lentils are fluffy and tender.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the spinach until wilted. Add the lime juice to taste. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if desired. Ladle into bowls and serve with toasted bread and lime wedges.
VIDEO
NOTES
- Spinach loses its color rather quickly so if you prepping this soup in advance don't add the spinach leaves until you are ready to reheat and serve 😉 You don't need to cook spinach, as soon as it reduces in size (30 seconds) the soup is ready!
- The time mentioned in the instructions to cook the lentils is recommended but not set in stone and you can always adjust the timing depending on how soft you like to have your lentils in soup. It all comes down to personal preference in the end!
- Instead of red lentils you can also use brown lentils but the cooking time would be longer, around 25 minutes or until soft. Rice is another substitute.
- Always rinse your lentils before cooking to remove debris.
- You can store the soup for 1-2 days at its best, but no longer as it will not taste the best as on day one and lentils become very mushy.
ADD YOUR OWN PRIVATE NOTES
NUTRITION
This soup is adapted from Oh She Glows.
Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on the products used.
Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.
Eileen
Yummy Bowl is living up to its name ! No other words suffices !
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
thank you Eileen! You made my day!
Aaron
Can i use other lentils in the soup?I have only brown left.Wold that work?Looks delicious,by the way!
Julia
yes absolutely! you can also use brown lentils but the texture will be a slightly different but also a very tasty alternative! Thank you
Diana
Made this yesterday for dinner and absolutely loved it! Thanks for sharing!
Julia
Thank you Diana, so glad you liked it