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Craving a cozy and creamy yet nutritious soup? This luscious coconut red lentil soup checks all the boxes, and cooks in just 40 minutes for an easy weeknight dinner you’ll want to add to your rotation ASAP.
We’ve been on a soup kick lately. Our favorite soups are the creamy, comforting ones you feel a little guilty about eating (like broccoli cheddar soup), but we can’t justify eating cheese sauce with a spoon for dinner all that often…
So instead, we turned our attention to making a healthier, nutrient-rich soup with wholesome ingredients and coconut milk for that decadent, creamy texture. And let me tell you, this coconut red lentil soup might just be my new favorite recipe!
This hearty soup is made with red lentils, carrots, onions, coconut milk, spinach, and a medley of spices for cozy, earthy flavors you can feel good about eating. It’s super nutritious yet creamy and comforting – our favorite kind of dish. We love it when healthy food meets comfort food!
What This Recipe Entails
You’ll just need one pot, an immersion blender, and about 40 minutes to make our coconut red lentil soup recipe. (If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a traditional blender.)
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Cook time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- Mirepoix and aromatics – Onion, carrots, ginger, and garlic make a flavorful base for this soup.
- Spices – A little bit of paprika, coriander, turmeric, red pepper flakes, and salt compliments the earthy flavor of red lentils nicely.
- Red lentils – Lentils come in many varieties, so make sure to buy the red ones! They’re great for soup because they cook down into a soft, comforting texture that’s easy to blend.
- Liquids – You’ll need vegetable broth to cook the lentils and coconut milk to give the soup a creamy, luscious texture and sweeter notes.
- Baby spinach – We love to add spinach into this soup for extra nutrients and protein!
How To Make Red Lentil Soup With Coconut Milk
This creamy red lentil soup with coconut milk and spinach comes together in one pot for an easy comfort food dinner everyone will love.
- Cook the mirepoix and aromatics. Cook the carrots, onion, garlic, and ginger in a large pot until softened.
- Add the spices. Sprinkle in the seasonings and cook until fragrant, just a minute or so, to bloom the flavors.
- Cook the lentils. Add the vegetable broth and lentils to the pot. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook until the lentils are tender.
- Purée the soup. Use an immersion blender (or carefully transfer the soup to a blender) to purée until smooth. If you prefer a chunkier texture to your soup, you can blend until partially smooth.
- Add coconut and spinach. Return the soup to medium-low heat and stir in the coconut milk and spinach until the spinach is wilted.
- Adjust and serve. Stir in a squeeze of lemon juice and adjust salt to taste, then serve hot.
Serving Suggestions
We always recommend serving soup with a hearty loaf of bread! A rustic whole wheat or whole grain bread pairs well with the earthy flavors of red lentils.
- Combo lunch – Pair it with your favorite salad or sandwich for a combo-style lunch that you can enjoy at home, or prep ahead of time and bring to the office.
- Easy weeknight dinner – Since you can make this soup in just 40 minutes (10 of which doesn’t really need your attention), it’s perfect for dinner after a long day of work.
- Sick days – Red lentils, carrots, onion, spinach, and turmeric make this soup super nourishing.
Storing and Reheating
Store leftover red lentil soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat single servings in the microwave for about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring halfway through. Or, reheat a larger serving in a saucepan over medium-low heat, covered, for about 10 to 15 minutes or until warm.
Expert Tips
- Make sure to bloom the spices before adding the broth and lentils so you can maximize their flavor.
- Carefully taste test the lentils as they’re simmering to tell when they’re done. They should be tender and soft enough to blend, but not mushy.
- Wait until the end to stir in the spinach so you don’t overcook it.
- Serve this soup with a hearty whole wheat bread for dipping!
Try our coconut red lentil soup recipe and let us know what you think by rating, commenting, and sharing below.
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Coconut Red Lentil Soup
Equipment
- Immersion blender or traditional blender
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 4 medium carrots peeled and diced
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 cups vegetable broth low-sodium
- 1 cup red lentils washed
- 13.5 ounces canned coconut milk
- 5 ounces baby spinach
- ½ medium lemon juiced
Instructions
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the carrots, onion, garlic, and ginger and cook until soft, stirring occasionally, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Combine the paprika, coriander, turmeric, red pepper flakes, and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the softened vegetables and cook until fragrant, just a minute or so, to bloom the spices.
- Add the vegetable broth and red lentils to the pot and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, for about 5 minutes until partially cooked, then cover the pot and simmer for another 5 minutes or so until the red lentils are tender.
- Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth. If you prefer a chunkier texture to your soup, you can blend until partially smooth.
- Finally, stir in the coconut milk and baby spinach until the spinach is wilted and the soup is steaming. Season with freshly squeezed lemon juice and salt to taste, then serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition
If you have any questions regarding the information presented in this post, please refer to our Nutrition Disclaimer here.
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I love creamy soups like this that warm you right up. And my favorite part is that it’s actually healthy. So many creamy comforting soups are made with cheese or heavy cream or something like that. But not this one!