Coconut Curry Lentil Soup Spinach (Printable)

A creamy blend of coconut milk, lentils, curry spices, and fresh spinach creating a hearty, comforting meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Lentils & Legumes

01 - 1 cup dried red lentils, rinsed

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 medium carrots, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
06 - 4 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
07 - 1 medium tomato, diced (or 1 cup canned diced tomatoes)

→ Liquids

08 - 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk, full-fat or light
09 - 4 cups vegetable broth
10 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Spices & Seasoning

11 - 1 tablespoon curry powder
12 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
13 - ½ teaspoon turmeric
14 - ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
15 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
16 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
17 - Juice of ½ lime

→ Garnish (optional)

18 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
19 - Lime wedges

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and diced carrots; sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and grated ginger; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add curry powder, ground cumin, turmeric, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute to release aromas.
04 - Add diced tomato, rinsed lentils, coconut milk, and vegetable broth. Stir thoroughly to combine.
05 - Bring mixture to a boil; then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes. Stir occasionally until lentils are tender and soup has thickened slightly.
06 - Add roughly chopped spinach to the pot; cook for 2 to 3 minutes until wilted.
07 - Stir in juice of half a lime. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and lime wedges if desired; serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours layering flavors, but it's really just one pot and under an hour.
  • The coconut milk makes it creamy without any dairy, and the lentils give it serious staying power.
  • You can tweak the spice level easily, so it works whether you're feeding kids or spice lovers.
02 -
  • Rinse the lentils well before using them, or you'll end up with foam on top of the soup that you'll have to skim off.
  • Don't skip the lime juice at the end, it's the difference between a good soup and one that actually sings.
  • If your soup gets too thick after sitting, just add a splash of broth or water when you reheat it.
03 -
  • Grate the ginger on a microplane instead of chopping it, you'll get all the flavor without any stringy bits.
  • Use a can of coconut milk that's been sitting still, scoop the thick cream off the top and stir it in at the end for an extra luxurious finish.
  • If you're sensitive to spice, start with half the curry powder and cayenne, you can always add more but you can't take it back.

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