Curried Red Lentil Soup is an all-time family favourite! I have been making different versions of it for decades. It's jam-packed with both flavour and nutrients and is like a big, warm hug on a cold or rainy day.
My favourite thing about this recipe, besides the fact that it's delicious and healthy, is it's flexibility. Swap out any of the vegetables for whatever you like. Just make sure you have 5-6 cups in total, not including the spinach. Make it vegan by using vegetable stock or water instead of chicken stock. If water is used instead of stock bump up the garlic and curry powder to add extra flavour. Don't have any coconut milk? No problem, add cream or leave it out and add more stock or water. Switch up the spinach for any leafy greens you like.
If you love healthy vegetable soup recipes you may also like my Detox Soup as well as this Hearty Moroccan Lentil Soup, Carrot and Lentil Soup and Roasted Tomato Soup.
Dicing vegetables
Level up your knife skills by learning how to dice like a pro. This method can be used for any similarly shaped vegetable including potatoes, squash, etc. First, cut the length in half or thirds so you have manageable pieces to work with. Slice off one side lengthwise to create a flat surface to stabilize. Place flat side down and continue slicing, lengthwise, into the thickness you want. Then stack 2-3 slices and cut lengthwise again into sticks. Slice those sticks across into little cubes. Easy peasy!
I like to cut the vegetables into small dice for this soup but if you aren't interested in taking the time you can make them chunkier. Note that you may have to adjust cooking times to accommodate the larger size.
Prepare all of your ingredients
It's important to gather and prep all your ingredients before getting started. It's so much easier, especially with one-pot meals like soup, to be able to add the next thing when needed instead of having to go quickly chop something or find that spice. Even worse, you realize you are missing a key ingredient when you are in the middle of things!...I speak from experience.
FAQ for curried red lentil soup
Do I need to soak or pre-cook red lentils? No, you don't. That's one of the things I love most about red lentils!
Do I need to rinse red lentils? Yes. Place them in a fine sieve and run under cold water until the water runs clear.
Are red lentils healthy? You bet! They are rich in iron, magnesium, B vitamins, and many others. They are an excellent plant-based protein and are also high in fibre. Not soaking allows them to hang onto more nutrients.
Is this soup Vegan or Vegetarian? This recipe is not but you can substitute the chicken stock for vegetable stock or water to make it Vegan/Vegetarian.
Can I freeze it? Absolutely! It freezes perfectly and can last up to 6 months or more if you have a chest freezer.
If the finished soup is too thick you can add extra stock or water. If you prefer a creamier texture puree part or all of the soup using a hand blender. Hand blenders are one of my favourite kitchen tools. Mine is as old as the hills but if (or should I say when!) I have to replace it I would go for this one CUISINART Hand Blender (affiliate link). There are many different and less expensive ones to chose from. This one has additional attachments which are handy.
This recipe makes about 3 liters or 12 cups. Plenty to enjoy for a few days or, put half of it in the freezer and have the convenience of just warming it up. You can increase or decrease the quantity by clicking on the serving size in the recipe.
If you like this recipe, have made it or have any questions please leave a comment and a rating in the section below. I'd love to hear from you!
More Soup Recipes
- Black Rice Salad With Roasted Vegetables
- Shaved Asparagus Salad With Creamy Parmesan Dressing
- Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
📖 Recipe
Curried Red Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lg white onion, 2 cups diced small
- 1 lg celery stalk, 1 cup diced small
- 1 jumbo carrot, approx, 1.5 cups diced small
- 1 sm sweet potato, 2 cups diced small
- 2 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon minced
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 ½ cups dried red lentils, rinsed
- 4 cups chicken broth, low sodium
- 1 400 ml can coconut milk
- 8 cups baby spinach leaves, or greens of your choice
- ½ cup packed cilantro or parsley leaves. chopped
- ½ lemon, juice of
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Peel, rinse, chop and measure out all your ingredients first.In a large pot heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add onions and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-5 minutes or until soft and translucent. Turn down the heat if they are browning before softening.3 tablespoon olive oil, 1 lg white onion,, 1 lg celery stalk,
- Stir in carrot, sweet potato, lentils, garlic and curry powder. Continue stirring and cooking for one minute.1 jumbo carrot, approx,, 1 sm sweet potato,, 2 cloves garlic,, 1 tablespoon curry powder, 1 ½ cups dried red lentils, rinsed
- Stir in broth and coconut milk. Increase the heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer. covered, for 15 minutes.4 cups chicken broth, low sodium, 1 400 ml can coconut milk
- Stir in spinach. It will seem like a lot but it wilts and reduces as it cooks. Cover and simmer for 5 more minutes.8 cups baby spinach leaves, or greens of your choice
- Remove from heat and add lemon juice and cilantro or parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste. You can also add a bit more stock or water if it's too thick for your liking.½ cup packed cilantro or parsley leaves. chopped, ½ lemon, juice of, salt and pepper to taste
Tracy says
My go to soup! So easy to make and extremely delicious!
debra fine says
If you try this soup you will see why it is the most requested from Andrea's offerings. It is comfort and a warm hug in a bowl. I've been making it non-stop since 2020. It deserves a 10 star rating so I will have to leave 2 reviews - 5 stars each!
Deb says
Easy and delicious. A staple in the fridge 😊
Karen Kelly says
I made this last night and it was absolutely delicious, perfect for this autumn weather, thank you.
Andrea says
I'm so happy you enjoyed it Karen! Thanks for commenting!
Diane says
My family and I love this soup. We have it often. Nothing better on a Mauzy day.
Lorna says
Best soup! Always have some in my freezer for a quick lunch.
Lisa W. says
This soup is so delicious!! My wonderful neighbor made it for me when I was on the mend after knee surgery. I bought the necessary ingredients today to make some tomorrow. Thanks for all your recipes.
Andrea says
My pleasure! The best friends are the ones who make you soup when you need it! So happy you enjoyed it and thanks for commenting ☺️
Annetta Black says
The best! We eat it on repeat. Whoever eats it at my house wants the recipe. thank you!
Andrea says
I'm so happy to hear you are enjoying the soup and thanks so much for sharing! 🥰
Cathy says
This is my fav. Family ask for it a lot.
Lynn says
I just finished making this for a friend who had surgery. I make it often and love it! Easy, healthy, freezes well!
Andrea says
What a wonderful gift to you friend! So happy you are enjoying the soup Lynn!
Jacquie Platten says
I agree that this soup is an all-time family favourite! Both my teenagers couldn’t get enough of it. I highly recommend you try it!
Andrea says
I love that so much! So happy everyone is enjoying it!
Gulnaar D says
Always a hit with everyone. Guaranteed sucess
Laura L. Avery says
This soup is a favorite in our house. Can't keep it in stock. Has anyone converted this to an Instant Pot recipe? I would love the tips.
Andrea says
I'm so happy you enjoyed it! If you Google instant pot red lentil soup you can find the timings to use with this recipe. Hope that helps!
Shannon says
Throughout the Fall/Winter, I made a batch of this soup every couple of weeks to have for lunches and it's always so delicious. I've made different variations of veggies and my favourite so far is cauliflour instead of sweet potato. The first time I made this recipe was the first time I'd ever cooked with lentils - so glad to have been introduced to them!
Andrea says
Oh I love that so much! Happy to hear you've been enjoying the soup. Thanks for commenting!
Amie says
This soup is amazing!! I never know what to do with lentils, and this soup makes it an easy a tasty way to use them.
I make large batches and freeze in lunch portions. It is definitely in the top 3 of my favorite soups!
Andrea says
I'm so happy to hear that Amie! It's such a great one for batch cooking. Thanks for your comment!
Aimee Pawsey says
This is so good and has become my main lunch this winter. Love all your recipes.
Allison says
Love this soup. Can eat it everyday for lunch or dinner. So satisfying and flavourful.
Kb says
This is one of those recipes that you just want to share with your friends. That's what I did! Delicious, healthy, and easy to make. You can't beat that.
Wendy Livingstone says
My family loves this soup. It’s so good we make it all the time!!
Beatrice Schori says
Absolutely delicious. Spinach was not available from our green grocer so I used kale.
Maureen says
Yummy I made it with green/brown lentils as that is all I had. I cooked it for a little longer and it is less thick more brothy in a good way then when I made it with the red lentils. I love it both ways! thanks for the recipe, so adaptable.
Susan says
Another gem! This one I don’t share with my family because they all think every dang meal has to have meat in it…their loss 🙂
Tina Gauthier says
It freezes like a dream!
Marina says
Hi! What about the sweetpotato when freezing the soup? I have read that sweepotatos, and potatos in general, cannot be frozen
Andrea says
I have never heard that and have frozen sweet potatoes and potatoes in soup as well as things like Shepherds Pie etc. with great success. This soup freezes beautifully so hope you try it!
Maureen says
I love this soup and make it whenever I need a potluck soup. Everyone loves it!
Sue Noonan says
I have made this soup several times and it always turns out flavourful and delicious. I divide the soup into single servings and freeze. Lunches are easy, just take out a frozen soup, reheat and voilà.
Jenn says
This is one of my families favourite soups. Love your recipes.
Dagny Owen-Flood says
I love this soup and try to always have some frozen as it warms up beautifully.
Mary campbell says
I love the recipe for this soup. It’s my go to as I always have the ingredients and it comes together quickly. The taste is delicious.
Kristine says
I make this all the time. It is the best soup! thank you for the recipe 🙂
Diane says
So yummy, easy to make and nutritious. HAPPY COOK
Tina Gauthier says
Hey Andrea! I made this again today! It is one of our favourite soups, after all! I had a double batch going when I discovered I was out of curry powder! A little digging in the fridge yielded some red curry paste so I took the plunge and used it. OMG! Amazing! Thanks again! Meatless Monday win!
Andrea says
Great substitute with the red curry paste! So happy you enjoyed it and thanks for commenting!
Jen C says
This is my favourite soup recipe. I made it every other week through the winter. So easy to make and delicious. Can’t wait to try another one. Andrea is amazing - keep your brilliant recipes coming!
Andrea says
Thank you so much Jen!
I'm so happy you love the soup! Thank you for your comment and support! Let me know which one you make next!
Julie says
Hi from Canada ❤ the red lentil soup..delicious..will make it again..thks for sharing..
Andrea says
Hi Julie! My pleasure! So happy you enjoyed it!
Judy Strmec says
Absolutely delicious! So easy to make! Andrea you are a rock star making such delicious recipes! I spend my Sunday’s recreating them for the week ahead! Thanks you!
Andrea says
Love this! Planning ahead is the best! Happy you are enjoying the recipes!
Nancy Brodhagen says
My favorite soup recipe! So delicious!
Thanks Andrea
Annie says
Delicous! It has just the right amount of spices. I need to make this again!
Susan Noonan says
Hi Andrea,
I am a newbie… part of the Winter 2022 Program. I made this soup for lunch today. Both my husband and I loved it. It is absolutely delicious and very filling. A nice change from salad for lunch.
Very easy instructions to follow.
Thank you!
Anna says
This recipe is definitely a keeper. My husband is a picky eater especially anything with curry. Well, he had two bowls (not on plan).
Give this recipe five stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Melissa H says
Just made it! So delicious. My kids keep asking to “taste test it”.
Hopefully there’s some left for dinner
Stacey says
Loved it and soooo healthy! I added more curry to spice it up abit. Thank you for the wonderful recipe
Samantha says
One of the best soups I have ever made! Will def be a staple soup now. Amazing flavour!
Bev says
OMG. I make this soup every Sunday. Love it and all your recipes. I now buy cilantro by the bushel. LOL
Diana says
Hi Andrea, Love this recipe! Made it once already (added cauliflower instead of sweet potato and kale instead of spinach as that’s what I had) - such a flexible recipe. I am going to make it again and accidentally bought coconut cream instead of milk. Have you tried using it? The conversion I read says 2 Tbsp coco cream with 3/4C water. Seems so dilute! Any advice?
Andrea says
Hi Diana!
You can use less water if you prefer it richer. It's really up to you 😀
Diana says
I just used the full can of coconut cream because it was pourable and not solid. Didn’t add water….Turned out super delicious!
Aspen T says
Hi Andrea!
Just wondering, I don’t have sweet potato at the moment but I want to make this soup, am I okay to substitute with regular red potato and still be on plan? Or is there something else that would work better?
Thank you!
Andrea says
Hi Aspen!
You can just leave it out altogether and add in some extra carrots or other veg. Hope you enjoy it!
Pixie says
Fan-freaking-tastic!!
Follows the recipe as above using frozen spinach in place of fresh. I’d have loved to use fresh, but has none in hand. The frozen was amazing. I even added a little shredded cheese on top, so YUM!
Bobbie says
I just made this soup for lunch today. WOW!! Amazing!!
Thanks so much for the delicious and easy to follow recipes. I enjoyed the process of chopping/prepping and especially enjoyed the finished product. You just might make a “cooker person” out of me after all!
Di says
Hi Andrea. I just made this soup and my husband is in shock that I can actually cook! I don’t like cooking (at all) so this was a treat for him. It was delicious. It is great on its own but is there a meat I can add to it in the future? Sausage, shrimp or chicken. Which one do you think would complement it best? Thanks!
Andrea says
Hi Di!
Personally I would choose chicken for this soup but all the others would work as well! Depends on what you're craving! So happy you and your hubby enjoyed it! 😀
Kris says
Hi Andrea - I’m part of the Fall 2021 group and watched your video with Gina the other day when you made this soup. Do you think I could replace the sweet potato with butternut squash? I don’t have sweet potato and I’m making it in the morning
Andrea says
Hi Kris!
Yes you can absolutely do that. Enjoy!
Cathy Diggon says
I made this soup today with kale instead of spinach. Delicious.
Kris says
Oh that’s awesome because that was my other question I was going to ask!! I think I am going to try 50/50 spinach and kale when I make it today😊. Thanks for the tip!
Heidi says
I have heard how amazing this soup is and can't wait to make it. Do you have the nutrition info for it? Thank you!
Andrea says
Hi Heidi!
I'm sorry but I don't have a program to do those calculations. Hope you enjoy it!
Sil says
Made this soup. So so delicious!! Thanks Andrea for this amazing recipe😊
MICHELLE SHANNON says
Hi Andrea, just made this soup while listening to your tea time with Gina and Kim. Both are amazing...life changing....really. Thank you!!!!!
Audrey says
I haven’t tried this recipe yet but have made the Smokey Lentil and Bacon soup which was awesome. If I substitute green lentils (since I have some left from the Smokey Lentil recipe) how will that affect the taste and texture of the soup (if any)?
Andrea says
Hi Audrey!
The red lentils break down more which makes it thicker. You will have to increase the cooking time as the green ones take a bit longer to cook but otherwise you can absolutely substitute the green for the red. Enjoy!
Alison says
Hi Andrea
Definitely making this soup. Would you say this alone would be a great lunch or dinner on the Livy method?
Andrea says
Hi Alison!
Yes it would be great for either meal. 👌😃
Janie Ingrouville says
Loved this soup! I did feel it was a little heavy on the salt. Did you mean for it to have 1 TBSP of salt or 1 TSP? Just checking if it was a typo. Great flavours and I will make it again soon.
Andrea says
Hi Janie!
That's the correct amount of salt but it is also dependent on how salty the stock is you are using. I have made a couple of tweaks to the recipe to clarify that. Thanks for pointing it out! In the meantime try adding a dollop of plain yogurt to it before eating. That will help cut down on the saltines. 😃
Kathy says
This was super easy to prepare and everyone loved the flavour.
Rosanna says
Just made this and it's delicious! Loving my new journey. Thanks for helping me along.
Deb says
Delicious!!
Kelly V says
I just finished making this soup and OMG, it's sooo delicious! I cut the recipe in half as I was making for only myself but, having now tasted it, I'm confident my husband will also love so will be making the full batch next time. Thank you Andrea for all of your wonderful recipes. I haven't been disappointed with any.
Andrea says
Hi Kelly!
I'm so happy to hear that! Enjoy the soup!
HEATHER GIORGI says
Can you substitute canned lentiles with this recipe?
Andrea says
Hi Heather!
Yes you can. Just reduce the cooking time as they don't need to be cooked. Hope you enjoy!
Heather Giorgi says
I ended up running to the store for the red lentils. Soup was fabulous! Thanks Andrea!
Kerri says
Andrea if you’re using frozen chopped spinach, should you alter the amount needed or is it the same as if you’re using fresh spinach?
Andrea says
Great question!
If it's the compressed blocks you could use one of those. I think they are usually 300g
If it's loose spinach then use the same amount but measured while still frozen. 😀
Birgitta says
Very good recipe. Made this one and the Creamy Corn and Vegetable one. Both were very tasty. Can't decide which one I like better. Fridge is stocked with soup for the week.
Robyn says
I just made this soup - it is soooo good! I added chopped spinach to the bottom of our bowls and poured the soup over - so fancy! This soup will be on rotation at my house since my entire family loves it and all the ingredients are easily at hand - makes it easier for me to stay on plan. Thank you for this lovely recipe, Andrea!
Sharone O’Brien says
Another of your winning soups! I have made this twice now - lots left over and freezes beautifully. We are just finishing the last of the second batch tonight and I will be making it again soon. We find your recipes exceptionally delicious and easy to make. I can’t remember if I commented on the Thai Curry Meatballs but, boy - one of the best meals we have ever eaten and we didn’t even have rice with them. We will begin having rice while stabilizing over the summer, I think. Thanks again.
Andrea says
Thanks so much for the lovely comment! I'm so happy you are enjoying everything!!
Maninder says
Hi Andrea,
Just a question - can l use vegetable stock instead of chicken for this soup?
Andrea says
Absolutely! Enjoy!
Karol-Lee says
Can I use regular milk instead of coconut milk ?
Andrea says
Hi Karol-Lee!
I suggest using full fat cream instead of coconut milk. Regular milk will split. You can also just omit it altogether and it will still be delicious! 😀
Sharon says
Hi Andrea,
I bought a bag of red lentils to make this soup...do I need to soak them beforehand?
Thanks,
Sharon
Andrea says
Not necessary to soak lentils. The cook down quite easily. Enjoy!
Nadine says
This is honestly one of the best soups I have ever had. So flavourful, hearty and delicious. I make it on repeat
Andrea says
I'm so happy to hear that! It's on regular rotation at my house too!
Tamy says
Another great hit! I ran out of red lentils (only had 1/2 cup on hand) so I used a cup of green lentils (festive for the season - red and green - 🤣). I also had some kale I wanted to use up so I did 1/2 kale 1/2 baby spinach. So good!
Andrea says
Fantastic sub-ins! So happy you enjoyed it!!
Eveline says
That red lentil curry soup. What a delicious taste.
Making it again and again
Andrea says
I'm so happy you are enjoying it!!
Jan says
Omg the soup is incredibly flavorful!!!! Love it!
Andrea says
So happy you enjoyed it!
Heather says
I love this soup ! I made it for dinner tonight and it was delicious. Thanks for another fantastic recipe.
Andrea says
My pleasure! So happy you enjoyed it!😀
Gaby says
I made the curried Lentil Soup yesterday. It is so delicious, tasted even better warmed up the next day. This will definitely go on my roaster of recipes.
I love the detailed description and the many alternatives (if you dont have this, use that etc) Lovely!
Andrea says
Thanks Gaby! I love creating recipes that are flexible. Glad you are liking it! 😊
Jenn says
OMG!!!! This is fantastic! Will definitely be a star in my lunch rotation from here on in. Love how easy to follow your recipes are and the detail is amazing.
Andrea says
Thanks so much! So happy you loved the soup. I actually just made a batch myself!
Connie says
Absolutely loved this! So helpful to have all these wonderful recipes. Thank you so very much
Andrea says
Thanks Connie! So happy you enjoyed it! One of my favourites!
Cathy says
I have made this soup - doubled the batch for family. Freezes amazing and will be a staple all winter. If I am really hungry I add a bit of chicken or tofu in
Thank you.
Andrea says
Amazing! So happy you like it!!
Kirsten says
Amazing recipe as always, Andrea! I’m making it for the second time in one week! Whole family loved it - including my two year old daughter who smacked her lips and said “EEElicious!” Thank you!
Andrea says
That's amazing! I love it!!! So happy you are enjoying the recipes! Thanks for the comment! 😀
Gianna says
Third recipe I tried and as usual did not disappoint! The whole family loved this recipe! My husband is now telling me to look for dinner ideas on My Pocket Kitchen, thanks Andrea!
Andrea says
Wonderful! I hope you can find lots of things to try! So happy you enjoyed the soup!
Tracy says
5 stars,...delicious
Tracy says
Oops I forgot steps 4 & 5
So delicious anyways!!
Cathy says
Absolutely delicious. The only downside is I don't want to stop eating it. Thank you so much for sharing. I'll be making this again for sure.
Andrea says
So happy you enjoyed it Cathy! It's one to put on heavy rotation for sure!
Dagmara says
Amazing recipe, and extremely easy to follow. Simple pure and good ingredients make an excellent, tasty and hearty healthy soup in 25 minutes! Delicious... a must try and instantly a family favourite! ?
Andrea says
Thanks! So happy you enjoyed it!
Kim says
Can you use frozen spinach.
Andrea says
Yes absolutely! Defrost and squeeze the water out and you're good to go!
Jude says
Beautiful soup and great recipe, really love the straightforward instructions with every little detail described. Very helpful for people who are just getting into cooking. A DEEEELcious soup, thanks. I could say the lemon at the end is the piece de resistance but really the whole soup is!!! YUMMMM all around.
Andrea says
Thanks so much! So glad you enjoyed the soup and found the introductions easy to follow. You are so right about the lemon!
Eveline Mut says
I gave some to my friend, so she can taste how good it is, and then she will likely cook it herself..
Eveline Mut says
I made the curried red lentil soup today.
It is delicious
Andrea says
Glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Phil says
This is such a perfect Fall/Winter soup. Great instruction and guidance. I used my Instapot. If you really like curry, add more. Awesome result.
Andrea says
Perfect for an Instapot! I need to pick myself up one of those someday.