We’re swiftly moving towards the end of the year, and winter is settling in—or as I like to call it, it’s finally soup season. Soup is my go-to cold weather food, and over the years I’ve amassed quite a few recipes in my arsenal. Funny enough, for something that I eat so much of, I haven’t posted that many soup recipes here!
It’s not surprising that soup is the ultimate comfort food — it’s easy to make, easy to eat (I love food that’s in a bowl), and full of nutrients. It’s a great way to clean out veggies and herbs that have been hanging in the back of your refrigerator for a while by chucking it all together in a broth. Soup is pretty much a kitchen staple in my home this time of the year, when there’s nothing better than curling up with a warming bowl of delicious soup.
I love this velvety, creamy, spiced lentil soup for days when you need an extra warm hug. It’s nourishing, healing, and satisfying enough to be an entire meal. I like using red lentils (also known as pink lentils/split red lentils, or masoor dal locally) as they cook relatively faster. Red lentils are fibre and protein rich; great for heart health, regulating blood sugar, and digestive health. A hearty bowl of this lentil soup will keep you feeling full and satisfied, but without the sluggishness that comes from eating a rich meal.
The best part? Yes, there’s more! This is a one-pot recipe, which means there will be very little clean up. Once you’re done with the prep, you wait for it to come together — perfect for watching a TV episode while dinner gets ready.
Though this spiced lentil soup is delicious even on its own, I recommend going the whole way and not skimping on the salted yogurt and crispy onions. It takes only a few extra minutes, but makes a world of difference to the soup.
The yogurt lends freshness that cuts through the creamy soup, whereas the crispy onions are divine, even if a little indulgent. I also top my bowl with some fresh coriander leaves, a dash of homemade chilli oil, and a generous squeeze of lime.
Alternatively, for a heartier meal, serve the soup with fluffy white rice, salty yogurt, and quick pickled red onions.
- 1½ cups of red lentils
- 2 tablespoons ghee (use neutral oil if vegan)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 2-inch nugget of ginger, finely chopped
- 1 apple, coarsely grated
- 1 cup coconut milk
- Juice of ½ lime
- Salt, pepper to taste
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon flour
- Oil, for frying
- Thoroughly rinse the red lentils by running it under water a couple of times. Once the water is relatively clear, soak the lentils in 2-3 cups of cool filtered water. Drain. You could skip this step, but I feel it makes the lentils creamier.
- Heat ghee in a large deep-bottom pan, and cook the cumin, turmeric, and cayenne pepper until fragrant for a minute.
- Add the chopped onion, garlic, and ginger, and cook for a couple of minutes, until softened. Add grated apple and soaked lentils to the mix. Stir in coconut milk and around 3 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally until lentils have completely broken down. You might need to add more water while it cooks depending on the consistency you want your soup to be.
- Season with salt, pepper, and lime juice. Taste and add some more coconut milk if desired.
- For the crispy onions: Thinly slice 1 large onion on a mandolin. Sprinkle flour on the onions and toss with your fingers until lightly coated. In a small pan, heat any neutral-tasting oil or ghee, and gently fry the coated onions until golden brown and crispy.
- Ladle soup into bowls; top with salted Greek yogurt, crispy onions, some coriander leaves, and a dash of chilli oil. Serve with lime wedges.
Omit the salted yogurt if vegan, or use non-dairy yogurt.
Recipe inspired and adapted from Bon Appetit.
Did you make this lentil soup recipe?
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