This One-Pot Curry Black Lentil Soup comes together in about 30 minutes and is loaded with flavor. Made with onion, garlic, ginger, creamy lite coconut milk, and hearty black lentils, this vegan soup is also gluten-free and oil-free.
If you've never tried black lentils, you're in for a treat! The most flavorful of all lentils, they have a thicker skin which helps them hold their shape and provides a firmer bite.
They can be more difficult to find than other types of lentils, so be sure to grab some if you see them at the grocery store.
How to Make Curry Black Lentil Soup
The basic process is super simple and looks like this:
- Chop and prep the onion, garlic, ginger and carrots, and preheat the pot.
- Sauté the vegetables.
- Add the coconut milk, water, curry paste, soy sauce, smoked paprika, lentils, and red pepper flakes.
- Bring to a boil.
- Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
- Stir in the rice vinegar and a pinch of salt. Taste/adjust seasoning.
Easy, right?! Fresh cilantro is a perfect garnish for this soup. A squeeze of lime also adds nice freshness.
What's so great about black lentils?
For starters, they're gorgeous. I love the rich color of black lentils, which I fully admit is dulled a bit in this particular recipe. The combination of red curry paste and coconut milk mixes with the black lentils to create a sort of tomato-y colored broth that coats the lentils.
But underneath that delicious coconut-curry cloak, all of their goodness remains! Check out this beautiful Black Lentil Salad to see them in all their glory.
Similar to other lentils, black lentils are low in calories, high in fiber and protein, and easier to cook than dried beans (lentils don't require soaking).
Another thing that's really cool about black lentils is that their dark color is the result of high concentrations of anthocyanins, the same antioxidant found in purple foods like blueberries, blackberries, red cabbage, grapes, and cherries.
To learn more about the health-promoting effects of lentils, check out this National Institutes of Health article.
Black lentils are nice in this soup because they hold their shape and texture better than milder, softer lentils like red, orange and yellow. So you end up with a bit more contrast in color, flavor and texture.
Feel free to substitute a different type of lentil if you like. The overall color of the soup will be different, and you'll also be able to reduce the cook time by a few minutes.
I hope you enjoy this One-Pot Curry Black Lentil Soup. If you try it I would LOVE to hear from you. Tag @myquietkitchen on instagram to show off a photo. You can also rate the recipe and leave a comment below to share your feedback.
Cheers to lentils, the impatient person's bean!
You might also like:
- Thai Green Curry With Tofu
- Black Lentil Salad With Farro
- Instant Pot Peanut Curry Lentil Soup
- Instant Pot Red Lentil Curry
- Ginger Sesame Black Lentil Bowl
- Cream of Kale Soup
- Black Lentil & Beyond Meat Meatloaf
One-Pot Curry Black Lentil Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 3 medium carrots, sliced
- 1 (14 fl oz) can lite coconut milk - For a richer soup sub full-fat coconut milk.
- 5 cups water
- 2 tablespoons tamari
- ¼ cup red curry paste
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- 1 ¼ cups black lentils, sorted and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- pinch of sea salt
Garnish:
- cilantro
- lime wedges
- diced avocado
Instructions
- Preheat a soup pot over medium heat. Saute the onion for about 5 minutes or until translucent. Add the garlic, ginger, and carrots, and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the coconut milk, water, soy sauce, curry paste, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, and lentils, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
- Stir in the rice vinegar and a pinch of salt. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
- Garnish with cilantro, lime and/or avocado, and enjoy!
Notes
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used. We calculate this information using the online calculator cronometer.com.
Mary
I used Thai red curry paste, only 2 tsp., which was about right for us. The soup color was unappealing. The lentils were tasty but I found the coconut milk flavor a bit overpowering. Interesting idea, but I won’t make it again.
Sally
Warm, spicy delicious. Everyone loved it!