This One-Pot Curry Black Lentil Soup comes together in about 30 minutes and is packed with nutrition. If you haven’t tried black lentils before, 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 in a store (they can also be found online).
How to Make One-Pot Curry Black Lentil Soup
The basic process is 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 zest.
What’s so cool about black lentils?
For starters, they’re gorgeous. I love the darker, dramatic 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! (Expect more black lentil recipes soon, and next time I’ll be sure to highlight their gorgeous, caviar-like appearance.) Like 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). But what’s extra cool about black lentils is that their deep, 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 own better than milder, softer lentils like red, orange and yellow. So you end up with a bit more contrast in color, flavor and texture. But 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 see a photo on Instagram. Tag @myquietkitchen so I don’t miss it. You can also rate the recipe and leave a comment below to share your feedback.
Cheers to lentils, the impatient person’s bean! 😉
If you like this recipe, you might also like Ginger Sesame Black Lentil Bowl, Cream of Kale Soup, and Vegan Chili For All.
One-Pot Curry Black Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp 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 Tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1/4 cup red curry paste
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
- 1 1/4 cups black lentils, sorted and rinsed (it's always a good idea to check for tiny pebbles)
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
- pinch of 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.
- 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 15 to 20 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!
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