First off, thank you all so much for your excitement and congrats about our news! I really enjoyed reading your comments and stories. I’m also happy to hear my impending loss of sanity should only be temporary. Truthfully, I’m not sure that I ever got it back after our first!
Second of all, I’ve missed you dearly. I’ve missed blogging. I’ve missed posting recipes. I love sharing my favourite recipes and stories with you guys. Nothing makes me happier than creating something I adore and thinking about you trying it in your own kitchens! It feels so good to have more energy these days and also to wrap up some other massive projects.
Today’s recipe is most likely the last soup recipe I’ll post until next fall (*sad face*), but boy is it a great one to end on. As my dad likes to say, “It’s a humdinger!” Do you remember my Spiced Red Lentil, Tomato, and Kale Soup? Well, this soup reminds me a bit of that one, only it’s even better! Turmeric, coconut, cumin, cinnamon, and cardamom create an incredibly healing and flavourful broth. I always say the test of a “vault-worthy” soup is whether you want to drink the broth on its own, and this one certainly fits the bill. A generous amount of turmeric makes it feel so healthy and powerful. Knowing that turmeric has so many anti-inflammatory benefits is always an added bonus, too!
My inspiration comes from a Whole Foods mason jar soup called “Spiced Lentil” that Eric picked up for me on a whim. Well, this soup blew me away. After glancing at the short ingredient list, I knew I could easily recreate it in my own kitchen. Or so I hoped! I scribbled down a recipe attempt and started cooking. The beauty of this soup is that it’s a “pantry” soup. I had every single ingredient on hand (and still do, which explains why I’ve been making it so much). The first batch turned out darn near perfect (actually, we liked my version more), and the second attempt was even better than the first. Poor Eric only got one bowl from the first batch. You gotta be quick around the pregnant lady! I’ll fight you.
If your weather is still cool, snowy, rainy, and dreary in early spring like it is here in Southern Ontario (we’re getting a snowstorm later today…*cries*), I hope you’ll enjoy this comforting soup. Even if it’s not cold where you are, I’d argue that breaking out into a light sweat while eating this is totally worth it!
Glowing Spiced Lentil Soup
Yield
7 cups (1.65 litres)
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
This soup is so quick and easy because there aren’t many vegetables to chop (just garlic and onion—that’s it!) and it relies mostly on pantry staples. It takes 15 minutes prep time (that includes getting the ingredients out), and then it’s hands off while it cooks. Talk about easy! While this soup contains a lot of spices, it's not what I would call "spicy" or "hot". If you do want a kick of heat feel free to add some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes. Also, feel free to change up the baby spinach for other greens like stemmed kale or chard. This soup is inspired by Whole Foods.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons (22.5 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cups (280 grams) diced onion (1 medium/large)
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 (14-ounce/398 mL) can diced tomatoes, with juices
- 1 (14-ounce/398 mL) can full-fat coconut milk*
- 3/4 cup (140 grams) uncooked red lentils, rinsed and drained
- 3 1/2 cups (875 mL) low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper, to taste (for a kick of heat!)
- 1 (5-ounce/140-gram) package baby spinach
- 2 teaspoons (10 mL) fresh lime juice, or more to taste
Directions
- In a large pot, add the oil, onion, and garlic. Add a pinch of salt, stir, and sauté over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes until the onion softens.
- Stir in the turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, and cardamom until combined. Continue cooking for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), entire can of coconut milk, red lentils, broth, salt, and plenty of pepper. Add red pepper flakes or cayenne, if desired, to taste. Stir to combine. Increase heat to high and bring to a low boil.
- Once it boils, reduce the heat to medium-high, and simmer, uncovered, for about 18 to 22 minutes, until the lentils are fluffy and tender.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the spinach until wilted. Add the lime juice to taste. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if desired. Ladle into bowls and serve with toasted bread and lime wedges.
Tip:
- * I tried a version using light canned coconut milk and one using full-fat canned coconut milk, and I greatly prefer the full-fat coconut milk version (shocker, I know). I recommend following suit, but if all you have on hand is light canned coconut milk that’ll work in a pinch—it just won't be as rich and creamy.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
Making this again. First time, my 12 yr old son stole most of it and I only got a bowl full! The taste is AMAZING and it’s perfect for cold winter days.
Haha, sounds like he must’ve liked it! ;) So glad it was a hit, Tiffany.
Amazing recipe!! I added 4 teaspoons of brown sugar to make it a bit less spicy. highly recommended
Hi – what can I substitute the canned tomatoes for? Can’t eat cooked tomatoes but everything else inrecipe looks amazing
Hi Hannah, You could simply omit the tomatoes, and add about another 1/2 cup of broth. Hope this helps!
Oh My God! That soup was so good! Never tried to put so many spices in soups before (I’m Russian, we don’t spice our food so much) and I absolutely loved it !
Hi,
Made the glowing spiced lentil soup today.i followed ingredients exactly. I used Whole Foods light coconut milk. I only had to buy cardamom. What a fragrant spice. It is like perfume! The soup did. It did not last long. I should have made a double pot, but usually don’t the first time…in case not good. Well, it is delicious. Thank you. I don’t recall where I first saw your link, but will look for more recipes. Linda
I’m so happy you liked the soup, Linda! I hope that whatever recipes you try next, you enjoy them just as much!
One of my favorite go-to recipes. Quick, scrumptious, perfect for non-vegan guests… LOVE IT! Always make it with Trador Joe’s full fat coconut cream. Comes out perfect!
This was SO delicious! I made two additions.
1. 1/2 Serrano pepper, minced (added with the garlic).
2. 3 sweet potatoes, cubed and boiled (I served the soup over the potatoes).
The spice from the pepper and the sweetness from the potatoes put the dish over the top!
Thank you, Angela, for your delicious, healthy recipes. You are a gift from God. :-)
Blessings to you and your family.
Oh, those additions sound delish, Tena!
Looks incredible but would you credit the people from the Indian subcontinent from whom you have been inspired?
Amazing! I think I am addicted to this soup, and it is going viral around our town as everyone I have recommended it to also loves it. :) I have been adding half a head of chopped cauliflower to give it some extra body and it is just delicious. Thank you for this recipe!
thanks for this recipe! It looks incredibly delicious and so I have featured it today on my “Super Quick Plant-Based Recipe” FB site. I think my group will love it!
https://www.facebook.com/SuperQuickPBRecipes/
Thanks so much for the shout out, Shanasy!
If you come up with other recipes that take 20 min. or less to prepare & cook AND don’t require many ingredients, just email me and I’ll be happy to feature you again!
Hi Angela,
I’ve been following you since I went plant based about 6 years ago and just want to say I really enjoy your recipes. Particularly enjoyed following your pregnancy and am currently on baby #2 plant based. (Your recipes have really helped!) I made this recipe last night as part of my prep for the week and LOVE the taste and simplicity. I’m not sure if you’ve heard of the instant pot but it was made in that which made it twice as easy. If you haven’t seen them around you should check them out! It will be a regular rotation for sure.
Thank you for being so wonderful and sharing all your recipes (:
Thanks so much for the lovely comment, Ashley. Congratulations on baby #2! Sending you and your growing family a ton of well wishes. :)
Angela: I have not made this soup but wanted to comment on your Golden French Lentil Stew. Made it yesterday and it was amazing. Definitely making it again. Love your recipes!
This is a very yummy soup. Thank you. I blended part of the soup for the kids, they loved it!
Blending it–what a great idea, Melanie! I’m glad it was a hit :)
Thank you for posting the measurements in both cups and grams! I have a budget of approximately $120 for my meals, so it’s been a necessity to calculate how much each meal serving costs to see if I can make it a regular staple in my diet. Not only does posting the two measurements make it easier for me to cook, but it also helps me to know what meals I can add on a regular basis! Posting the yield amount has also been a huge help too.
Thank you very much! Have a splendid evening. :)
I’m so happy to hear you find it helpful, Tao! I hope you had a great evening as well. :)
Made this tonight. Still at the dinner table and had to share our thoughts….four big THUMBS UP! We love this soup and agree it has a place in our recipe rotation. We especially like that it has turmeric, protein packed lentils, and a whole container of spinach. It is so healthy and yet oh so good! Thank you for this fab recipe.
Sounds like it was a big hit, Maggie!! I’m so happy to hear it. Thank YOU for the comment!
This soup has been my go to recipe for a potluck Wednesday night soup supper my church hosts once a month… wound up bringing it 4 out of 6 months to honor enthusiastic requests… with copies of your recipe from your website!
sometimes I have just added a good curry powder to it if I don’t have the specific spices!
Thanks for sharing the love, Kathy! It’s wonderful to hear this soup’s been such a hit at your potlucks. :)
I just made this for dinner tonight, and I love it! The only change I made was canned lentils instead of dry, and then shortened the cook time!
Amazing! I make this regularly and is so delicious and warming. Even my EXTREMELY fussy 13 year old will eat it BEFORE spinach! ?
Just made his for lunch and it was great! I threw in a knob of ginger since I was out of cardamom and used the reduced fat coconut milk (although I can see how it would be heavenly with the full fat). Thanks for another winning recipe, Angela!
Made this today, and it was amazing! That cayenne pepper does add a kick to it! :) The only thing I didn’t have on hand was a can of diced tomatoes, so I ended up adding fresh tomatoes instead. Absolutely delicious! Thank you!
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the soup, Jackie! Thanks for taking the time to let me know :)
I made this soup yesterday for a week of work lunches – it’s absolutely brilliant! I added a diced zucchini towards the end of cooking for extra veg.
Can’t go wrong with extra veg! Enjoy those lunches, Kat.
I made this last night and it was perfect! I was looking to use up some red lentils I had and this was an easy, quick, and delicious way to do it! I did the recipe exactly as suggested (except I used lite coconut milk that I already had) and added a few TB of chili flakes,and it was delish!
Thank you for yet another delicious, easy, and satisfying dinner!
This recipe was amazing , Thankyou!! I added coriander on top and it worked so nicely !
Winter is coming in New Zealand and it’s cold tonight, I needed something quick, easy and comforting. This was so so yum that I think I’ll make it every week! Thank you!
I hope it keeps you warm, Ashley!
This recipe is a keeper :)
Substituted: Rice milk for the coconut milk.
Added: A little curry
Served over brown rice.
Wow!! So good!!! Thanks for sharing.
Soooo yummy and easy. New fav
Oh my!! Looked up a lentil soup recipe and discovered you. And u must glow from the love coming from my husband and I. One of the best soups ever!! Made it on a campfire and ate the lot between us in one go. Utterly divine. Thank u sooooo much!
Loved this, Angela! Do you have the nutritional info per serving? Thanks
Hi there! I’m sorry, I don’t have the nutritional info on hand, but you should be able to get a fairly quick breakdown by plugging the recipe into an online tool like caloriecount.com or nutritiondata.com, or even a free app like MyFitnessPal. Hope this helps!
Just stumbled upon this recipe on your beautiful app and made it since I had all the ingredients on hand. Wowzer!! So delicious and so insanely easy to make! Barely any clean up required. Chopping so many veggies is often the difficulty of being plant-based but this is probably the easiest and flavourful recipe I’ve made in ages! Keep these great and easy recipes coming, Angela!
Hi Angela, do you soak the lentils first?
Hi Lucy, Thanks for the question! The red lentils just need to be rinsed and drained. Hope this helps and happy cooking! :)
Wow! Wow! Wow! This was crazy good!!! So much flavor! Made it twice already. Thank you for all the healthy recipes. You make eating healthy fun and adventurous! I’ve made several from your book and all of them have been incredibly tasty!
I’m so happy you’re loving the soup recipe, S! It’s still a huge fave in our household. And of course, thanks for your support for the book, too. Happy cooking! :)
I just watched the documentary (what the health) last night. I’m diving in whole hardedly to becoming vegan! I feel so lucky to have found your website. This will be my first of many vegan meals… I appreciate YOU??
Angela, this is my absolute favourite soup – bar none. I have the recipe committed to memory and ALWAYS have the needed ingredients in my pantry. I sometimes add some ground coriander, and often double the turmeric called for, to pack an extra healthy punch.
This soup is heavenly comfort in a bowl!!
Hey Stephanie,
I’m glad I’m not the only one who makes soup in the summer (unless you are in the Southern Hemisphere, that is!), and that you love this soup so much. I honestly think it’s one of my top 3 of all time. :) I’ll be eating it all fall and winter long I’m sure. Have you tried the 8-minute pantry dal yet? It’s a good one to have on hand (easy to remember!), and works with a variety of veggies.
So I don’t need to soak the lentils first?
Hi Laura, It’s not necessary for this recipe, but I can’t see why you couldn’t (though I haven’t tried it yet myself). I’m sure soaking the lentils beforehand would also cut down on the soup’s cook time, which would be a nice bonus. Please let us know how it goes if you try it!
Tried this recipe yesterday. I used a 3 lentil blend, added 2 potatoes, fresh corn, kale instead of spinach (because I am growing tons of kale) and fresh tomatoes because I have around 25 tomato plants. It was so delicious I am putting at the front of my recipe box. If you are not vegan you could add a dollop of sour cream along with fresh cilantro before serving. Thanks for making cooking plant based food fun for everyone!
Mmm, fresh home-grown kale! Sounds like a delicous addition, Judy. Glad you enjoyed the soup :)
Curious – has anyone tried this chilled? I am part of a meal train and the family requested a lentil soup – but it is 90 degrees here today and I am nervous about delivering a hot soup :)
Hey Morgan, I have had it chilled, but I have to say I do prefer it hot (although I wouldn’t pass it up if chilled was my only option, if that makes any sense) Let me know how it goes!
I made this tonight and it was delicious! Thank you!
I’m so happy to hear that Ann, thanks for the feedback!
This recipe is delightful! It’s fragrant and hearty. Plus, it is super cheap to make. I didn’t have some of the spices so I only got what I needed from bulk foods. Thanks for sharing this! :)
This soup is tasty, nourishing, and so easy to prepare! Thank you!
Wow I seriously cannot get enough of this!! The flavor is amazing. Thank you so much for posting such great recipes!!
Hey Britney, So glad this soup is a hit! We had it on the weekend as I had some stashed in the freezer (it freezes well too).
This is the best soup I’ve ever had !!!!!! Thank you Angela !!!! I making this soup quite often – delicious , easy and satisfing .
Wow thank you so much for the kind words Kasia!
I have made this soup dozens of times, seriously. Love it, and it’s so easy to throw together even on a busy weeknight. Chop an onion and go. One time, I was making it and opened a container of what I thought was veggie broth, and it turned out to be oat milk. I had poured half the container in before I realized lol. That batch had to be started over, but I hadn’t put anything in but the onions and spices at that point so oh well, right? I thought, well, I’ll never make THAT mistake again! Wouldn’t you know, tonight I am making yet another batch, and I already had the tomatoes and coconut milk in, when I started to pour “veggie broth” and realized it was once again oat milk! I only had a few splashes in so I’m carrying on here. I really need to keep my plant milks and veggie broth in separate places from here on out!
lol…Traci thank you for the smile!! What are the odds that happened twice? Always an adventure with cooking. ;) I’m so glad you love this soup so much! We do too…it’s a cool weather staple.
quick question…do you think you can leave out the tomatoes and it will be alright? Is there something I could substitute for them?
Hey B, I haven’t made it without the tomatoes before so I’m not sure. You could always try it and sub in a bit more broth and another water-heavy veggie (like zucchini?)
I didn’t have veggie broth or tomatoes, so I subbed more water and a bit of vegetable paste from a tube. It’s like tomato paste with other veggies added in. Turned out great!
Great tip, Lori! So glad it worked out.
I’m going to try making this over the weekend! Are you supposed to drain the liquid water out of the can of coconut milk? or pour everything from the can straight in?
Hey Tiffany, Nope, no draining…just add the entire can! Hope this helps and enjoy!
Hey Angela,
Just tried this today, and mine turned out waaaaaay darker than yours did in the photos. Regardless, the flavour is amazing. I found the spices still a little “raw”; perhaps I didn’t cook them enough with the onion/oil combo at the beginning?
In any event, it’s been a meal prep dish for a couple days away, so hopefully that rawness will mellow a bit. Even if it doesn’t, it’s still a fantabulous soup.
Oh, and perhaps I should mention: I’m in Australia, where the weather is certainly warming up…. but I still love a good lentil soup, regardless of the weather! :D
Thanks so much for sharing your recipe!
Best,
David
Hey David, Oh, interesting…it does sound like the spices might’ve been a bit different. Either way, I find the soup does benefit from a sit, so I hope it gets better and better for you So glad to hear you’re still enjoying soup despite the weather…that’s totally me in the summer too. It just makes for easy meals so it’s hard to go a couple seasons without it. If you find it too hot for warm soup, I’d recommend my gazpacho…really lovely and refreshing at the peak of summer! http://ohsheglows.com/2011/05/20/gazpacho/
I made this a little over a week ago and it was fast, easy, and SO delicious, I had to make it again tonight!
Perfect with some naan bread on a cold Newfoundland evening!
Hey Nick, Paired with naan…sounds dreamy!! Thanks so much for letting me know you enjoyed it. I make it ALL the time!
This soup is absolutely fabulous! HIGHLY recommend it!
Thanks so much Shelley!
This is all you hope it will be. Spicy, creamy, warm, perfect for a winter day. And with spinach for extra veggies :-)
Hey Tara, Thanks for the soup love! Now I’m craving a bowl and it’s only 8am…heh
This is a fantastic soup!!! Thank you! I made a double recipe and used only 1 can of full fat coconut milk (400 ml or 13.5 oz). It turned out absolutely delicious. I will definitely add this to the top of my list of favorite soups. Cheers.
Hey Gary, So great that you love it enough to add it to your fave soups! Thanks for your review. :)
Hi Angela, my wife has a question. Are the nutritional facts listed somewhere on the recipe page? We could not find them. Thanks
Hi Gary, I’m sorry they aren’t, but we’re considering adding nutritional info in the future.