![Glowing Spiced Lentil Soup Glowing Spiced Lentil Soup](/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/065A3820.jpg)
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!
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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.
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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!
![glowingspicedlentilsoup glowingspicedlentilsoup](/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/glowingspicedlentilsoup.jpg)
![Glowing Spiced Lentil Soup](https://ohsheglows.com/gs_images/2016/04/20160124-App-Soups-02398-768x768.jpg)
Glowing Spiced Lentil Soup
![](https://ohsheglows.com/wp-content/plugins/osg-recipes/images/ornament_long_artichoke.png)
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)![065A3797 065A3797](/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/065A3797.jpg)
Made this tonight and it was beautiful so easy and so delicious , Thank you
This soup was delicious. It is now in my soup repertoire.
This soup is so good!
This turned out beautifully and took almost no time at all. Another win!
Excellent recipe. I added mushrooms (white, raw, sliced, 12 mins before done simmering) and poured it over rice.
Yum, that sounds great, Ellen! So happy you enjoyed the recipe. :)
Just made this for lunch. Yummo!
Oh yummy! I’ve been looking for a lentil soup recipe to make to help with recovering from getting a tooth extracted. This is the one! Thank you!
Ouch! Hope you heal up quickly, Cheri. (And enjoy the soup in the meantime!)
Very easy to make, and so tasty!! love the colour too!
I made this tonight and loved it! It was quick and easy and very flavorful. Thanks for sharing.
I made this soup last week and it is phenomenal! I cannot get over how delicious it is! This will become a part of my regular soup rotation!
So happy to hear that, Rachel!
Thank you for yet another delish soup. I have come down with a cold and was feeling like, well you know and had to be out with my daughter until after 7pm last night. My lovely hubby made this for me and it was hot and ready to go when I came home. Not really feeling like eating but the smell got me and it had me at the first spoonful. This was the perfect supper and I can imagine it will taste even better when the tastebuds return post cold. Genius I say, just genius.
Terri
Aw, what a great guy. Get well soon, Terry!
Hi there, Love love love your website. I’m hoping to start a blog too, but it all seems to be stored on my hard drive and no time to get posting. Question: love your soup, but not a fan of canned coconut milk, have you ever husked a coconut and blended the water and meat together? And how about fresh chopped toms rather than canned? My daughter has significant allergies and cannot tolerate any processed food that has been preserved.
Hi Amanda, No, I haven’t – I’m afraid my coconut husking skills aren’t the best! hah. Let us know if you try it out. And I haven’t used fresh tomatoes myself, but a number of other readers have tried it and enjoyed the results. I hope you enjoy the recipe if you give it a try with your modifications, and good luck starting that blog!
This soup is amazing. My kids each had seconds!! It is filling, nourishing, and comforting while not being heavy! I used lite coconut milk and it was still incredibly delicious and creamy. Love this soup, this recipe is a must try-must keep.
Thanks for the lovely note, Julianne! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe.
Absolutely delicious!! My veg loving family of 4 have requested this soup twice already! I love your quick easy recipes that yield impressive results! This one is a keeper!
So glad to hear the soup’s a hit with your family, Stacey! A double request?? I think that’s definitely a sign you’ve found a keeper. ;)
I made this this past weekend (though I used green lentils instead because that was all I could find). So so good. Even my dad liked it! I just whipped up some more but added a diced sweet potato (I like to mess around with recipes and add things) which made a nice addition (I just tossed it in when I added the lentils… and I actually found red ones this time!).
I always love to hear how people have experimented with my recipes, Lyn! It’s so inspiring. Thanks for sharing, and I’m so glad you like the recipe. )
Angela
I am a huge fan. I am enjoying your new app and I made many recipes in your cook book, winning many fans when they tried the ten spice veg soup. Your black bean sweet potatoe enchilada is outstanding and I have not tried your recent revision. I found the glowing spiced lentil soup a little bland. I added more cumin,salt, pepper, cayenne. Everyone in the comments seems to love it though so I am the outlier. Your recipes are “flavor bombs” but this one not so much.
Oh, my word! This is one of the best soups I’ve ever tasted! I made it last night and was craving another bowl all day today!! YUM!! I really appreciate how quick and easy it was to make, too…which I made using your fabulous app! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Carrie, so glad you enjoyed the soup! I know what you mean about that second bowl – it’s kind of addictive, isn’t it? Haha. The recipe’s definitely a new fave around here too!
Just made it for dinner this evening since I had everything in the house. It is delicious and makes the house smell amazing! Thank you for another easy, delightful recipe. :)
I just made this soup and it’s wonderful! I used green lentils (home grown on our farm) because that’s what I had on hand. This may have changed the texture a bit but the flavour is great!
So glad to hear you enjoyed the soup, Krissy! And I’m glad the lentil sub turned out well (home-grown lentils? yum!).
Just made this, and its delicious. You never fail me :) I added a little cayenne to kick up the heat and its wonderful. Looking forward to your next cookbook.
HI Jennifer, I’m glad you enjoyed the soup! Cayenne sounds like a great addition. Thanks for the lovely comment!