Have you ever gotten flavor overload? Like if you eat too much and the next day all you want to eat is something really simple? Okay, maybe that’s just me or because I work with food every day, but yesterday I just wanted something that tasted, well, for lack of a better word, clean. I hate using the word clean when talking about food because it’s such a buzzword, but that’s truly how this Golden Coconut Lentil Soup tastes. It’s light, bright, clean, and simple. And that’s exactly what I needed yesterday.
Light and Fresh Flavors
I’ve made lentils with coconut milk several times, but this time I thinned it out to a soup to keep it light and made sure that spicy ginger took center stage. Turmeric gives this soup an incredibly vibrant color and an earthy flavor base, while rich coconut milk holds the flavors together and gives the soup body (watery soup = no bueno). I chose not to use any bouillon or broth for this soup because I wanted to keep the flavors clean and fresh, but if you want something with a little more depth you could certainly substitute some of the water for vegetable or chicken broth (I feel like chicken broth would blend better with the flavors, but vegetable broth can be used to keep it vegetarian).
How to Serve Golden Coconut Lentil Soup
I piled a few fun toppings into this soup to make it a bit more of a meal, but they’re completely optional. A simple piece of naan bread would also be great. I found some large unsweetened coconut flakes in the bulk bins at Whole Foods and toasted them up in a skillet to add color and texture. I also added a small scoop of jasmine rice to each bowl to give my mouth a little more something to chew on. Plus, lentils are rice are like peanut butter and jelly, you gotta have one with the other. :)
Golden Coconut Lentil Soup
Servings 4 1.5 cups eachIngredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil (or coconut oil) ($0.13)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.32)
- 2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
- 1 inch fresh ginger (about 1 Tbsp grated) ($0.13)
- 1/2 Tbsp ground turmeric ($0.15)
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper ($0.02)
- 2-3 carrots ($0.33)
- 1/2 lb. red or yellow lentils (about 1 cup) ($1.35)
- 4 cups water ($0.00)
- 1 13.5oz. can coconut milk ($0.99)
- 1/2 Tbsp salt (or to taste) ($0.05)
TOPPINGS (OPTIONAL)
- 1/3 cup large, unsweetened coconut flakes ($0.16)
- 1/4 bunch fresh cilantro ($0.10)
- 2 cups cooked jasmine rice ($0.38)
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a large pot. Dice the onion, mince the garlic, and grate or mince the ginger (I use a small-holed cheese grater). Sauté the onion, garlic, and ginger in the olive oil over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or until the onions are soft and transparent. While the onions, garlic, and ginger are sautéing, peel and slice the carrots.
- Add the turmeric and red pepper to the pot and sauté for a minute more. Add the carrots to the pot, sauté for a minute more, then add the lentils and water. Place a lid on the pot, bring it up to a boil over high heat, then turn the heat down to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Toast the coconut flakes while the soup simmers. Add the coconut flakes to a dry skillet and place it over medium-low heat. Stir continuously as the flakes heat until they are about 50% golden brown (1-3 minutes). Remove the flakes from the hot skillet immediately to stop the toasting process.
- After 20 minutes the lentils should be soft and broken down. Stir the coconut milk into the soup. Use an immersion blender or carefully blend the warm soup in small batches until about half of the soup is puréed (or all of it if you want it completely smooth). Once blended, begin adding salt, 1/2 tsp at a time, until the soup is properly seasoned. I used 1.5 tsp or 1/2 Tbsp of salt. Also adjust the red pepper flakes, if desired.
- To serve the soup, ladle about 1.5 cups into a bowl and top with 1/2 cup cooked rice, some fresh cilantro leaves, and a sprinkle of toasted coconut flakes.
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Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!This soup makes me feel soooo good inside!
How to Make Golden Coconut Lentil Soup – Step by Step Photos
Begin by dicing one yellow onion, mincing two cloves of garlic, and grating or mincing about 1 inch of fresh ginger (about 1 Tbsp). Add the onion, garlic, and ginger to a large pot with 1 Tbsp olive or coconut oil. Sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft and transparent. Add 1/2 Tbsp turmeric and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Sauté for about one minute more.
While the onions are sautéing, peel and slice 2-3 carrots. Add them to the pot and sauté for a minute more, then add 1/2 lb. red or yellow lentils (about 1 cup).
Then add 4 cups water. Place a lid on the pot and bring it up to a boil over high heat. Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 20 minutes (photo is before simmering).
While the soup is simmering, toast the coconut flakes. Place about 1/3 cup large, unsweetened coconut flakes in a dry skillet. Stir and cook over medium-low heat until they’re about 50% toasted. This happens quickly, so make sure you’re stirring constantly. Remove them from the skillet as soon as they’re done so that they don’t continue to brown.
After 20 minutes the lentils should be soft and broken down. The soup will still taste extremely bland at this point because no salt has been added.
Add one 13.5oz. can of full fat coconut milk – not the stuff that you find in the dairy cooler that is used as a dairy milk substitute. That is too thin.
Canned coconut milk is thick and usually has a layer of semi-solid fat on top. One of the reasons I was SO excited to finally get a Trader Joe’s in New Orleans is because they have super inexpensive coconut milk that is actually really good quality. Yay!
After adding the coconut milk, use an immersion blender or carefully blend batches of the soup in a regular blender until about half of the soup is puréed. This will help thicken up the soup and make it more cohesive. If using a regular blender, be VERY careful. It’s always a good idea to drape a towel over the blender when blending hot or warm liquids to shield yourself from any possible explosions. This is also the time to finally season the soup with salt. Start adding salt, 1/2 tsp at a time, until the soup tastes properly salted to you. I used 1.5 tsp, or 1/2 Tbsp of salt total.
To serve the Golden Coconut Lentil Soup, place about 1.5 cups of the soup in a bowl and add a 1/2 cup cooked rice to the center. Sprinkle fresh cilantro and the toasted coconut flakes over top. I also added a few more red pepper flakes because I like it HOT. ;)
As with any coconut curry like dish, implementing lemongrass will do very well and using different turmeric-based curry blends might be something you will come to enjoy and find a favorite variation over time.
Not only Chicken stock, but a stronger flavor such as Duck will really take the depth to a new level. The lentils are what accentuate any possible blandness, so I think the above suggestions are perfect solutions before adding too much salt, and just like any other dish you think needs a bit more salt, try a small touch of lime juice or vinegar on top first.
I followed recipe exactly and mine was very very bland. How can I save it?
Try adding more salt. A little extra salt can really make subtle flavors pop.
This is my go to recipe when we are running out of food! We always have lentils and the other ingredients are so quick and easy and pantry staples. 5 stars all around. Great for meatless mondays. And yes agree with other comments that broth makes it taste a little hardier.
I have made this so many times. So good and easy to make! My only suggestion would be to use a vegetable (to keep vegan) or chicken stock instead of water. That helps it not be so bland.
You have won’t me over with this soup. I adore red lentils. Never tried yellow but I imagine they’re pretty much same as red. Thanks so much for sharing
Hi I’m just looking for some more recipes please as these look very nice and tasty. But I just wanted to asked are keto diet recipes or just normal recipes please thank you bye.
I made a double batch last night and really liked it. I didn’t change the recipe at all but might try adding a little curry and a little more ginger next time, althought it was good as is. The blended soup was thick enough that I didn’t serve it with any rice. Using a food processor to chop the onions and slice the carrots helped a double batch come together really quickly – I know that’s not rocket science, but sometimes I forget to use it.
Just made this soup and am eating as I write. I love it! But some changes I’d make:
– I will double the ginger and garlic next time
– I’m definitely going to use broth, or at least a mix of water and broth
– I ended up adding more turmeric, some curry powder, cayenne, and a squeeze of lemon (didn’t have lime). But I’m a big spice person
Can u freeze the leftovers?
Yes. :)
Easy and quick to make. Very little ingredients, which is always a blessing. Absolutely delicious! Thank you for all your tasty and affordable recipes! Love finding great vegan recipes.
Just made this! It was very good and pretty inexpensive to make. I did use a lite coconut milk and substituted the salt for some bulion instead. Tastes great! Even my step-father likes it.
I would love to know the nutritional values?
This is one of my favorite quick weeknight meals. It is filling without being heavy and combines some of my most beloved flavor profiles. I like to add up to 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes and cook them with the onion until the aroma starts to burn my nostrils a little. :) that way I know it’ll have a BITE to it at the end. I’ve also used squeeze ginger in place of fresh and it still tastes delicious.
Interested in why you leave salting the soup until one of the last steps? I’ve always been told to salt as you go so that it has more time to blend in and you get a true sense of if additional salt is needed at the end. Looks like a great recipe! Can’t wait to try it!
I like to salt at the end because you get a bigger flavor punch with a smaller amount of sodium. When you add it earlier on it kind of absorbs and disappears and you end up using much more.
Also, I just learned this week making pea soup that when you salt before the peas, it takes longer for the peas to cook as they don’t absorb the water as quickly so perhaps same goes with lentils… I don’t know. Just a thought :)
Am trying this recipe today !!
So good! I doubled the garlic and turmeric and added some cayenne. Other than that, made exactly as written. It’s very important to salt to taste! It is very bland up until that step, but then the flavors really pop!