This curry lentil soup gives you a cozy, nutritious, and satisfying one-pot dinner packed with lentils and vegetables and ready with minimal effort.
If you love easy lentil dinners, try our Mediterranean Lentil Soup, Mediterranean Lentil and Orzo, or creamy Lentil Curry next.
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Why you’ll love our Curry Lentil Soup!
This curry lentil soup is full of lentils, potatoes, carrots, and leafy greens, all simmered in a tomato broth with curry powder, cumin, turmeric, ginger, and garlic. 🥣 The broth thickens as the lentils cook, so every spoonful is rich and loaded with vegetables.
You get fiber, plant-based protein, and plenty of vegetables in one bowl, with potatoes making it filling enough for dinner. 🌱 And everything comes from ingredients you can pick up at a regular grocery store.
Louise and I make it all in one pot. Start with onion, carrots, garlic, ginger, and spices, add everything else, then let it simmer. That’s really it.
Add a good squeeze of lime at the table and a spoonful of Greek yogurt, plus pickled red onions or cilantro if you have them. ❤️ It’s colorful, satisfying, and nutritious, an easy one-pot dinner for busy weeknights and chilly evenings.
P.S: If you love hearty lentil soups, try our Creamy Red Lentil Soup, French Lentil Soup, or Tomato Lentil Soup next.
Ingredients
Full ingredients and substitutions are in the recipe box below.
- Olive oil: builds a flavorful base. Substitute avocado oil.
- Onion: adds sweetness and depth. Substitute shallots or leeks.
- Carrots: add color and subtle sweetness. Parsnips work too.
- Garlic: fresh is best. If garlic intolerant, omit it and add extra ginger or scallion greens.
- Ginger: adds fresh, warming flavor. Substitute a pinch of ground ginger.
- Curry powder: gives this curried lentil soup its warm, aromatic flavor. Use mild or hot curry powder to taste.
- Turmeric: adds earthy flavor and golden color. Substitute extra curry powder.
- Cumin: adds warmth and depth. Ground coriander is a milder alternative.
- Red pepper flakes: add gentle heat. Substitute cayenne or omit.
- Vegetable broth: forms the savory base. Use low-sodium broth if preferred.
- Crushed tomatoes: make the broth rich and tomatoey. Substitute diced tomatoes.
- Green or brown lentils: stay tender yet intact as they cook. Avoid red lentils, which break down. You can also use canned lentils; see the FAQ below for how to adjust the broth and cooking method.
- Potatoes: make this lentil potato soup extra satisfying. Yukon Gold, red, or russet potatoes work.
- Kale: adds hearty greens. Substitute spinach or Swiss chard.
- Salt and black pepper: season to taste.
- Lime: brightens the finished soup. Lemon works too.
- Greek yogurt: adds a creamy finish. Choose low-fat Greek yogurt or Skyr for even more protein.
How to Make Curry Lentil Soup
Step 1. Build the flavor base
Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
Add the chopped onion and thinly sliced carrots. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the grated garlic and ginger, curry powder, turmeric, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute, stirring often, until fragrant.
Step 2. Add the soup ingredients
Pour in the vegetable broth and crushed tomatoes.
Rinse and drain the dried lentils—there’s no need to soak them. Add them to the pot with the peeled potatoes cut into bite-size chunks and chopped kale.
Season with salt and black pepper and stir well.
Step 3. Simmer until tender
Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
Cook for about 30 minutes, or until the lentils and potatoes are tender. Stir occasionally and add a splash more broth if the soup becomes thicker than you like.
Step 4. Taste and serve
Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.
Serve hot with a squeeze of lime and your favorite toppings, such as Greek yogurt, brown rice, pickled red onions, scallions, or cilantro.
Tips
- Use green or brown lentils: They become tender while still holding their shape. Red lentils break down and will give you a much softer, creamier soup.
- Rinse the lentils well: Rinse under cold running water and drain before adding them. There’s no need to soak them.
- Bloom the spices: Cook the curry powder, turmeric, and cumin in the olive oil for about 1 minute. This brings out their aroma and gives the broth more flavor.
- Don’t burn the garlic: Once the garlic, ginger, and spices go in, stir often and keep the cooking time short.
- Cut the potatoes evenly: Keep them in similar bite-size pieces so they become tender at about the same time as the lentils.
- Keep it at a gentle simmer: Once the soup boils, lower the heat. A hard boil can reduce the broth too quickly before the lentils are tender.
- Watch the lentils, not just the clock: Cooking time varies by type and age. The soup is ready when the lentils are tender and the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork.
- Adjust the consistency: Lentils continue absorbing liquid as they cook. Add a splash of vegetable broth if the soup becomes thicker than you like.
- Want it thicker? Blend or mash a small portion of the soup, then stir it back in. This makes the broth creamier while keeping plenty of texture.
- Finish with lime: A squeeze just before serving brightens the tomatoes, lentils, and warm curry spices.
- Taste for salt at the end: Broths vary considerably in saltiness, so give the finished soup a final taste and adjust as needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Substitute the dried lentils with 2 cans (15 ounces / 400 g each can) of lentils, drained and rinsed.
Start with 3½ to 4 cups of vegetable broth instead of 5 cups. Add the potatoes and kale as directed, but leave out the lentils.
Simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the potatoes and kale are tender. Stir in the canned lentils and simmer for another 5 minutes, or until heated through. Add more broth at the end if you prefer a thinner soup.
Absolutely. Stir chopped spinach into the soup during the last few minutes of cooking so it stays tender and green.
A standard mild or medium curry powder works well. Curry powder blends vary by brand, so choose one you already enjoy and adjust the red pepper flakes to control the heat.
Yes. Increase the red pepper flakes or add a small pinch of cayenne. For a milder soup, reduce or omit the red pepper flakes.
Yes. The flavors develop nicely as the soup sits. The lentils and potatoes will continue absorbing broth, so you may want to add a splash when reheating.
Lentils naturally absorb liquid as they cook and sit. Simply stir in more vegetable broth until you reach the consistency you like.
Let the soup cool, then refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth if needed.
You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat until hot, adding extra broth as needed.
More Lentil Recipes
- Lentil Bolognese
- Lentil Pasta
- Mujadara
- Greek Lentil Salad
- Lentil Tabbouleh
- Turmeric Lentil Soup
- Lentil Eggplant Curry
- Easy Red Lentil Dal
If you try this Curry Lentil Soup Recipe please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it turned out in the comments—we love hearing from you.
Curry Lentil Soup (One Pot, Lots of Veggies)
Video
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 carrots thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic grated
- 1 teaspoon ginger grated
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes adjust to taste
- 5 cups vegetable broth reduced sodium – plus more to taste
- 1 can crushed tomatoes 15 oz / 400 g
- 1 cup dried lentils green or brown
- 1 pound potatoes peeled and cut into bite-size chunks
- 5 ounces kale chopped – sub spinach
- 1 teaspoons salt plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 wedges lime + Greek yogurt, brown rice, quick pickled red onions, chopped scallions or cilantro.
Instructions
- Build the flavor base: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.Add 1 large onion (chopped) and 2 carrots (thinly sliced) and cook for 3 minutes. Add 3 cloves garlic and 1 teaspoon ginger (grated), 2 teaspoons curry powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute, stirring often.
- Add the soup ingredients: Pour in 5 cups vegetable broth and 1 can crushed tomatoes.Rinse and drain 1 cup dried lentils, then add them with 1 pound potatoes cut into bite-size chunks and 5 ounces kale (chopped). Season with 1 teaspoons salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Simmer the soup: Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and gently simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.The soup is ready when the lentils are tender and the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. Add a splash of broth if it gets too thick.
- Taste and serve: Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.Serve with a squeeze of lime and your favorite toppings, such as Greek yogurt, brown rice, pickled red onions, scallions, or cilantro.
Notes
- Olive oil → Avocado oil
- Onion → Shallots or leeks
- Carrots → Parsnips
- Garlic → Extra ginger or scallion greens
- Ginger → Ground ginger
- Curry powder → Mild or hot curry powder
- Turmeric → Extra curry powder
- Cumin → Ground coriander
- Red pepper flakes → Cayenne or omit
- Vegetable broth → Low-sodium vegetable broth
- Crushed tomatoes → Diced tomatoes
- Green or brown lentils → 2 cans lentils, drained and rinsed; see FAQ for method
- Potatoes → Yukon Gold, red, or russet potatoes
- Kale → Spinach or Swiss chard
- Salt and black pepper → Adjust to taste
- Lime → Lemon
- Greek yogurt → Low-fat Greek yogurt or Skyr
- Choose the right lentils: Use green or brown; rinse well, but don’t soak.
- Bloom the spices: Cook them in olive oil for 1 minute for more flavor.
- Watch the garlic: Stir often so the garlic, ginger, and spices don’t burn.
- Cut potatoes evenly: Bite-size pieces help everything cook at the same rate.
- Simmer gently: Cook until the lentils are tender and potatoes are easily pierced with a fork.
- Adjust the broth: Add more if too thick; blend or mash a little soup if too thin.
- Finish with lime: It brightens the warm spices and tomatoes.
- Salt last: Taste and adjust after cooking since broths vary.
- Store: Refrigerate leftovers and add a splash of broth when reheating if the soup thickens.
Nutrition
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Hi! We are Nico & Louise
We're here to share easy, healthy, and delicious recipes 🌿✨.
Welcome to our blog, we are glad you are here.
This soup was sensational, very tasty and filling. We served it with fermented red cabbage as a topper and a crusty bread roll.
Really good, nice flavors, and my 10 year old loved it. I will be making this again.
That’s wonderful, Danielle! 🎉 I’m delighted to hear, what a compliment that your 10-year old enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing 🙂
The best, 👌
Looks so good. Thank you for sharing
Love your cooking recipes I make the chick pea coconut curry everyweek love it love all the recipes.
Awww, thank you June 🥰 You are so kind, thank you for your feedback, and for being here ☀️
Amazing cooking.Thankyou sooooo much x Cherie
Such a nice soup, really filling and has so many flavors. I was looking for dishes with lentils and found your website, let me tell you I’ll now deep dive into all your recipes. 🙂
made today–6-4-24. Ran across this recipe when I googled ways to use up fresh Kale. I made a few substitutions and it was delicious. I used 1 can Cannellini beans instead of lentils, mushroom stock instead of vege broth, and a can of diced potatoes vs fresh. Everything else was per the recipe.
so glad i found this today, as the temps dropped and my work-from-home day gave me more time in the kitchen. super yummy, and yes, with some additions, but that’s what makes the recipe so good – it’s flexible! on the hunt for some crunchy bread (unless someone wants to bring me some naan?). thank you!
Heidi, I’m happy you enjoyed the lentil soup – you are very right, naan bread is fantastic with this soup!!
Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment here. Have a great rest of your day. Kindest,
Louise
I’m trying to incorporate more fiber/eat more plant-based meals and a friend shared this recipe with me. I used a can of chickpeas in place of potato, a bell pepper instead of carrot, and 1/2 jar of Rao’s marinara in place of crushed tomatoes. With these changes in place, I had everything on hand and didn’t even have to go to the store.
This recipe was so beyond delicious, comforting, satisfying and filling and now I have lunch for the week! Thank you for a fantastic recipe.
Hi Scout, that’s great news, I’m very happy you enjoyed the soup 🎉
Thank you very much for your feedback and for taking the time to leave a comment here. I’m very happy we could help a little with your lunch meal-prep 😉
Have a great rest of your week. All the best,
Louise