Red Lentil Coconut Curry Soup

This has become one of my favorite warm, comforting recipes. If you live in a place where it gets very cold over the winter, then you will definitely want to whip up a big pot of this soup. The recipe below will make a fairly large pot, and you can always put the leftovers in the freezer if you can’t get through it all in a few days. Or, feel free to cut everything in half and make a smaller pot!

Another big bonus, especially if you’re learning about a plant-based or vegan diet, is that this soup is also packed with a lot of protein. Just one cup of lentils contains about 18g of protein, while a 1/4 cup of chickpeas gives you about 10g of protein!

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp vegetable broth OR if not oil free, 1 tbsp oil of choice
• 2 cups red lentils
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 fresh jalapeño, finely chopped (include seeds)
• 1 tbsp ginger, freshly peeled and minced
• 2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup tomato paste
• 7 cups water
• 1 can unsweetened light coconut milk
• 1 15-ounce can of chickpeas
• 1 tbsp lime juice, freshly squeezed
• Handful of fresh cilantro and lime wedges for serving

Method:

Heat the few tablespoons of vegetable broth (or oil if you choose) in a large soup pan over medium heat and add the chopped onions, bell pepper and jalapeño and cook for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables soften a bit.

Add the garlic, ginger, curry powder, cinnamon, salt and tomato paste and continue to cook for 2-3 more minutes until the mixture is toasty and fragrant.

Next, add the water, coconut milk, lentils and chickpeas and cook uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes over medium heat, or until the soup thickens up, adding the lime juice at the end of cooking. Taste and adjust with more salt or more lime juice if desired.

Serve the soup topped with a sprinkling of fresh cilantro and some extra limes on the side.