Red Lentil Soup Recipe with Curry Powder and Spinach

This red lentil soup recipe with curry powder and spinach is a simple, delicious, and satisfying soup. I grew up eating Turkish-style lentil soup, and this particular recipe, while a departure from the lentil soup of my childhood, is an absolute favorite of mine.

Ingredients

Lentils are an easily digestible form of protein for most people, and chock full of vitamins and fiber. They are also inexpensive and relatively easy to find. There are a few types of lentils typically available in grocery stores. I chose orange-colored lentils for this recipe, which are packaged and sold as red lentils. Red lentils, as sold in the U.S., are split, so cooking time is fast! I keep a pre-made curry powder like this one in my cupboard, rather than make my own curry spice blend.

A Vegetarian Dinner

For a veggie-filled feast, this red lentil soup recipe goes great with Turkish Style Braised Leeks, and Broccoli and Sugar Snap Pea Salad.

Red Lentil Soup Recipe with Curry Powder and Spinach

This recipe comes together quickly, and is great for lunches for the week. It also freezes well. 

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern

Keyword: red lentil soup recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Servings: 8

Calories: 171kcal

Author: Aliye Aydin

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion
• 3 medium tomatoes or one 15-oz. can diced tomatoes
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter or ghee
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 Tablespoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, optional
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1½ cups red lentils, picked over and rinsed
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 cups water
• 2 cups baby spinach, or chopped larger spinach leaves
• black pepper, freshly ground, 5-7 grinds

Instructions

• Finely dice onion. Chop tomatoes.
• In a large soup pot, over medium heat, cook onion in butter until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add tomato paste, curry powder, cumin, cayenne, and salt and stir until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Add lentils, tomatoes, bay leaves, and water. Partially cover, bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, and cook until lentils are tender, about 45 minutes. 
• Remove bay leaves. Remove soup pot from heat and puree partially with an immersion blender (but don't make it too smooth). Alternatively, puree half the soup in a blender (carefully!) and return to pot.
• Return to heat, stir in spinach and salt and pepper to taste, and cook for a minute or so until spinach is wilted into the soup.

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