Green Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk

With a popular Indian spice blend, garam masala, creamy coconut milk, hearty lentils and veggies this vegan green lentil soup recipe is incredibly comforting and relishing. Sure to be a favourite, you’ll want to make this nourishing lentil soup with coconut milk again and again!

If you follow along Girl Heart Food, you know that we’re huge soup fans. Like, enjoy all year-round soup fans, especially legume soups.

We have so many varieties of dried lentils and beans in our pantry, you wouldn’t believe it. So freaking many. No regrets, though. They’re just so handy to have around and so versatile.

It’s difficult to pick a favourite soup using legumes, but this vegan green lentil soup with coconut milk and veggies is at the top of the list.

As soon as the first batch of soup was polished off, I was onto making another one. No joke. It doesn’t hurt that it’s super easy to prepare, either!

I don’t know about you, but I’m so in love with fall and all the cozy comfort food it brings (along with warm sweaters and wooly socks). Fall is definitely my season. What’s yours?

Why We Love Green Lentil Soup

• It’s made some pretty humble, simple ingredients
• Comes together in about 30 minutes
• Made in one pot for easy cleanup
• It’s dairy free, vegan and gluten free
• Great for meal prep for easy weekday lunches
• It’s so incredibly easy, comforting and delicious

How to Make It

Full details are in the recipe card below, but here are the basics:

1. Start by cooking some diced onion until softened.
2. Next, add garlic and chili.
3. Add green lentils, broth, garam masala, salt and pepper. Cover and cook until lentils are about half-way done.
4. Uncover and add diced sweet potato and coconut milk. Cover and cook until the potato is tender and lentils are done.
5. Add baby spinach.
6. Stir until wilted. That’s it!

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Do Green Lentils Need to Be Soaked?

Not at all!

You do, however, have to sort them/pick over for any rocks, foreign objects or odd ones and discard those.

Then, give them a little rinse/drain and they’re good to use!

Can I Use Another Green?

For sure!

Instead of baby spinach, you can use kale or Swiss chard.

You will have to cook it for a little, though, to wilt.

Baby spinach is a lot more delicate and basically wilts when it hits the hot soup.

More Recipe Tips

I prefer to use full-fat coconut milk in this recipe. I love the lushness and creaminess it adds. Feel free to use a lower fat version if you prefer, though.

Two Thai chili peppers are in this soup. You can omit or use less, depending on your preference for spice. If you don’t have fresh chili, feel free to sub with dried chili flakes.

Unsalted veggie broth is used. If you use anything otherwise, like ‘salted’ or ‘low sodium’, you may want to add less salt.

Don’t use old green lentils that have been sitting in the back of your pantry forever. I know, we’ve probably all be there. When lentils are old, they’re not only not fresh, but it impacts the cook time.

More Delicious Legume Soups

• Curried Red Lentil Chickpea Soup
• Spicy Lentil Soup with Kale

Hope you love this vegan lentil soup as much as we do!

If you make this coconut milk lentil vegetable soup, be sure to leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed!

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5 from 6 votes

Green Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk

With a popular Indian spice blend, garam masala, creamy coconut milk, hearty lentils and veggies this vegan green lentil soup recipe is incredibly comforting and relishing. Sure to be a favourite, you'll want to make this nourishing lentil soup with coconut milk again and again!

Course Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword legume soup, vegan lentil soup

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 529kcal

Author Dawn – Girl Heart Food

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 yellow onion , peeled and diced
• 3 to 4 cloves garlic , minced
• 1 to 2 Thai chili peppers , minced (depending on how spicy you want things)
• 1 cup green lentils , sorted/picked over and rinsed/drained
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• ¾ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 4.5 cups unsalted vegetable broth (see 'Notes' below)
• 2.5 cups sweet potato , peeled and diced into small cubes (about 1 large sweet potato)
• 14 ounces can full-fat coconut milk (about a 400 millilitre can)
• 4 ounces baby spinach (about 4 to 5 large handfuls)

Instructions

• In a large pot on medium heat, add olive oil.
• Once shimmering, add onion and cook about 3 to 5 minutes or until softened.
• Add garlic and chili pepper and cook 1 minute.
• Add lentils, garam masala, salt, pepper and broth. Stir. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to a medium simmer, cover and cook 12 minutes.
• Uncover and add coconut milk and sweet potato. Simmer again and cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until potato is tender and lentils are cooked.
• Add baby spinach and stir. It will wilt with the heat from the soup. Taste for seasoning and add a little more, if necessary. Enjoy!

Notes

• Unsalted veggie broth is used. If you use anything otherwise, like ‘salted’ or ‘low sodium’, you may want to add less salt.
• I prefer to use full-fat coconut milk in this recipe. I love the lushness and creaminess it adds. Feel free to use a lower fat version if you prefer, though.
• Two Thai chili peppers are in this soup. You can omit or use less, depending on your preference for spice. If you don’t have fresh chili, feel free to sub with dried chili flakes.
• Don’t use old green lentils that have been sitting in the back of your pantry forever. I know, we’ve probably all be there. When lentils are old, they’re not only not fresh, but it impacts the cook time.

Tried this recipe? That’s awesome!Mention @dawn.girlheartfood or tag #girlheartfood

Nutrition information (if provided) is provided as a courtesy and should be considered an estimate only. Ingredients can vary and Girl Heart Food makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Nutrition (estimate only)

Calories: 529kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Sodium: 522mg | Potassium: 1137mg | Fiber: 18g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 15032IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 107mg | Iron: 8mg

Nutrition Facts

Green Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk

Amount Per Serving

Calories 529 Calories from Fat 261

% Daily Value*

Fat 29g45%

Saturated Fat 20g125%

Sodium 522mg23%

Potassium 1137mg32%

Carbohydrates 55g18%

Fiber 18g75%

Sugar 8g9%

Protein 16g32%

Vitamin A 15032IU301%

Vitamin C 17mg21%

Calcium 107mg11%

Iron 8mg44%

* Nutrition estimate only. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.