Curried Lentil Soup

Lentil soup might be one of the easiest recipes to make at home.

I’ve always been a huge fan of lentils: there are so many different types, each with a unique flavor; they’re a lean protein with tons of fiber; and they’re so integral to Indian cooking. For the longest time when I was growing up, I didn’t realize that the Indian version of this soup (dal) is basically the same thing as a lentil soup!

There are a few minor differences between this recipe and a traditional dal, but its flavor profile is very similar. The most notable difference is that this recipe uses pre-cooked steamed lentils with no salt or fat added, cutting your cooking time in half! (I like the one from Trader Joe’s – see picture below).

I often like to add vegetables into my soups because that makes it really easy to get your veggies!

This soup has fresh baby spinach wilted slightly by the heat of the soup.

I served it with some whole grain pita chips, and the husband loved it! He said the flavors were great and that it was really hearty. One minor thing to note: the husband has some really specific texture issues, so he didn’t like the wilted spinach (“too squishy,” he said), but I really liked the spinach in the soup.

If you’re like my husband, you might want to try serving the spinach on the side in the form of a salad

But if you’re like me, just throw it all into the soup!

Top it with a dollop of 2% Greek Yogurt and some cilantro, and you’ve got the perfect weeknight dinner.

Note: This recipe is from CookingLight, with some minor modifications to the directions (by me) to make it a little bit quicker and easier. 

The Ingredients

• 1 tsp canola oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 Tbsp minced fresh garlic (about 4 cloves)
• 1 Tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1.5 Tbsp curry powder
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 3 cups vegetable broth, low sodium
• 1.5 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 16 oz package steamed lentils (see Trader Joe’s picture below)
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (use about 1 tsp per serving)
• 1/4 cup plain 2% greek yogurt (use about 1 Tbsp per serving)

The DirectionsStep 1: Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add oil to pan, add onion, saute 3 minutes. Add garlic and ginger, saute 1 minute. Add curry powder and cayenne pepper, cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.Step 2: Add broth, vinegar and lentils. Increase heat to high, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer 5 minutes.Step 3: Take an immersion blender and blend the lentil mixture. Add in spinach, salt, and pepper to the pot, stir until spinach wilts.Step 4: Stir in 2 Tbsp cilantro. Serve with yogurt and remaining cilantro.This recipe literally took me 20 minutes to make – I couldn’t believe how easy and fast it was!The yogurt added a great element of creaminess and coolness to the soup, which complemented the spice really well. Both me and the husband went back for seconds – we couldn’t get enough!Thanks CookingLight for a great recipe!   Print This!   Curried Lentil Soup From CookingLight.com Serves 4: One serving is 1.5 cups of soup + 1 Tbsp yogurt. Nutritional info per serving: 221 calories, 5g fat, 13.3g protein, 31.7g carbs, 11g fiber The Ingredients

• 1 tsp canola oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 Tbsp minced fresh garlic (about 4 cloves)
• 1 Tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1.5 Tbsp curry powder
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 3 cups vegetable broth, low sodium
• 1.5 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 16 oz package steamed lentils (see Trader Joe’s picture below)
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (use about 1 tsp per serving)
• 1/4 cup plain 2% greek yogurt (use about 1 Tbsp per serving)

The Directions Step 1: Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add oil to pan, add onion, saute 3 minutes. Add garlic and ginger, saute 1 minute. Add curry powder and cayenne pepper, cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Step 2: Add broth, vinegar and lentils. Increase heat to high, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer 5 minutes. Step 3: Take an immersion blender and blend the lentil mixture. Add in spinach, salt, and pepper to the pot, stir until spinach wilts. Step 4: Stir in 2 Tbsp cilantro. Serve with yogurt and remaining cilantro.