Whenever I eat a dish somewhere that I am thoroughly impressed with, I always try to mimic it. 

This soup started that way, but now I have turned it into my own. A restaurant I used to frequent in downtown Kalamazoo had a curried lentil soup. It was out of this world delicious! This recipe is similar to theirs, but I have changed a few ingredients making it my own. I have made my own curry spice, which I have never done before. I have added fennel seeds and celery.

Celery and fennel are great substitutes for garlic. This soup is super easy and since lentils cook quickly, it’s a fast, healthy, and filling meal. Feel free to add chicken, pork, or even beef, to make a hearty stew. 

Curry is a mix of different spices, depending on what regional curry dish you are looking for. 

I have always used a store-bought mix, but this time I’ve made my own seasoning. I have not added garlic or onion powder to make this curry spice mix, which is perfect for food sensitivities, especially GERD. For this recipe, we are also going to toast the seeds to help release their natural oils and to give another layer of flavor to this curry soup. And the great news is that the recipe for this spice mix makes enough for you to store and use for a later time (it stores for up to 6 months)!

The soup is full of nutrition and flavor! Lentils (as we learned from my previous recipe- Greek Inspired Lentil Garbanzo and Mushroom Patties) are full of fiber! They are low-calorie, high in fiber, and super tasty.  

Curried Lentil Soup

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Servings: 8 Prep: 15 minsCook: 45 minsTotal: 1 hour

Ingredients

Toasted Curry Spice

¼ cup fennel seeds

¼ cup cumin seeds

2 cloves

4 tablespoons turmeric

4  tablespoons ground ginger

2  tablespoon cinnamon

The Soup

3 cups dried lentils

1 onion diced (optional)

4 garlic cloves chopped (optional)

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

3 medium carrots diced

2 stalks of celery diced

1 bay leaf

1 cinnamon stick

8-10 cups vegetable stock (or water and add vegetable or chicken paste)

2-3 tablespoons of the toasted curry spice

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper (optional)

1-2 tablespoons olive oil (to saute the vegetables)

Fresh cilantro or parsley (garnish)

Instructions

Toasted Curry Spice

1

In a dry saute pan put the fennel, cumin, and clove. Toast on medium heat for approximately 2 minutes. Keep the seeds moving so they don’t burn and remember even when the heat is off they will keep cooking. 

2

Once the seeds have cooled a bit, put them in an electric spice grinder (coffee grinder works just fine) Grind until turned into a powder.  

3

Add the rest of the spices, and place them in an airtight container, like a mason jar. Store for up to 6 months.

The Soup

4

In a large pot, add olive oil on medium heat add the chopped vegetables. Saute for approximately 5-7 minutes.  

5

Add the lentils and then the liquid. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring them to a boil. 

6

Reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the lentils and vegetables are tender. This soup can be thick, where all the liquid has been absorbed by the vegetables and lentils, or it can be more brothy. Either way is delicious, so it’s up to you. 

7

Taste the soup to make sure it doesn’t need any more salt or seasoning. Remove the bay leaf and cinnamon. Garnish with fresh cilantro or any fresh herb of your choosing. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Per serving

Calories
179

Fat
4.7g

Carbs
35.7g

Protein
13.3g

Fiber
15.5g

Sodium
902.8mg

Sugars
2.3g

Sat. Fat
0.7g

Notes

Difficulty Level: 4

*Difficulty level on a scale of 1-10 with 1 being easy (little to no cooking experience required) and 10 being difficult (having a strong background in cooking, and using equipment)

Nutrition Analysis does not include the optional ingredients.

If you are watching your sodium, consider choosing a low-sodium vegetable broth to lower the sodium content of this recipe.