A simple store-cupboard ingredient Spiced Carrot and Lentil Soup to get you through the cold winter season! Warming Indian curry spiced red lentils and carrots with a splash of decadent cream and textures of croutons and nigella seeds, make this dahl-inspired soup a regular on our dinner table!
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Ingredients and Substitutes
- brown onion: can be replaced by white or red onion, or a large shallot.
- carrots: you will need about 100g per portion. Carrots in this spiced soup recipe can be replaced with sweet potatoes or even butternut squash.
- curry powder: we used medium curry powder.
- ground cumin
- red chilli: can be replaced with dried chilli flakes.
- red lentils: we used dried red split lentils. They must be rinsed before use.
- vegetable stock: or any other stock that you like the flavour of.
- fresh coriander: stalks and leaves will be used.
- lime: approximately 15ml of lime juice per portion.
- double cream: also known as heavy cream. If you are cooking for vegans, it can be replaced with oat cream.
- nigella seeds
- bread roll: or croutons for garnish.
Method
The method for this Spiced Carrot and Lentil soup is super easy, chop up the carrots and onion. Throw them into a big pan with some hot oil and a generous pinch of salt.
Meanwhile, gather together the curry powder, ground cumin, red lentils, chilli and chopped-up coriander stalks. Add them all to the pan once the carrots and onion start to soften. This is definitely the best part of the process as the kitchen fills with the lovely fragrance of Indian cuisine!
Now it’s time to add the stock and leave the soup to simmer while you prepare croutons. These are a must for some added texture and, of course, substance! You can literally use anything, leftover stale bread, old crusts, any bread laying around.
The important bit is plenty of olive oil and salt. Also, make sure they crisp up under the medium heat grill without leaving them too long before they burn. This can be a matter of an additional few seconds!
Now the croutons are ready, check that the lentils and carrots are cooked and ready to liquidise. We like to separate out half to blend and leave the rest in the pan, this gives the soup some texture. Alternatively, just pulse instead of fully blending the soup.
You are now ready to plate. This Spiced Carrot and Lentil Soup looks great with a swirl of cream, croutons, some fresh coriander and a good quantity of nigella seeds sprinkled across the top. Don’t forget to add the lime, which really brings another layer of flavour. Some chopped chilli can be added too, but just a few for me as I’m not great at handling heat like Ieva!
What To Serve Spiced Carrot Lentil Soup With?
Served with croutons on top, this is a filling soup in its own right. However, if you have no bread for croutons, we love to it this soup with:
- soft and fluffy Naan Breads.
- 4-Ingredient Roti flatbreads.
- thick slices of sourdough bread.
Other Soup Recipes
Looking for a milder tasting, more European-flavoured soup? Try our:
- Courgette Soup with Cheddar Crisps
- Pea & Mint Soup
- Vegan Creamy Cauliflower Soup
- Creamy Mushroom & Blue Cheese Soup
Recipe Card
Spiced Carrot and Lentil Soup
Equipment
- Stick Blender or Liquidiser
Ingredients
- 1 brown onion finely chopped
- 2 carrots (about 200g) chopped into small cubes
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 red chilli deseeded and finely chopped
- 100 g red lentils
- 700 ml vegetable stock
- 10 g fresh coriander stalks and leaves chopped separately
- 1 lime (juice only) ~30 ml of juice
- 2-3 tbsp double cream or vegan alternative
- 1 teaspoon nigella seeds
- 1 bread roll or croutons cut into bitesize pieces
Instructions
- Heat a large, wide-based pot with a drizzle of oil. Add the onions and carrots with a generous pinch of salt and cook for 3-4 minutes until just starting to soften.
- Tip in the finely chopped red chilli (if you like it fiery, add the seeds too), reserving some to decorate. Add the curry powder, ground cumin, red lentils and coriander stalks. Stir well and cook for a minute or so until spices start to release fragrance.
- Dissolve stock in 700 ml of boiling water and add it to the lentil mixture. Stir, reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and leave to simmer for 15-20 minutes or until lentils are cooked and carrots are tender.
- In the meantime, cut up your bread roll into bite-sized pieces. Spread them on a tray in a single layer, drizzle with olive oil and season. Pre-heat your grill to medium heat and place the bread chunks under the grill to dry and crisp up. Keep an eye on them – they can burn in a jiffy!
- Once the carrots and lentils are cooked, remove from heat, use a stick blender or pour into a liquidiser and pulse until it's thickened slightly, but some chunks of carrot remain. Add coriander leaves and juice of ½ a lime. Season to taste.
- To serve, divide the soup into two bowls, swirl the cream to create a pretty pattern. Garnish with the saved chilli, nigella seeds and croutons. Serve with a lime wedge on the side!
Nutrition
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