This gingery Coconut Lentil Soup is a warm, feel-good winter soup that is as healthy as it is delicious. It's a naturally gluten-free and vegan dinner recipe that will make keeping your resolutions easy.
Truth: I've made this coconut lentil soup deliciousness twice in the past four days and eaten it for lunch on the days after I made it. That's four days in a row of eating the same thing, and I can't get it out of my head that I need to make it again. Tonight. How am I even a food blogger?
Usually, when I plan recipes for the blog, I have a solid idea of what I want to make and how I'm going to get there. I can tell you exactly what ingredients I'm going to use and how I'm going to set up the pictures even before I get in the kitchen. (obsessive?)
On days when I'm not blogging, I'm 180 degrees opposite of that. When I set out to make this I had no intention of sharing it with you. I also had no clue what I was going to make. I thought soup, but that wasn't written in stone. I thought coconut, but at one point it almost went tomato. Even the black lentils I found at the back of the pantry (which I bought in October for a Halloween recipe that never came to be) weren't really speaking to me.
Please tell me your dinner planning sometimes looks like this, too?
I'm blaming (thanking?) luck for turning this coconut lentil soup into a share it on the blog recipe.
The first time I made it, my little girl devoured two kid-sized bowls and my handsome man couldn't stop raving. I even got a text the next day saying how good it was for lunch.
The second time, when I measured ingredients and took photos, I made it for my handsome man's mom and sister. Hi, guys!
Sidebar → Josh's sister Mudra is about to launch her ShopFryday online store where she'll be selling super fun shirts, socks, pins and other awesome things she's designed herself. LOVE badass chicks running their own businesses!
Back to this soup.
I've already covered that it is AMAZING so I'll try not to go anymore used car saleswoman on you. It has Thai-style flavors with the coconut milk, ginger, and garlic and you might be tricked into thinking that there is curry paste in here, but there's not.
It's also incredibly easy to make. If you can saute onions and garlic, you can make this soup. That's not much of an exaggeration about how simple it is to make this soup.
Now I'm off to the store to buy more coconut milk so I can make this every day next week, too. 🙋
If you make this Ginger Coconut Lentil Soup make sure you snap a pic and tag #theendlessmeal on Instagram so I can like and comment on your photos. I love seeing TEM recipes you create!
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 large onion, minced
- ½ cup finely minced ginger, packed
- 2 red bell peppers, chopped small
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 cups stock or water
- 2 cups beluga lentils
- 2 - 14-ounce cans coconut milk
- ¼ cup almond butter
- 10 stalks of dinosaur kale (or 5 stalks of curly kale) stem removed and torn into pieces
- Heat the coconut oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until transparent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the ginger, bell peppers, and garlic and cook until the peppers are soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add the stock or water and season with sea salt until it tastes a little too salty. (Once you add the coconut milk it will be seasoned perfectly.) Add the beluga lentils to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pot, and let it simmer gently until the lentils are soft, about 25 minutes.
- Add the coconut milk and almond butter the pot and heat through. Use your blender or immersion blender to puree half of the soup.
- Add the kale and stir through. Serve with a swirl of coconut milk on top, if you'd like.
Kristen Stevens
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Kristen is the person working behind the scenes at The Endless Meal. She takes all the pics, creates all the recipes and eats all the leftovers. 
Are the lentils dry or pre-cooked?
They’re dry!
I couldn’t find beluga lentils anywhere so I bought french green instead. They look similar and take the same amount of time to cook in the same amount of liquid. I am assuming the taste would be similar? Any comments?
Thanks for this!
I might try to make this in the crock pot. Any suggestions? I’m thinking keep step one, then step two add the onion mixture, water and lentils to the crock pot. Cook high 4 hours. Then add the coconut milk and almond butter and cook another 20. Blend to desired consistency and serve.
That’s exactly what I would do, too!
I loved the soup with the peanut butter sub.. I only used a tablespoon.
Hey Kristen,
this looks delicious and the photos are awesome!
TThanks for sharing!
Thanks, Makos! It really is tasty. 🙂
I made this for dinner tonight. It is delicious!
Hooray … so happy to hear you like it!!
I don’t eat peppers- any suggestions on an alternate ingredient? Thanks!
You can leave them out. It will still be just as delicious. 🙂
I do like lentils, and the combination of lentils, coconut milk, and ginger sounds fantastic. Also, love the addition of almond butter which might have introduced a smooth and rich consistency. And look at this velvety texture! I mean, there’s no any reason not to like this soup. Count me on:) Really well done, Kristen!
Thanks, Ben! It really was so tasty. 🙂
Thanks, Ben! It’s turned into one of my favorite soups. 🙂
can peanut butter be used instead of almond butter
You definitely can. Keep in mind that peanut butter has a much stronger flavor than almond butter so it will end up tasting peanut buttery. I think it could be a nice twist on the recipe. 🙂
I am curious. Did you try the peanut butter? How was it?
The recipe calls for almond milk and the instructions call for almond butter.
The ingredient list calls for almond milk but directions call for almond butter. I’m guessing you meant almond butter is hat you meant.
I didn’t rate yet as I haven’t tried it but looks awesome
I’m so sorry for the typo. You guessed right, I meant almond butter. 🙂
Thank you for your amazing photos and a great idea but most of all thank your being honest. Appreciate it and will be back for more 🙂
You are so welcome!! 🙂
Is it Almond Milk (like in the Ingredients) of Almond Butter like in the instructions?
Sorry for the confusion! It is almond butter. The recipe has been updated. 🙂