This Creamy Vegan Red Lentil and Kale Soup is an easy and healthy recipe made with clean, real food ingredients. It's the perfect plant-based one-pot meal that can be made in about 30 minutes and an extra bonus - it's freezer-friendly too!
Table of Contents
Here's Why This Recipe Works
My top 3 favorite reasons:
- Budget-Friendly
- Freezer-Friendly
- One-Pot Meal Ready in About 30 Minutes
Budget-Friendly
We all love meals that are healthy and filling and don't stretch our grocery dollars.
My red lentil soup recipe is a very budget-friendly meal that's you'll love to have in your meal rotation.
For example, you can buy organic red lentils right around $3.00 for a 14-ounce bag, organic vegetable broth around 0.20 cents/ounce, canned organic coconut milk around 0.15 cents/ounce and you probably have everything else on hand to make it!
Freezer-Friendly
I love to not only make this as a quick weeknight meal but also to make a batch for an even quicker meal later by freezing it.
Once the soup has cooled down, store it in an air-tight BPA-free container in the freezer in either individual serving sizes or as a whole batch for the family.
Now dinner can be ready in about 5 minutes!
One-Pot Meal Ready in About 30 Minutes
I'm a big fan of making hearty plant-based vegan soups and some of my favorites are Vegan Cream of Asparagus Soup, Creamy Vegan Tomato Basil Soup, Vegan Stuffed Pepper Soup, Spicy Chickpea and Tomato Soup or my Creamy Vegan Vegetable Minestrone Soup.
The main reason I love them so much is that they can be made in one pot and are ready to enjoy in about 30 minutes.
This recipe is no exception - simply add all the ingredients to your saucepan and let it simmer for about 20 minutes.
That's it!
You can feel good about making this recipe for your family because it's organic, plant-based, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, soy-free, oil-free, nut-free, and Medical Medium® Compliant.
"Feel good about what you eat..."
- Karielyn Tillman
Ingredients
- Red Lentils
- Vegetable Broth
- Tomatoes
- Onions
- Ground Cumin
- Himalayan Pink Salt
- Kale
- Full-Fat Coconut Milk
That's it!
How To Make This Recipe: Step-by-Step Instructions
Here is how to make this recipe and I’ll show you with step-by-step instructions below.
Step 1: Prep the Veggies
- Tomatoes: If you are using fresh tomatoes, dice them into small pieces. If you are using canned diced tomatoes, skip this step.
- Onions: Dice the onions into small pieces.
- Kale: Remove the stem from the center of the kale and chop the kale into small strips. Set aside to add at the end of the recipe.
Step 2: Combine all Ingredients
Add all the ingredients for the soup (with the exception of the kale and coconut milk) to a large saucepan or Dutch Oven and stir until well combined.
Step 3: Cook the Soup
Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce the heat to simmer (low/medium heat), cover and cook for approximately 20-30 minutes, or until the lentils are soft. Stir occasionally to prevent burning and add a little more veggie broth if needed.
Step 4: Add the Add-Ins:
Once the lentils are soft, remove the pot from the stove and add the chopped kale and the entire can of coconut milk, then stir to make sure everything is well combined. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your preference.
Karielyn's Expert Tips + Ingredient Substitutions
Here are some of my expert tips to make this recipe perfectly:
Red Lentils: The lentils do not need to be soaked before adding to the pot. The soup will be ready as soon as the lentils are soft, which is about 25-30 minutes. Take care to not overcook the lentils or they will be very soft and mushy.
Tomatoes: I like to use Roma tomatoes in this recipe, but if you are in a hurry or don't have fresh tomatoes on hand, you can also use canned or jarred organic tomatoes - just make sure you have approximately (2) cups.
"Fire-Roasted" diced tomatoes work really well - make sure if they're canned they are in a BPA-free can and do not contain citric acid.
Coconut Milk: This is used as a dairy/cream replacement so make sure you use "full-fat" coconut milk and not "low-fat" coconut milk to get all the creamy benefits of the fat. Also, you will need "canned" coconut milk and not "boxed" coconut milk. In addition, you will need to add the entire can of coconut milk.
Onion: Any variety of onion will work; however, I do not recommend a sweet onion since this is a savory recipe.
Kale: I've used both curly kale and Lacinato kale and both work fine. If you don't have kale on hand, chopped organic baby spinach works perfectly too. Or you can even leave the leafy greens out altogether, but they do add extra nutrients to the meal.
Cayenne Pepper: This can be omitted if you don't like spicy food or will be serving this dish to children.
Himalayan Pink Salt: This is my salt of preference; however, it can always be substituted with sea salt.
Freezer-Friendly: Yes! This is a freezer-friendly meal and is perfect to make ahead to freeze and have ready for a quick meal on a busy night. Just make sure you use an air-tight BPA-free glass container and avoid plastic containers.
Serving Size: This recipe will make approximately (4) cups of soup. Nutritional information is for (1) cup which is (1) serving.
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Creamy Vegan Red Lentil and Kale Soup
Ingredients
For the soup:
- 1 ½ cups organic red lentils (uncooked)
- 4 cups organic vegetable broth (32-ounce container)
- 2 cups organic diced tomatoes (fresh or 14.5-ounce, BPA-free canned)
- ½ organic onion (diced)
- 1 ½ teaspoons organic ground cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
- 1-2 pinches organic cayenne pepper
For the add-ins:
- 1 cup organic kale (destemmed, chopped)
- 1 can organic full-fat coconut milk (13.5-ounce, BPA-free can)
Instructions
Prepare the veggies:
- Prep the veggies by dicing the onions and tomatoes, then de-stem the kale and chop into small strips.
Prepare the soup:
- Add all ingredients for the soup (not the kale and coconut milk) to a medium-sized pot, stir together well and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to simmer (low/medium heat), cover and cook for 20-30 minutes, or until the lentils are soft. Stir occasionally to prevent burning and add a little more veggie broth if needed.
Add the add-ins:
- Once the lentils are soft, remove the pot from the stove and add the chopped kale and entire can of coconut milk, then stir to make sure everything is well combined.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings to your preference.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Information
Copyright Notice
The notes, instructions, and photographs for this recipe are copyrighted material and are protected under the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA). They cannot be used legally without my written permission.
More Healthy Vegan Dinner Recipes
- Spicy Mexican Cauliflower Rice
- Vegan Carrot "Hot Dogs"
- Squash and Asparagus Casserole
- or my Real Food Vegan™ 14-Day Meal Plan Program with 42 plant-based vegan + gluten-free recipes made with clean, real food ingredients just like this one that you will love!
Carolyn Donovan says
This was terrific! I decided to make it because I bought a huuuuge bunch of kale on a whim and when I got it home I thought "What am I going to do with this?"
I was a little doubtful of the can of coconut milk, but really the soup had no discernible coconut aroma and it upped the unctiousness of the final dish.
Only had French puy lentils so made it with that.
Used two cans of Ro-Tel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chiles, again because that's all I had and I was looking to use up some stuff.
Easy to make, easy to sub what you have for what you don't, and a clever, clever way of using kale.
Thanks so much for the recipe!
Karielyn Tillman says
Hi Carolyn! I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe and that you were able to customize it with what you had on hand...very smart! I appreciate you trying out the recipe and taking the time to leave feedback, I sincerely appreciate it! Karielyn 🙂
Lenora says
I am sure it tastes good when cooked correctly but when you said "add all the ingredients to the pot" I did that without reading you are supposed to add the coconut and kale last after the the lentils soften. I dont like the result. I over cooked the milk or kale...but ima try again
Karielyn Tillman says
Hi there Lenora! I'm so sorry the recipe didn't work out as expected 🙁
To make the recipe as easy as possible, I had both the recipe ingredients and instructions broken down into two sections: "Ingredients for the Soup" and "Ingredients for the Add-In's".
I really hope you give the recipe another try because I promise you will love it! Thanks for making it and leaving feedback so I could help troubleshoot - Karielyn 🙂
Sara says
I think I am making this again tonight, for the second time this week! It's amazing! 🙂 Thank you.
Karielyn Tillman says
Hi there Sara! I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed it! Thanks for trying out my recipe and for letting me know how much you liked it! 🙂
Abigail says
Hi! Thanks for this recipe. I made it last night, only with canned diced tomatoes (I used two 14oz cans) and about 1/3c coconut cream instead of the can of coconut milk because that's what I had on hand. It was SO good! I had the pigeon pea lentils, so they did take longer to cook, but I really appreciated that they didn't go to mush. My standard/favorite lentil soup is a sweet potato curry lentil (served with yogurt and toasted coconut chips) and the standard red lentil I buy at the store usually get very mushy.
Karielyn says
Hi there Abigail! I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed it...and thanks for sharing your adaptations. I've also substituted organic BPA-free canned tomatoes sometimes when I didn't have fresh tomatoes on hand and they work just fine.
Thanks for trying out the recipe and for taking the time to let me know you liked it...I really appreciate it 🙂
CJ says
This recipe is really good. I've made it twice now. It's an unusual flavor profile, but in a good way. I like to dial back the the coconut cream to 2/3 of a can and also add a little Siracha. My husband likes this recipe a lot too.
Karielyn says
Hi there CJ! I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe and ~love~ the addition of Siracha...what a great idea!
Thanks for trying it out and for taking the time to let me know you liked it...I really appreciate it 🙂
Cassie says
Would this soup freeze well?
Karielyn says
Hi there Cassie! The answer is YES! YES! and YES! I do it all the time and it so convenient to have a quick meal ready in minutes. It's the perfect make ahead dinner and very freezer-friendly.
Thanks for the question! 🙂
Andrea says
This was delicious!!! I doubled the recipe, but only used one can of coconut milk. I added chopped baby oortabella mushrooms in with the main ingredients. I also used canned diced tomatoes (no salt added) since I had that laying around. Super hearty and filling!
Karielyn says
Hi there Andrea! I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed the recipe and -love- the addition of mushrooms!! That was a great idea to make a double batch because it freezes and reheats really well.
Thanks for taking the time to let me know you liked it...I really appreciate it 🙂
Amber says
Hi! Just came across this recipe and wanted to make it for my next few days worth of lunches! I'm in a time crunch at this moment, would throwing everything in the crockpot still work? I hope so! (And if so, how long would you say?) I'm always on the go and it would be so much easier being able to leave for a few hours lol! Thanks!
Karielyn says
Hi there Amber! I've never tried it in a crock pot before but I don't see why it wouldn't work. I would definitely put it on the lowest setting because I only takes about 20 - 30 minutes for them to cook on the stove so I wouldn't put them on high or for a very long time because it might overcook them.
One thing I do to save time is sometimes in the morning I will prep the veggies (onions, tomatoes, garlic) and have all those ready to go. Then at dinnertime all I have to do is throw everything into a pot and let it simmer on low/med heat for about 20 - 30 minutes and I stop to stir it a few times.
Thanks for the question and I hope that helps 🙂
Misty says
I have recently started eating clean, limiting/eliminating processed foods, gluten and dairy. I just finished making this and it was amazing! Can I freeze any leftovers?
Karielyn says
Hi there Misty! Congratulations on making the changes to healthier, clean eating! And, you will find all the types of recipes you are looking for on my website too!
Yes, this recipe is freezer-friendly!
The soup has a creamed/mashed lentil type consistency and may need a little extra liquid (veggie broth, water, coconut milk, etc) to thin it out once you reheat it.
Thanks for the question and I hope you enjoy the recipe 😉
Char says
We just had this delicious soup for dinner. I added garlic (because I simply can't cook without it). I also used lite coconut milk and only used a half can. This has definitely earned a spot in our family's regular meal rotation!
Karielyn says
Hi there Char! I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed it! And it's funny you mention the garlic...now that I make it from memory because I've made it so many times, I often stop and think 'did I forget the garlic?" because I, too, ~always~ add garlic to practically everything. But when I first started making it, I never added it and it tasted so good without it I didn't want to mess up a good thing lol!
Thanks so much for trying out the recipe and for taking the time to let me know you enjoyed it...I really appreciate it 😉
Dianne says
Delicious!! We loved it
Karielyn says
Hi there Dianne! I'm so glad to hear you liked it!
Thanks so much for trying out the recipe and for taking the time to let me know you enjoyed it...I really appreciate it 😉
Ella says
Hi, you think I can sub full-fat evaporated milk instead of coconut milk? I know then it won't be dairy free but thats fine
Karielyn says
Hi there Ella! Yes, that should work texture-wise, as coconut milk is a common dairy-free substitute for evaporated milk, but I'm wondering how the sweetness of the evaporated milk would be in a savory dish?
If you didn't need it to be vegan, you could also try heavy whipping cream if you'd prefer that instead.
Thanks for the question and I hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂
Rob says
Just finished eating 2 portions each of this delicious, creamy soup. Only adjustments, we cooked the kale a little longer (our kale is currently a bit woody and we wanted to be sure it was soft) and dressed with the live of half a lime. Absolutely perfect, thank you!
Karielyn says
Hi there Rob! I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed the soup and I love the addition of lime you added!
Thanks for trying out the recipe and for taking the time to let me know you enjoyed it...I really appreciate it 🙂
Claudia says
Hello Karielyn 🙂
Thanks a lot for the great recipe! I used spinach instead of kale (don't like the taste) and ad some curry (love the taste ;-)) and there was a little cauliflower in the fridge: Taste great with this soup! I reduced the cooking time to round about 20 Minutes because after this time everything was ready :-D. I made enough for two days and the next day it was even better!
A great recipe to improvise. Love it!
Have a great christmas time, dear 🙂
Karielyn says
Hi there Claudia! I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe and love the substitutions you made...especially the spinach!
Thanks so much for trying it out and for taking the time to let me know you liked it...I really appreciate it 😉
Lauren says
Hi Karielyn, i just had to write to say that this has become the #1 soup in our house. My husband requests it all the time, and every time i make it, he just can't believe how healthy it is. love love LOVE this soup and your recipes! Keep up the great work! 🙂
Karielyn says
Hi there Lauren! I am so glad to hear that everyone loved it...especially your husband!
Your comment just made my day when I read it and I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know you liked the recipe 😉
Deb says
I just made this and HOLY COW ... it is divine! I used canned tomatoes (that's all I had, and it thickened it up) and light coconut milk. I followed the rest of the recipe exactly. It is phenomenal, but next time I'll need to double it. Thank you!
Karielyn says
Hi Deb! I'm so excited to hear you liked it and were able to make the substitutions work!
Thanks so much for trying out the recipe and for taking the time to let me know you liked it...I really appreciate it 😉
priscilla says
Hi, i just made this and not sure if i did it right. It was thock before the cocunut milk. The lentil basically disimtergrated. Is that supposed to happen? I left it about 30 min after boiling.
Karielyn says
Hi there Priscilla! Yes, it sounds like you did everything correctly! The lentils should be somewhat soft and they will not be solid like a red bean or black-eye pea is in a soup.
Make sure after they initially come to a boil, to reduce the heat to low/med and cover the pot to simmer for the remaining time. You wouldn't want to boil them at high heat the entire cooking time or they will be very soft and mushy if they are overcooked.
Lentils don't take very long to cook but if you don't want them that mushy, you could cook them for less time. Just keep an eye on them and remove them from heat just as they become soft, or get to the texture you like.
Thank you for your question and I hope you enjoyed the recipe 😉
Linsey says
This recipe was amazing - I love red lentil soups and had some on hand so I couldn't wait to try it. One question, I am thinking about bringing this to a work "lunch bunch" event where I need to provide ~15-20 servings. How much would you say your current recipe makes in terms of servings? Thanks!!!
Karielyn says
Hi there Linsey! The recipe will make approximately 4 servings (I usually serve my husband an extra large serving, my two boys a smaller serving each and we have another small serving left over).
The good thing is that this recipe would be really easy to make in a larger batch. I would use one of those big soup/gumbo pots so it would fit. It would also be a low-cost meal to make in a large batch too.
Thanks for the question and I hope you enjoy the recipe 😉
Berenice says
I just made this recipe. It came out delicious. I just added some fresh ginger and turmeric to it for this is my obsession.
Karielyn says
Hi there Berenice! I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed it and ~love~ the additions you made to it! Ginger and turmeric are my favorites too and I've never thought to add them in...I'll have to try that next time!
Thanks for trying out the recipe and for taking the time to let me know you liked it...I really appreciate it 😉
C Yvonne says
I made this tonight. It was amazing. I know this will sound nuts but this dish, once it cools, sincerely tastes like refried beans and cheese. So that's what we're calling it Refried Beans & Cheese (minus the beans and cheese.)
Thanks so much for posting this recipe !!
Karielyn says
Hi there Yvonne! I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed it!
You are 100% correct about how it changes after it's cooled. I know this may sound sketchy, but my husband likes to eat it with tortilla chips - like a dip just as you described lol!
Thanks so much for trying out the recipe and for taking the time to let me know you liked it...I really appreciate it 😉
Michelle says
Can't believe how simple this is. I'll be making this for the 3rd or 4th time tonight. The whole family loves it - even the littlest kiddo.
Karielyn says
Hi there Michelle! I'm so glad to hear everyone enjoyed it! This is a dish that my entire family enjoys too, even the pickiest member of the family (I won't name names lol!)
I've actually made it back to back two days in a row before...it's so easy to make!
Thanks for trying out the recipe and for taking the time to let me know you liked it 😉
isma says
Super! Thanks
Karielyn says
Thanks so much! 😉
Becca says
I love your website and especially this recipe! I have a family of 6 and we always love what you share with us - thanks for all the tasty ideas!
Karielyn says
Hi there Becca! Thanks so much! I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks for letting me know 🙂
Jana says
Absolutely delicious!!one of the best recipes I've tried for stews!!! Thank you!
Karielyn says
Hi there Jana! I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Thanks for trying out the recipe and for taking the time to let me know you liked it, I really appreciate it 😉
NOVA sparks says
Hey!
This may seem like a silly question, but do all the different color lentils have different tastes as well? I've only ever used the greenish/brown colored lentils. I wouldn't use that one for this soup because I imagine it'll look ugly.
🙂
Karielyn says
Hi there! Don't worry...your question isn't silly at all! In fact, I am partial to red lentils...I think because I love the color!
That's really the only variety I buy, so I wouldn't be an expert on lentils.
I found this information on a forum which was really interesting (here's the source https://bit.ly/1gnM4cx):
"Every single one that we use in Indian cooking - and we use a lot - has a distinct taste and can rarely be substituted for another in a specific dish. Here is a quick primer of the major ones. I have given the common Hindi name for each in parentheses.
- Red Lentils (Masoor dal) - Quick cooking, sweet tasting. Smells odd when cold. One of my favorites for a simple daal disg
- Pigeon Peas - (Arahar or Toor Dal) - takes a while to cook. Most widely used.
- Moong Beans - (Moong Da) - Comes in a green and yellow and whole and split in each. The whole ones take longer to cook. and each of taste distinctly different.
- Black Gram (Urad Dal) - Comes whole or split and with the skin on or off in each. Is kinda sticky after cooking. Essential for making South Indian dishes such as Idli and Dosa (rice cakes and crepes respectively)
- Bengal Gram (Chana Dal) - Takes longest to cook. Is quite dry after cooking even if cooked with a lot of water. Distinctly nutty in taste
These are the major ones. I do understand the some of them can taste similar if they are heavily spiced."
Thanks for your question and I hope that helps 😉
marissa says
To make this with lower sodium, can I use half broth and half water?
Karielyn says
Hi there Marissa! Yes, you could adjust the amount of broth and also reduce the amount of Himalayan pink salt in the recipe, you may just have to adjust some of the other seasonings to compensate.
Another suggestion would be to use "low sodium" vegetable broth (which is what I use) and "no salt added" tomato sauce (which is what I also use).
However, even the "low sodium" vegetable broth has 140 mg of sodium in (1) cup.
It doesn't sound like a lot, but if you have to watch your sodium intake, I know it's a big deal. When I make meals for my father, who has to limit and watch his sodium intake very closely, I have to either omit salt altogether, reduce it significantly or find other ways to season the dish. So I know every little bit adds up...and matters!
Thanks for your question and I hope you enjoy the recipe 😉
Jess says
I may or may not have made this for dinner every night for two weeks in a row... its that good!
The second time I added sweet potato and served it with some oven roasted garlicky broccoli. SO tasty! Thanks again!
Karielyn says
Hi there Jess! I'm so glad to know that you like it as much I do....I think I made it twice it one week too lol!
It's so easy to make with simple ingredients, it's hard to pass it up.
Thanks again...you made my day 😉
Marcia says
Love your website. This recipe looks as beautiful as it tasted! So delicous and easy to make and can't wait to try a lot more of your recipes!! 🙂
Karielyn says
Hi there Marcia! Welcome and thanks so much...I really appreciate it!
Feel free to browse around, I hope you find some yummy things here to try out 😉
Usnea says
another wonderful recipe! followed to a t. perfect!!!!
Karielyn says
Hi there Usnea! Thank you and I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed it!
I appreciate you trying out the recipe and for taking the time to let me know you liked it 😉
Jess says
I just made this for dinner and it's AMAZING! I'm a beginner at making soups so I loved how simple the directions were. I also substituted the tomatoes for a can of diced tomatoes and it worked perfectly. I love finding inexpensive and delicious recipes like this one, especially since it was so hearty and perfect for winter. Thanks so much for sharing!!
Karielyn says
Hi there Jess! I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed the soup! You and I are just alike in that we both like easy recipes…I like to keep it simple!
Thank you for trying out the recipe and for taking the time to let me know you liked it 😉
Becky says
Holy moly. This was good. I'm doing a series on my blog called "Try Something Sundays" and this Sunday it's LENTILS! I plan to feature a version of this delicious and simple recipe. I will link it back to you as well. Thanks for the post!
Karielyn says
Hi there Becky! I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed the soup!
I can't wait to see your upcoming blog post and I really appreciate you including my recipe 😉
Catherine says
Thanks for this delicious recipe!! LOVED it! XOXO
Karielyn says
Hi there Catherine! You are very welcome and I'm glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Sue says
I just made this and it is delish!!!! I used a can of diced tomatoes instead of fresh. So good!! Thanks for the recipe!!
Karielyn says
Hi there Sue! I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed the soup and that the substitutions worked well!
Thanks for trying out the recipe and for letting me know you liked it, I really appreciate it 😉
Nicole says
I don't have red lentils available where I live. Can I use the yellow/golden lentils instead? Or would this change the taste?
Karielyn says
Hi there Nicole! Although I haven't tried it, I think the yellow/golden lentils would work perfectly and shouldn't change the taste - you just may have to adjust the cooking time.
If I didn't have red lentils on hand, that's what I would choose to use as a substitute.
Thanks for the question and I hope you enjoy it 😉
Lauren says
This was ridiculously good! It was perfect during this super cold weather we've been having =) Thank you for sharing.
Karielyn says
Hi there Lauren! Yes, indeed..it is perfect for this crazy cold weather, especially this past week!
So glad to hear you enjoyed it 🙂
Annmarie says
Mmmmmmm....
I just made a pot of the lentil soup. It was so yummy! I omitted the tomatoes, and instead I added diced carrots and sweet potatoes. I cannot have the spices right now as well, so I ate it without, and it was good even then! I spiced a bowl for my husband to have, but I used Sea Salt, pepper, ginger and Mrs. Dash herb blend, instead of the listed spices, and he said it was really good. I'll have to try it as it's written sometime, but I definitely enjoyed it with the few small changes to accommodate my restrictions.
Thanks again for the recipe!
Annmarie
Karielyn says
Hi Annmarie! What great news! I'm so glad the substitutions worked and that you got to enjoy it. And the carrots and sweet potatoes were a great idea.
Thank you so much for the update 😉
Racine says
I was in the mood for soup today and made this; wow! It is delicious! I love red lentil based soups and this is my new favorite! Thank you for this recipe! It's the perfect healthy comfort food dish on a cold, Winter day like today. I will definitely be making it again.
Karielyn says
Hi there Racine! I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed it! And you are right...it is just perfect for a cold weather day!
Thanks for trying out the recipe and for taking the time to let me know you enjoy it...I really appreciate it 😉
Courtney says
Could the coconut milk be substituted for something else dairy free?
Karielyn says
Hi there Courtney! This is the first time (of the many times I've made this) that I added canned coconut milk so I haven't really experimented with anything else yet.
When I wanted to make it creamier, the first thing that came to mind was the canned coconut milk, because it is so think and has a fairly neutral taste.
You could try it with boxed/homemade coconut milk, almond milk or your favorite non-dairy milk in the same amount (about 13.5 ounces) and it should add some creaminess to it but the sauce may not be as thick as with the canned coconut.
I would definitely try it though. If I didn't have canned coconut milk on hand, I would have probably used on of the non-dairy milks listed above.
Thanks for your question and I hope you enjoy it 😉
Shanna says
Hi, I was just wondering why she's asking for dairy free, when it is already dairy free?? Coconut milk is not dairy...
Shanna says
Love this recipe, one of my husbands favorite now!!! Thanks for posting
Karielyn says
Hi there Shanna! I'm extra happy when I hear one of my recipes are husband approved...especially since mine can be a little picky at times lol!
Thanks for trying out the recipe and for taking the time to let me know everyone enjoyed it, I really appreciate it 🙂
Karielyn says
Hi there Shanna! Yes, this dish is 100% dairy-free and uses only coconut milk...not sure about that either 🙂
Rosemary says
I just made this soup and it is wonderful!The coconut milk brings all the flavors together.Thanks!
Karielyn says
Hi there Rosemary! I so glad to hear that you enjoyed the recipe! I agree with you too about the coconut milk...it ~definitely~ makes all the difference.
Thanks for trying out the recipe and for taking the time to let me know you liked it, I really appreciate it 😉
Madonna/aka/Ms. Lemon says
I just made this lentil soup, but used golden lentil, and it was so delish, especially when kale is involved.
Karielyn says
Hi there Madonna! I've never tried golden lentil but it sounds really good. I will look for some next time I buy more lentils for a little variety. And I also love the added kale too!
Thank you for visiting 🙂
Annmarie says
PS- I was thinking of adding sweet potato. Would you recommend adding this at the same time as the veggies or a little later?
Karielyn says
Hi Annmarie! I would add the peeled/diced sweet potatoes at the same time as you add everything else in the recipe (except the coconut milk and chopped kale) because it will take approximately 20 - 30 minutes for them to get soft.
Use the sweet potatoes as a guide of when to remove them from heat instead of the lentils because the lentils will not take as long to cook.
Also, just keep an eye on your liquids..if the sweet potatoes start to absorb some of your liquids, just add a little more vegetable broth, but not too much because you will be adding an entire can of coconut milk at the end.
It's a really easy recipe and hard to mess up, so just make adjustments as you go until you get it to the consistency you like.
Hope you enjoy it and come back to let us know how the sweet potatoes did 😉
Annmarie says
Hi there!
I was so glad to see this red lentil soup recipe. I have had a bag of lentils in my cupboard for quite a while now and have been wanting to try my hand at a lentil soup. I'd like to try this recipe, but I cannot eat tomatoes/tomato sauce at this time. I'm assuming I can just leave out these ingredients, or is there a replacement for these that you would recommend?
Thanks, and I look forward to trying this recipe.
Annmarie
Karielyn says
Hi there Annmarie! I'm glad you found a recipe to make with your red lentils!
You could definitely leave out the tomato sauce...it is such a small amount and I only added it to give the vegetable broth a little more flavor.
For the tomatoes, since it is around 2 cups worth, I would try to find a substitute to give your soup some more "bulk", since the lentils are so tiny and end up kind of mushy.
I ~really~ like your idea of using sweet potatoes and think that would be perfect! I actually have another soup-type recipe in queue to post and it has sweet potatoes in it, so I know they will do well in a soup.
Thanks for your question and I hope you enjoy it 😉