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Turmeric Red Lentil Soup Recipe

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This is the only red lentil soup recipe you will ever need! Creamy lentil soup with turmeric and ginger is full of flavors and very comforting. It’s a quick and easy soup that everyone loves!

My readers probably know by now that I love soup any time of the year. Give me a bowl of Mediterranean green lentil soup or sausage gnocchi soup and I’m happy! This red lentil soup recipe is also a staple at our home and it’s full of aromatic and tasty spices!

This is the only red lentil soup recipe you ever need! Creamy lentil soup with turmeric and ginger is full of flavors and very comforting. It's a quick and easy soup that everyone loves! 

A delicious spicy red lentil soup for any day!

Nothing beats a delicious creamy lentil soup when you’re craving comfort food. It’s easy and can be ready in only 30 minutes.

When the weather starts getting cold, we love to come home to a bowl of warm and light soup, made with our favorite spices – along with some homemade bread. These days our favorites are Saffron Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, Persian Eggplant Soup and this delicious Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup. This red lentil soup recipe is also one that I always have on hand, it’s a simple soup that is filled with warm flavors, which makes it perfect for cozy evenings and family dinners. 

What’s special about this Red Lentil Soup Recipe?

This red lentil soup is all about spices and flavors. In this recipe, I have used garlic, fresh ginger, turmeric and paprika which are all aromatic and very flavorful. Red lentils don’t have much flavor on their own, however they have an amazing creamy texture once their cooked that compliments the warm flavors very well. The creaminess of this red lentil soup and the warmth of spices make it a cozy and comforting dish.

Speaking of turmeric, it is one of the spices I simply cannot live without. When I first moved to the US, I noticed that turmeric wasn’t as commonly used as in Iran, where you can find turmeric in every single household. I think that has something to do with the region and the similarities between Indian and Iranian cuisine. That’s why I’m so excited about sharing this turmeric red lentil soup recipe with you.

This red lentil soup recipe is perfect for fall and times that you need comfort food.

Ingredients for this red lentil soup recipe

To make this delicious red lentil soup, you need the following ingredients:

  • Olive oil
  • Onion
  • Garlic
  • Red lentils
  • Ginger
  • Cumin
  • Turmeric
  • Paprika
  • Water

To make spicy red lentil soup you need red lentils, onion, garlic, spices and olive oil.

What is the difference between red lentils and green lentils?

Red lentils turn yellow when they’re cooked and they get very very soft whereas green lentils hold their shape and stay green/light brown once they’re cooked.

Where can I find red lentils? 

You can find red lentils in the legumes aisle at any supermarket. Also, you can find red lentils at Indian shops.

How do you make Homemade Red Lentil Soup?

This ginger red lentil soup is full of great flavors and has a nice, smooth texture. Start with sauteing onion, garlic and ginger over medium heat in a large pot. Then add the cumin, turmeric, and paprika and stir to combine so the spices start releasing the aromas. Next, add in the red lentils and stir well. To make red lentil soup, saute onion and garlic with spices and add red lentils. Add in the water, bring to simmer and cook for about 25 to 30 minutes until the lentils are creamy and fully cooked.

Should I blend the turmeric red lentil soup once it’s cooked?

I didn’t blend this turmeric ginger lentil soup after cooking but you can of course blend it with an immersion blender or in a standard blender if you want an even smoother soup.

Stir well and add water then bring it to simmer and cook.

Tools and ingredients for making turmeric red lentil soup:

Other flavors for red lentils soup

  • Red lentil soup with lemon: Follow the instructions for red lentil soup and right before serving, add the juice of 1 1/2 lemons to the soup and give it a nice stir.
  • Vegetable red lentil soup: After sauteing onion and garlic, add in 1 cup diced carrot and 1 cup chopped celery and saute for another 5 minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients.

Instant pot red lentil soup

It’s very easy to make red lentil soup in instant pot:

  • Press the saute function and saute onion, garlic and ginger until translucent.
  • Add in spices and stir well to combine.
  • Stir in lentils and add 4-5 cups of water to the pot.
  • Lock the lid and press pressure cook and set the valve to seal and set the timer for 10 minutes.
  • Once the cook time ends, turn the valve to venting and do a quick release and serve.

More Recipes:

Notes and tips for Red Lentil Soup Recipe:

  • A small amount of turmeric goes a long way so you want to make sure you don’t overuse it – otherwise the dish will be overpowering.
  • For a creamier texture, blend the soup in a blender on high for 3 minutes.
  • If fresh ginger is not available, you can use 1 teaspoon ginger powder.
  • If you like this red lentil soup to be spicy, add 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper to the soup at the end.
  • Red lentils absorb a lot of water; if the soups starts to be very thick, add in half a cup of water at a time.
  • You can also make this delicious red lentil soup with vegetable broth.

This turmeric red lentil soup is topped with paprika and parsley.

This Turmeric Ginger Red Lentil Soup will warm you up on cool fall days. The combination of turmeric and ginger brings a nice heat and flavor while keeping it light with the red lentils.
4.63 from 16 votes
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Red Lentil Soup Recipe

This Turmeric Ginger Red Lentil Soup will warm you up on cool fall days. The combination of turmeric and ginger brings a nice heat and flavor while keeping it light with the red lentils.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mediterranean
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 437 kcal
Author Shadi HasanzadeNemati

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 2 Onions Diced
  • 4 cloves Garlic Minced
  • 2 tsp Ginger
  • 1 1/2 tsp Turmeric
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp Paprika
  • 2 cup Red Lentils
  • 6-7 cups Water or broth
  • 2 tsp Salt

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. 

  2. Saute onion until translucent. Add in garlic and ginger and give it a nice stir. 

  3. Add in turmeric , cumin and paprika. Saute for two minutes until the spices release their aromas. 

  4. Add in red lentils, stir for a minute.

  5. Add in the water and turn the heat up so the soup starts simmering. Lower the heat, cover and cook for 25 to 30 minutes until the lentils are fully cooked. Add in salt to taste. 

  6. Serve warm. 

Recipe Notes

Red lentils absorb a lot of water, if the soup is too thick, add another half a cup of water. 

Have you made this recipe? Let us know by commenting and rating on this recipe. Take a picture and tag @unicornsinthekitchen and #unicornsinthekitchen for a chance to be featured!

 

 

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Comments

    • Hey Mary! Thanks! I moved to Boston this month, Kyle got a job at Harvard so it was time for us to start a new chapter! I hope we can get together again soon! We will always visit Seattle!

      Reply


  5. This looks good but also seems to be a very small recipe. Does it serve two? Any reason I shouldn’t double it?
    Thanks!

    Sharon

    Reply

    • Hi Sharon! It definitely serves two. But you can of course double it and enjoy the leftovers because it’s really delicious!

      Reply

    • Hi! Yeah, I’ve made it with broth too, in that case I just reduce the amount of salt as broth contains salt already 🙂

      Reply


  7. I just made this yesterday and I have to say, as a beginning cook, it was so heartening to have it not only be easy but turn out to be so delicious! This will become a recipe I go back to over and over. Thanks!

    Reply

    • Hi Nicole. No these lentils don’t need to be soaked because they cook in no time. And it’s 1 cup dry lentils 🙂

      Reply

    • Hi Rebecca, Yes, it should be minced or grated. You can also use dried ginger powder.

      Reply


  10. That looks delish! Can’t wait to try it. Now my question is, are red lentils easy to find? I can’t remember ever seeing them at the grocery store, not that I ever really looked for them.

    Reply

    • Hi Jenn! Yes, they’re really easy to find. Many super markets have them in the dry beans and peas section. You can also find them in the Middle Eastern or Indian grocery stores.

      Reply

  17. I think there is a misprint in your recipe. I made it as shown with 2 cups of lentils…..with only 4 cups of water it was the consistency of porridge. I read through the reviews and your replies and saw that you mentioned 1 cup of lentils should be used. I added about 3 cups additional water and the consistency is good now. Flavor is good!

    Reply

    • Hi Andrea, thank you for your comment and yes, red lentils absorb too much water and sometimes, there’s need for more water/broth. I’ve just fixed the notes and I’m glad to hear you like this red lentil soup!

      Reply


  18. I love lentil soup. I put in a lot of ginger and served it with some fresh lime juice … so good I had to have a second bowl 😋

    Reply

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