Curried Pumpkin and Lentil Soup (Vegan)

Bowls of curried pumpkin soup on the counter with cilantro garnish and a female hand digging in

Curried Pumpkin and Lentil Soup (Vegan)

Roasted vegetables, red lentils and creamy coconut milk come together for the season's coziest soup. Warming spices, like ginger, curry powder, and cumin make it perfect for cooler months. This flavorful, dairy-free soup is healthy, easy to make, and freezer friendly.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings

Equipment

Blender

Ingredients

1 yellow onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 inch knob of ginger (see note 1)
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil (or other neutral oil)
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
⅛ teaspoon black pepper, divided
1 cup dry red lentils (rinsed and picked over)
2 cloves garlic, minced (use large cloves)
3 cups vegetable broth (more to thin, if needed)
1½ teaspoons curry powder (more for garnish, optional)
½ teaspoon cumin
1 (15 oz/14 fl oz/398 ml) can pumpkin puree
1 (14 fl oz/398 ml) can full-fat coconut milk

Garnish ideas (optional)

Fresh herbs (scallions/green onions or cilantro)
Toasted pepitas
Yogurt or sour cream (vegan if needed)
Red pepper flakes

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat: Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C).
Bake vegetables: Add onion, carrots, celery, and ginger to a large nonstick baking sheet. Drizzle with grapeseed oil, toss to coat. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and pepper. Bake until the edges are beginning to brown, about 20 minutes.
1 yellow onion, chopped, 2 carrots, chopped, 2 ribs celery, chopped, 1 inch knob of ginger, 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil, ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, divided, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, divided
Meanwhile, cook lentils: Add red lentils, garlic, broth, curry powder, and cumin to a medium saucepan. Cover with a lid, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until the lentils are soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in coconut milk, and the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt. Remove from heat.
1 cup dry red lentils, 2 cloves garlic, minced, 3 cups vegetable broth, 1½ teaspoons curry powder, ½ teaspoon cumin, 1 (14 fl oz/398 ml) can full-fat coconut milk, ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
Add pumpkin, bake again: Use a spatula to push the roasted vegetables to one side of the pan. Spread the pumpkin puree onto the other side of the pan. Return to the oven, and bake until the edges of the puree begin to brown, about 10 minutes.
1 (15 oz/14 fl oz/398 ml) can pumpkin puree
Blend: Scrape the vegetables and pumpkin puree into a blender. Add the lentil coconut mixture. Blend until smooth and creamy. (Thin with extra vegetable stock if desired). Serve hot, topped with garnishes of your choice.
Fresh herbs, Toasted pepitas, Yogurt or sour cream, Red pepper flakes

Notes

Blending soups: Use caution when blending warm liquids. You may wish to drape a tea towel over the lid of the blender as an extra precaution, and blend in batches if needed. If your blender cannot handle warm liquids, allow the lentil mixture to cool fully then blend as usual. Soup can be reheated on the stove top, and thinned with vegetable stock until it reaches your desired consistency.

Nutrition