Creamy Spiced Lentil Lemon Soup with Spinach

When you need a cozy but uplifting soup , this Creamy Spiced Lentil Lemon Soup with Spinach is the one to make. Packed with uplifting flavors of turmeric, lemon and subtely spiced with garam masala, it's the perfect antidote to a dull day. Serve it up with some chickpea flour enriched flatbreads for the ultimate healthy comfort meal.

this recipe

🍲Ingredients for Creamy Lentil Soup

For quantities and method head to the recipe card on the bottom of this post.

1. Brown or Green Lentils: These are great in soups as they keep their texture and don't disintegrate. They have a slightly peppery flavor that's delicious too.
2. Onions, Garlic and Ginger: This trio makes a great base for a spiced soup. Onion and garlic provide gentle savoury notes while ginger perks up the flavor.
3. Bouillon or Veggie Stock: to gently cook the lentils.
4. Warming Spices: Delicious combination of cracked black pepper, turmeric and ground coriander seed provide a gently spiced flavor. Add optional garam masala for a spicier soup that is more like a dal. For a richer dal, my Easy Creamy Tomato Dal is a delicious and cozy option.
5. Coconut Cream for richness and gentle flavour,
6. Lemon Juice keeps the soup bright and balances the spices.
7. Spinach added at the end of cooking adds flavor, colour and extra nutrients.

See recipe card for quantities.

🌶️Substitutions & Variations

Here are some easy substitutes you can use to enhance this spinach lentil soup.

• Other Lentils or Split Peas - red or yellow lentils cook faster and break down quite quickly so you will end up with a thicker soup. If you choose to use split peas, make sure to soak them overnight. If you love split peas in soup, check out my Vegan Split Pea and 'Ham' Soup recipe.
• Coconut milk - replace the coconut cream with a can of coconut milk. You can put the coconut milk in the fridge and let it set, just using the thick coconut that separates from the coconut water if you wish.
• Extra Spicy- this is a gently spiced soup designed to comfort and nourish. If you love hot and spicy soups, add more garam masala and/or chili flakes to the the soup when cooking.
• Other greens- instead of spinach add finely chopped kale, spring greens or callaloo to the soup and let wilt before serving.

👩‍🍳Instructions to make Lentil Spinach Soup

Follow along with these instructions to make a delicious Lentil and Spinach soup.

1. Step 1: Finely chop the onion and garlic and grate the ginger. Add to large pan with a little oil over medium and let the onion soften. Stir in all the spices.

2. Step 2: Add the lentils to the onion and spices. Stir to coat - it should smell amazing.

3. Step 3: Pour the broth into the lentils, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the lentils are soft. Season with a little salt. Add more water or broth as needed.

4. Step 4: Stir the coconut cream into the broth. Taste and adjust seasonings and/or add extra spice if you would like.

5. Step 5: Mix the spinach into the soup and allow to wilt down.

6. Step 6: Generously squeeze lemon over the soup and mix. Adjust salt or seasonings to taste. Stir in coriander (cilantro) leaves to finish if you wish.

Hint: I like to check the salt levels and seasoning before adding the spinach. That way you can simmer the soup a little longer if it needs more seasoning or for the flavors to develop.

Great Lunch and Soups

If you're looking for other delicious and nutritious lunch ideas to make why not try my Lentil and Tomato Soup (Lentils Monastery Style) or my cozy Roasted Sweet Potato and Lentil Soup.

❓FAQ for Lentil Spinach Soup

Here are some great salads to try:

These are my favorite dishes to serve with [this recipe]: