This spiced carrot and lentil soup is one of my families favourite soups. Full of vegetables and protein rich red lentils, it is easy to prepare, perfect for meal prep, and one I make on repeat for my 4 year old son – at his request!
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Why we love this soup recipe
- Budget Friendly – carrots and red lentils are both cheap ingredients.
- Simple Ingredients – made with store cupboard favourites , the soup can be made without coconut milk, and just carrots, garlic, red lentils, stock and curry powder.
- Versatile – You can use mostly carrots, or add other vegetables, use up leftover vegetables that are sat in the fridge.
- Perfect meal prep recipe – this soup is freezer friendly and ideal for batch cooking and freezing in individual portions.
- It’s a great baby led weaning soup. For a baby lentil soup – make sure it is blended until smooth and no lumps remain. Use water rather than stock to limit sodium levels.
Ingredients notes
- Carrots – the star of the show! Budget friendly and popular with everyone.
- Garlic – there are no onions in this soup, so the garlic adds aromatics and I suggest using fresh garlic rather than dried in this soup.
- Red Lentils – a cheap source of protein, red lentils don’t take long to cook and thicken the soup.
- Stock – chicken or vegetable stock works well. I also make this soup with just water if I don’t have stock. Use water if making this soup for baby led weaning to reduce sodium levels.
- Vegetables – this soup can be made with a variety of vegetables: celery, capsicum/pepper, zucchini/courgette, a couple of tablespoons of sweetcorn or 2-3 fresh tomatoes.
Step by Step Instructions
- Soften the garlic in oil.
- Add the chopped vegetables.
- When the vegetables have started to soften, add the curry powder and red lentils.
- Add the stock/water and simmer.
- When the lentils are tender and the vegetables are soft, add the coconut milk.
- Blend until smooth.
FAQ
Do I need to soak red lentils?
No you don’t need to soak them. Red lentils dissolve as they cook. It’s worth rinsing them to remove any debris.
Do red lentils cook quicker than green lentils?
Yes. Red lentils cook quicker than green lentils, and quickly soften which makes them ideal to use in soups like this one, making them thick and creamy.
How do you get kids to eat soup?
Make a soup with their favourite veggies and serve it with some fun finger food to dip in – scrolls, scones, toast cut into fun shapes, even sausages or fish fingers. Be prepared for it to get messy!
My recipe tips
- If you use different veggies to make the lentil soup, try to use red, yellow or orange vegetables. Adding green vegetables like peas or spinach makes the soup turns brown, which can put younger family members off.
- This soup is developed to appeal to kids and toddlers. To make a spicier soup add an extra ¼ teaspoon curry powder, a pinch of dried chilli flakes or ginger:
- Adding fresh ginger makes a delicious spicier soup: Add 2cm, finely grated fresh ginger and cook with the crushed garlic.
- Add a small onion: finely chop an onion and cook for 5 minutes in the oil before adding the garlic.
- I freeze the soup in individual portions in ziploc bags, and lay them flat in the freezer for a quicker defrost time.
- This is a thick carrot red lentil soup – if you prefer a thinner soup, add a little more water/stock/coconut milk.
- You can make the soup without coconut milk – it won’t be as rich and creamy, but still delicious. Add 125ml (½ c) more water and reduce the curry powder to ¼ tsp.
Storage
- Fridge: keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: freeze for up to 3 months.
- To freeze. Cool completely then store in ziplock bags or containers. Defrost in the fridge overnight.
- To freeze. Cool completely then store in ziplock bags or containers. Defrost in the fridge overnight.
Serving Ideas
- Scones
- Pinwheels – ham pinwheels or vegan samosa pinwheels
- Sausage rolls – pork and apple or vegetarian sausage rolls
- Soft milk bread
- I love it with a simple Greek salad or this pear and walnut salad.
- Cheese croissants
More healthy soup recipes for you
These easy soups are all kid-approved!
This was originally posted in March 2020 but has since been updated with new images and more information to help you make the best carrot soup. The recipe remains the same.
Spiced Carrot and Lentil Soup
Author: Robyn
This easy and budget friendly spiced carrot & red lentil soup is healthy, freezer friendly, and popular with the whole family!
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon olive oil ($0.08 / £0.04)
- 1 clove garlic, crushed ($0.13 / £0.03)
- 5 (approx 320g/11.2oz) carrots, peeled and roughly chopped ($0.77 / £0.16)
- 1 stick celery, roughly chopped ($0.40 / £0.09)
- 1 zucchini/courgette, roughly chopped ($1.18 / £0.56)
- 1 red capsicum/pepper, roughly chopped ($1.98 / £0.48)
- 70g (⅓c) red lentils ($0.28/ £0.14)
- ⅓ teaspoon mild curry powder ($0.05 / £0.01)
- 750ml (3c) stock or water ($0 / £0)
- 125ml (½c) coconut milk ($0.30 / £0.23)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over a gentle heat and fry the garlic for a minute before adding the carrots, celery, zucchini, and capsicum.
- Place the lid on the pan and cook for 5-10 minutes until the vegetables are beginning to soften.
- Stir in the curry powder and then the red lentils and add the stock/water.
- Season with salt and then bring to a simmer and simmer for 20-25minutes until the vegetables and lentils are tender.
- Add the coconut milk and heat through for a couple of minutes, then turn off the heat and blend until smooth with a stick blender.
- Serve straight away, or cool and keep in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. Or freeze.
Notes
Estimated costs: Australia $5.17. Per serve = $1.30
UK £1.74. Per serve = 44p
America – I am yet to calculate the estimated ingredients costs to make this recipe in the US. If you would find it useful please contact me and I’ll get calculating 🙂
You can also use a blender to blend the soup.
Carrots – the star of the show! Budget friendly and popular with everyone.
Garlic – there are no onions in this soup, so the garlic adds aromatics and I suggest using fresh garlic rather than dried in this soup. You can add a small onion if you prefer: finely chop an onion and cook for 5 minutes in the oil before adding the garlic.
Red Lentils – a cheap source of protein, red lentils don’t take long to cook and thicken the soup.
Stock – chicken or vegetable stock works well. If making for baby led weaning, use water instead of stock to reduce sodium levels.
Vegetables – this soup can be made with a variety of vegetables: celery, capsicum/pepper, zucchini/courgette, a couple of tablespoons of sweetcorn or 2-3 fresh tomatoes. Try to use red, yellow or orange vegetables. Adding green vegetables like peas or spinach makes the soup turns brown, which can put younger family members off.
This soup is developed for kids and toddlers. To make a spicier soup add an extra ¼ teaspoon curry powder, a pinch of dried chilli flakes or ginger:
Adding fresh ginger makes a delicious spicier soup: Add 2cm, finely grated fresh ginger and cook with the crushed garlic.
This is a thick soup – if you prefer a thinner soup, add a little more water/stock/coconut milk.
You can make the soup without coconut milk – it won’t be as rich and creamy, but still delicious. Add 125ml (½ c) more water and reduce the curry powder to ¼ tsp.
This soup is freezer friendly, I like to freeze it in individual portions in ziploc bags, and lay them flat in the freezer for a quicker defrost time.
Nutrition
Calories: 191kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 7gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 80mgPotassium: 702mgFiber: 9gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 13821IUVitamin C: 53mgCalcium: 62mgIron: 3mg
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Jaimie says
This looks amazing and I already have all the ingredients! Thank you for sharing, I’m going to go and make this right now 🙂
Robyn says
Thank you Jaimie! Hope you enjoy the soup as much as we do!
Tamera says
Delicious and so healthy!!! So easy to make.
Robyn says
Thanks Tamera!