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    Home » Lunch Box Ideas

    Spiced Carrot And Lentil Soup

    AU$1.30 | £0.44 per serve
    By Robyn | Published: Oct 2, 2021 | Modified: Oct 10, 2022

    TO THE RECIPE
    pin for kid approved spiced carrot and lentil soup showing three bowls of soup swirled with coconut milk ready to eat

    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!

    overhead photo of spiced carrot red lentil soup in a bowl swirled with coconut milk, red lentils scattered on the background
    Jump to:
    • Why we love this soup recipe
    • Ingredients notes
    • Step by Step Instructions
    • FAQ
    • My recipe tips
    • Storage
    • Serving Ideas
    • More healthy soup recipes for you
    • Spiced Carrot and Lentil Soup

    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.
    ingredients for carrot lentil soup laid out in individual bowls and on a wooden chopping oard

    Step by Step Instructions

    1. Soften the garlic in oil.
    2. Add the chopped vegetables.
    3. When the vegetables have started to soften, add the curry powder and red lentils.
    4. Add the stock/water and simmer.
    5. When the lentils are tender and the vegetables are soft, add the coconut milk.
    6. Blend until smooth.
    step by step photos to show how to make carrot lentil soup

    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.
    three bowls of carrot and lentil soup swirled with coconut milk, slices of bread just visible ready to dunk into the soup

    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.

    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!

    • Vegan Pumpkin Soup with Peanut Butter
    • Easy Roast Pumpkin Soup
    • Pumpkin Carrot Soup
    • Peanut Miso Noodle Soup
    spiced carrot lentil soup in bowl with spoon, served wth bread on the side ready to dip into the soup

    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!
    4.75 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 35 mins
    Total Time 45 mins
    Course Lunch
    Cuisine Australian, English
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 191 kcal

    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
    Keyword budget friendly, carrot soup, soup, Toddler finger food, vegan soup

    HAVE YOU MADE THIS RECIPE?

    I’d love to see your creation!

    Tag me! #atmrsjoneskitchen
    Tag me! @atmrsjoneskitchen

    Or just leave a comment below!

    « Lentil Ragu
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jaimie says

      May 04, 2020 at 1:53 pm

      5 stars
      This looks amazing and I already have all the ingredients! Thank you for sharing, I’m going to go and make this right now 🙂

      Reply
      • Robyn says

        May 04, 2020 at 4:40 pm

        Thank you Jaimie! Hope you enjoy the soup as much as we do!

        Reply
    2. Tamera says

      April 22, 2020 at 2:18 am

      5 stars
      Delicious and so healthy!!! So easy to make.

      Reply
      • Robyn says

        April 22, 2020 at 6:25 pm

        Thanks Tamera!

        Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. Tahini and Cauliflower Soup with Spiced Cashews and Prosciutto says:
      May 4, 2020 at 2:03 pm

      […] Carrot and Red Lentil Soup by Mrs Jones’s Kitchen Purple Cauliflower Salad with Lemon Mustard Tahini by The Devil Wears Salad Chicken and Sweetcorn Soup by The Cooking Collective […]

      Reply

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    Robyn Jones, Recipe Developer & Food Photographer

    Robyn Jones

    Recipe Developer | Food Photographer | Writer

    Hi! I'm Robyn, a toddler mum with a passion for all things food! Having moved internationally 7 times in the past 12 years I have developed a love of making international recipes into family friendly ones you can make in your own home, with local ingredients; wherever you live!

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