Spiced Carrot And Lentil Soup

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!

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.

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.

FAQ

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.
    

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
• Homemade croutons or Pangrattato (Italian breadcrumbs).

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.