Ingredients
- 1 onion diced
- 5 garlic cloves grated
- 1.5 inch ginger root grated
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp coriander
- 3 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp sumac (+ more to taste)
- 1 pinch chili powder
- 1 cup red lentils
- 14 oz can coconut milk (full flat unsweetened)
- 15 oz can fire roasted tomatoes (diced or pureed)
- 2 cups water
- 4 cups baby spinach packed
- S + P to taste
- Garnish: vegan yogurt lime wedges, sliced red chili pepper, fresh cilantro or basil.
Instructions
- Preheat a heavy bottom stock pot over medium heat with a light drizzle of olive oil. Sautee the onion until translucent then stir in the garlic and ginger. Cook just until fragrant.1 onion,1.5 inch ginger root,5 garlic cloves
- Add in the turmeric, coriander, onion powder, chili powder and sumac. Toast around for a minute for the spices to bloom.2 tsp turmeric,2 tsp coriander,3 tsp onion powder,1 pinch chili powder,2 tsp sumac
- Add the lentils, tomatoes, water and coconut milk and a good pinch of salt. Bring to a gentle boil and cook until the lentils have softened, about 15 minutes. (If using brown, black or green lentils you’ll need to adjust cooking time to 30 to 45 minutes).1 cup red lentils,15 oz can fire roasted tomatoes,2 cups water,14 oz can coconut milk
- Once the lentils have softened make sure to adjust seasonings to taste with salt and pepper. You can add more sumac if desired too.S + P to taste
- Stir in the spinach and remove from heat. Cover with a lid and allow to sit for a few minutes for the spinach to completely wilt from the steam.4 cups baby spinach
- Serve with a swirl of vegan yogurt, fresh herbs like basil or chives, slices of red chili pepper for heat and a pinch of sumac.Garnish: vegan yogurt
Vegan Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk and Sumac
Notes
- Can I use kale instead of spinach? – Any dark leafy greens you love can work here. Take your pick from kale, chard, mustard greens, bok choy and even dandelion greens.
- Should I soak the lentils? – Red lentils in particular cook very fast, they achieve ideal soft texture in about 15 minutes, give them a quick rinse and into the soup they go. The only pulses I ever soak are beans and split peas, never any lentils.
- Soup Consistency – If a smoother silkier soup is desire you can certainly puree about 1/3 of it on the hot blender setting and mix back into the soup. For a creamy puree blend the entire batch. Alternatively for a thinner consistency just stretch out the original recipe with some veggie stock.