I was starting to really believe that we were heading out of soup season and then another snowstorm hit Wisconsin last night! I think I’m going to just boycott snow and shoveling until further notice. Can I do that? With the chilly weather here again I decided to whip up a hearty batch of Golden Coconut Lentil Soup which features a hearty dose of turmeric!
If you’ve ever cooked with turmeric, dried or fresh, you know that it gives a beautiful golden color to anything that you’re making. (It also can stain things, so be careful!) Turmeric has a lot of really great health benefits that include antioxidant benefits, it’s great for fighting inflammation and is good for your heart. I’ve seen a huge rise of turmeric lattes posted all over Instagram! It gives dishes a flavor of ginger and orange.
You cook the soup down until all of the ingredients are very soft and then you use an immersion blender to mix everything together. You honestly would never know that it is a lentil soup but they give the dish a great texture. Lentils also have some really awesome health benefits so this soup is really great for your body! I like to serve it with cooked Basmati rice, toasted coconut and a sprinkle of freshly chopped cilantro. If you try this out I think you’ll agree that the flavor is phenomenal and will have you asking for a second bowl!
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or coconut oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
- ½ tablespoon ground turmeric
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 3 medium carrots, minced
- ½ pound red lentils
- 4 cups water
- 13.5 oz can coconut milk
- ½ tablespoons salt
- TOPPINGS: Cooked Basmati rice, toasted coconut (unsweetened), chopped fresh cilantro
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add in the onion, garlic, and ginger to the pan and sauté until the onions are soft and transparent.
- Add the turmeric and red pepper to the pot and sauté for 1 additional minute. Add the carrots to the pot, sauté for 2-3 minutes, then add the lentils and water. Place a lid on the pot, bring it up to a boil over high heat, then turn the heat down to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes the lentils should be soft and broken down. Stir the coconut milk into the soup. Use an immersion blender or carefully blend the warm soup in small batches until about half of the soup is puréed (or all of it if you want it completely smooth). Once blended, begin adding salt, ½ tsp at a time, until the soup is properly seasoned.
- To serve the soup, ladle about 1.5 cups into a bowl and top with ½ cup cooked rice, some fresh cilantro leaves, and a sprinkle of toasted coconut flakes.
