Coconut Red Lentil Soup with Spinach and Lime

Red lentils collapse into a thick, golden soup with coconut milk, ginger and turmeric, finished with spinach and lime. One pot, thirty-five minutes, and the leftovers are arguably better.

Serves 435 minutes plant-basedveggiegluten-freedairy-free

• ✓Red lentils bring plant protein and fiber.
• ✓Spinach is a source of folate, vitamin K and iron.
• ✓The creaminess is all coconut milk — there is no dairy in the pot.
• ✓Fresh ginger and ground turmeric make up the spice base.

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Ingredients

• •2 tbsp olive oil
• •1 onion, finely chopped
• •2 cloves garlic, sliced
• •1 thumb fresh ginger, grated
• •1 tsp ground turmeric
• •1 tsp ground cumin
• •1¼ cups / 250 g split red lentils, rinsed
• •1 can (14 oz / 400 ml) coconut milk
• •4 cups / 1 l vegetable stock
• •3 big handfuls spinach
• •juice of 1 lime
• •salt and black pepper

Method

1. Soften the onion in the oil, 4–5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, turmeric and cumin for the last minute, until fragrant.
2. Add lentils, coconut milk and stock. Simmer 20 minutes, stirring now and then — red lentils like to stick.
3. The lentils should have collapsed into a thick, golden soup. Thin with a splash of water if it stands a spoon.
4. Stir in the spinach until just wilted.
5. Off the heat, add the lime juice. Taste and season well with salt and black pepper — coconut milk mutes salt, so it takes more than you think.

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Educational information, not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional before changing your diet, especially with a medical condition, pregnancy, or medication. Full disclaimer.