Coconut Lentil Soup

An easy green lentil soup recipe gets creaminess from coconut milk. Perfect for a light, healthy meal.

There’s nothing more comforting than a bowl of soup. Potato, broccoli, or even a hearty chili are staples in my household. But one of my favorites is lentil soup, even though let’s face it, lentils don’t seem all that exciting.

I don’t make many soups in the summer, but lentil is one I like to make all year round. Especially an easy lentil soup that is lightly spiced with cumin and coriander and finished with creamy coconut milk.

What I love about this is that it’s filling and nutritious. Lentils are high in fiber, so they fill you up, and being a complex carb, it stays with you for a while. They’re a great source of protein as well, which is why you often see them in vegetarian recipes.

Lentils are also pretty versatile and take to a variety of flavors, so they’re easy to incorporate into almost any kind of diet. This one is pretty simple and straightforward. You’ll start by sautéing some onions and garlic in avocado oil and adding some spices. I like to be generous when it comes to the spices, otherwise, it can be kind of bland. Once you’ve added your lentils, you’ll simmer for about a half-hour until tender. Depending on how old your lentils are (and you don’t really know even if you just bought them) it could take 45 minutes or more. So be patient, and keep checking them until they are tender. At the end goes your coconut milk — full fat from a can. It adds creaminess, healthy fat, and a hint of coconut flavor. The healthy fat is perfect with the high protein, high fiber lentils, which is why this fills you up.