This Turmeric Lentil Soup is a vibrant vegan soup made with immunity-boosting turmeric that’s ready in just 40 minutes.

I make this turmeric lentil soup all the time! The flavours are pure comfort in a bowl, it’s super simple to throw together, and it always hits the spot.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Healthy & comforting: Packed with turmeric and nutrient-rich lentils, this vegan soup supports your immune system while keeping it light, satisfying and comforting.
- Easy & flavourful: No fuss, simple steps and full of flavour. It’s perfect for any day of the week!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Ingredient – substitution details.
- Olive oil – or any other neutral cooking oil like canola or avocado oil.
- Onions – you can use yellow or white onions.
- Carrots – parsnip has a similar texture but a slightly different taste.
- Celery – double up on the carrots or leave them out altogether.
- Garlic – jarred garlic or garlic powder would work in a pinch.
- Ginger – you can also try using ground ginger if you don’t have any fresh ginger.
- Coconut milk – substitute for light coconut milk if you want to cut the calories or try soy milk (although it won’t be as creamy).
- Can of diced tomatoes – you could also use freshly diced tomatoes, just make sure to add in the juices as well.
- Vegetable broth – for a non-vegan option, you can use chicken broth.
- Turmeric – saffron is an alternative, but is sweeter and doesn’t have the same healing properties as turmeric.
- Cumin – ground coriander would also work here.
- Red lentils – French or green lentils are another option.
- Spinach – any other greens will work like Swiss chard or mustard greens.
- Lemon juice – if you don’t have any lemon juice, you could also try lime juice.
How to make turmeric lentil soup
Step 1: Sauté the base.
Sauté the onions, carrots and celery, then the garlic, ginger and seasonings.
Step 2: Add more ingredients.
Add coconut milk, tomatoes, broth and lentils, bring to a boil and cook.
Step 3: Add remaining ingredients.
Add the spinach and lemon juice and stir until combined.
Step 4: Serve and enjoy!
Serve in your favourite bowl and enjoy every spoonful!

Recipe tips and variations
Here are my tips and variations to ensure this turmeric lentil soup turns out perfect every time:
- Sauté aromatics first: Cooking the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, ginger, and turmeric brings out big flavour.
- Use fresh turmeric if you can: It gives a brighter, earthier flavour, but dried works in a pinch.
- Season at the end: Taste before serving and add extra salt, pepper, or a squeeze of lemon to brighten the soup.
- Veggie boost: Stir in kale, zucchini, or green beans for extra nutrients and texture.
- Spice it up: Add a pinch of chili flakes or cayenne for a subtle kick.
- More protein: Consider adding cooked chickpeas or cubed tofu for an added boost of protein.
Frequently asked questions
Is lentil soup healthy?
Yes! Lentils are full of protein, fibre, and nutrients like iron, potassium, and calcium. Plus, the turmeric adds an immune-boosting kick. It’s light, nourishing, and actually keeps you satisfied.
How much turmeric should I add?
You really don’t need much. One tablespoon gives you all the flavour and health benefits you need. Adding more can make it a bit strong, so stick with a tablespoon and you’re good to go.
How can I make the soup creamier?
This recipe uses coconut milk to give it a creamy base, but if you like it even richer, add a bit more coconut milk. You can also blend part or all of the soup for a silky texture.

Storing and reheating
Storing: Portion the soup into individual containers and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Glass meal prep bowls work great because you can reheat single servings without having to scoop from a big bowl.
Reheating: Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through for even heating.
Freezing: Freeze the soup for up to 3 months in freezer safe containers. I love Souper Cubes!
Defrosting and reheating: Defrost in the fridge overnight, or heat from frozen in the microwave for 6-8 minutes, stirring halfway.


Turmeric Lentil Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 carrots diced
- 3 stalks celery diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh turmeric minced; or 1 tsp dried
- 13 oz full fat coconut milk
- 13 oz diced tomatoes
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 cup brown lentils
- 4 cups spinach chopped
- 1 tbsp lemon juice preferably fresh from a lemon
Instructions
- Melt coconut oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, carrots and celery, sauteeing for 5 minutes.
- Add garlic, ginger, turmeric, cumin, salt and pepper, sauteeing another minute until fragrant.
- Add remaining ingredients except for spinach and lemon juice, bringing to a boil and cooking for 30-35 minutes or under lentils are tender.
- Stir in spinach and lemon juice, then serve and enjoy!



Comments & Reviews
Lauren says
Do you need to to increase time to double the recipe? Thx.
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Lauren! I haven’t tried it myself but I would add another minute to the cook time if you’re doubling it. Hopefully it turns out!
Serena says
Will a double recipe for in a 6 quart Instant Pot?
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Serena – this recipe already makes a ton of food so I wouldn’t recommend doubling it.
Serena says
Thank you for your quick reply! I am feeding 6 adults and 6 kiddos and the serving size said 6. Just want to be sure I have enough food. I do plan on making rice on the side for the kids to serve the soup over. Do you think it will be enough? Thanks!
Taylor Stinson says
Oh wow that is a lot of people! I maybe would recommend doubling the recipe just in case but I’m just not sure that it would all fit in the 6 quart. Unfortunately you may need to make separate batches – I wish I could be of more help 🙁
Ashley Wase says
I don’t have an insta pot. What would be the cook times if I have say a normal crock pot. This soup looks delish and I’d love to try it.
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Ashley! I haven’t tested this recipe in the crock pot so I can’t guarantee results, but if you’d like to try it, I would say to cook everything on low for 6-8 hours. Hope it turns out for you 🙂
Patti says
This soup is delicious. I used petite diced tomatoes and they were perfect. I appreciate the nutritional information but didn’t see the serving size. I’m sure I ate way more than a serving because it’s so good.
Taylor Stinson says
I’m so happy you enjoyed it Patti, so happy to hear that!!! 🙂
Lisa says
I made this soup today and it is delicious! We paired it with Einkorn sourdough bread, grain milled by me, homemade sourdough starter, bread bake dough I Dutch oven. Perfect combination!
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Lisa – I’m soooooo happy to hear how much you liked this!!! That bread sounds amazing, what an awesome pairing! So happy this turned out well for you 🙂
Kate Michael says
This soup was amazing! Thank you for the recipe. Even hubby loved it despite not being a huge fan of vegetables or soups. Because both of us like a little heat, I added some red chili flakes for a bit of zing. Delish!
Taylor Stinson says
Ooooh I love the sound of red chili flakes, great idea! Thanks so much for sharing with me Kate, so happy you liked it 🙂
ALEXIS says
Dry lentils or cooked lentils?
Taylor Stinson says
Hi Alexis! They’re dry lentils!
Cathy says
I made this for lunch today, and we really enjoyed it! This recipe is a keeper!
Taylor Stinson says
OMG I am SO happy to hear that Cathy!!!! Thank you so much for sharing with me!!! 🙂
Kathy says
Will it make a huge difference if I leave out the coconut milk?
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Kathy! So sorry for the delay I was on vacation last week – you could try leaving the coconut milk out but honestly the flavour and consistency would not be the same at all. If you’re feeling more of a tomato-based soup then I say go for it and give it a try! If you’d like a creamier consistency, be sure to use the coconut milk. Hope that helps!
Lisa says
Hi! I only had one can of coconut milk on hand so used a partial can of condensed milk and added a little more broth. It worked well as a substitute but I imagine a second can of coconut would be the sweet spot. Unfortunately I was also out of coconut extract otherwise that might have worked in my situation. I also used mixed greens instead of spinach which worked as well. Just didn’t feel like heading to the store today. Great recipe thank you!!!
Taylor Stinson says
Glad you were able to make these sub ins Lisa! And so happy you liked it too 🙂
Kate says
You say 20 minutes cook time but then you say only 3 minutes on high. Not sure which it is.
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Kate! It takes about 15 minutes to come to pressure, then pressure cooks for 3 minutes so overall the process takes about 20 minutes. Sorry I thought that was clear in the instructions!
Jennifer says
Is 3 onions a typo? It doesn’t look like you put nearly that much in the video
Taylor Stinson says
3 small onions or 2 medium works 🙂