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
Kalotina says
Hi!
Tracking macros here 👋🏽
I love that you include nutrition info in your recipes, THANK YOU!
how big is “one serving” for these specific macros that you give? Thank you 🙂
Taylor Stinson says
I don’t provide servings by weight/cup unfortunately! You will need to take the number of servings listed and divide into portions. Each portion is a serving.
Kalotina says
Perfect. That makes sense actually lol. Thank you! This is an unbelievable soup 🤩
Taylor Stinson says
I’m so happy you enjoyed!
Christine says
What size is I stand pot for this?
Taylor Stinson says
It’s a 6 quart!
imsen says
This is the BEST lentil soup ever!! I literally make it once a week.
Daniel Zonis says
I just want to confirm that this is supposed to cook for 3 minutes on high pressure, right? Under the How to make this recipe section, it says 30 minutes, but in the actual recipe itself (and the video too) it says 3 minutes.
Thanks!
Taylor Stinson says
It will take up to 10 or 15 minutes to come to pressure then a few minutes after that to release the pressure so the 30 minutes is just to account for how long it actually takes. But yes, it is 3 minutes on high pressure!
A P says
Can I use canned lentils?
Taylor Stinson says
Yes you can!
Coralie says
Made this last night and it was really good! I did get the ‘Food Burn’ message on my instant pot and had to add broth to make it more liquid. Just to clarify for the coconut milk, is it two cans of 400 mL, or two cans of 200 mL to make 400 total? Thank you!
Taylor Stinson says
Hi Coralie – it’s two 400mL cans, I will update the ingredient list to reflect that!
Brittany says
I didn’t have a second can of coconut milk on hand, so I used more vegetables broth Also added some mild cheddar cheese in my bowl and it was amazing! Will definitely be cooking this weekly now!
Randy Kasper says
Enjoyed this just as written. Thanks!
Taylor Stinson says
So happy you enjoyed!!
Melissa Borden says
This was a good recipe. I used an heirloom mix of lentils (a mix of red, green and yellow lentils) and adjusted the cook time to 9 minutes and the lentils were perfect. Next time, I think I’d add cauliflower.
Holly says
Hello!
I’m allergic to coconut, is there something else I can substitute?
Thank you!!
Taylor Stinson says
Hi Holly – the flavours would change without the coconut milk, but what you could try doing is subbing in regular whole milk (1 cup) or vegetable broth (1 cup). Hope that helps!
Mira says
Not sure why but it came a little bit undercooked. Another lentil soup recipe I made was 7 min in the instant pot that why I was a bit surprised for 3 min on yours but still tried. I’d definitely add more minutes next time.
Taylor Stinson says
Hi Mira – red lentils cook super quickly so it’s very surprising yours can out undercooked! Wondering if you used a different type of lentil here? Also wondering if this is maybe an elevation issue? Very strange.