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Home » Soup Recipes » Carrot and Lentil Soup

Carrot and Lentil Soup

Published: Mar 2, 2025 · Modified: Mar 14, 2025 by Louisa Clements · This post may contain affiliate links

This post may contain affiliate links

Creamy, spiced, and ready in 40 minutes, this carrot and lentil soup is the perfect cozy weeknight dinner. Sweet carrots, red lentils, and coconut milk blend beautifully with warming spices, while a splash of orange juice adds a bright, fresh finish.

This recipe was originally published in December 2013. In March 2025, I updated the recipe to include lentils with new photos and instructions.

Two servings of carrot lentil soup in black bowls on a striped blue napkin with parsley sprinkled on top.
Jump to Recipe
36 minutes minutes 5 Comments

I’ve been making a variation of carrot soup for many years, but I’ve never really felt like I had one that I loved. The recipes never felt quite right—always a little underwhelming. On the other hand, my Mediterranean lentil soup recipe has become a favorite of many readers!

That changed with this version. It’s infused with warming spices like coriander and garam masala, rich and creamy with coconut milk, and thickened with red lentils that blend in so seamlessly you’d never know they’re there.

This soup quickly became a recipe in my monthly rotation, along with broccolini soup and Instant Pot Tomato Soup with Fresh Tomatoes.

Jump to:
  • 📋 Key Ingredients
  • 🔪 Step-by-step instructions
  • 💭 Expert cooking tips
  • More soup recipes

📋 Key Ingredients

Apart from the basics, here are the ingredients that make this soup extra special.

Ingredients for soup in bowl on a wooden board.
  • Carrots – The star of the soup! Carrots add natural sweetness and pair well with the warming spices. They also help create a velvety texture when blended.
  • Red lentils – A quick-cooking protein source that thickens the soup while keeping it hearty and satisfying. Red lentils break down beautifully, making the soup naturally creamy.
  • Coconut milk – Makes the soup ultra-creamy while balancing the spices with a hint of richness.
  • Spices: Garam masala, cayenne pepper and coriander are a combination of warming spices that add earthy depth and heat to the soup to balance the sweetness of the carrots.
  • Orange juice – A surprising ingredient that brightens the flavors and enhances the natural sweetness of the carrots.

Tip: Since the carrots will be boiled, there’s no need to peel them—just give them a good scrub!

🔪 Step-by-step instructions

Onions and carrots sauteeing in a Dutch oven.

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add carrots and onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened.

Spices added to sauteed onions and carrots.

Stir in the tomato paste, garlic, coriander, garam masala, turmeric, cayenne and salt. Cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and tomato paste has turned a bright red color. Stir in the red lentils and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, until the carrots and lentils are soft.

Soup in a blender before being pureed.

Blend using an immersion blender until smooth, or leave slightly chunky if preferred.

Pureed soup in a pot with coconut milk being stirred in.

Pour in the coconut milk and orange juice.

✏️ Ingredient Substitutions

  • Coconut milk → heavy cream: Heavy cream provides richness if you don’t have coconut milk.
  • Orange juice → Lemon juice: If you don’t have oranges on hand, a splash of lemon juice offers a similar bright acidity.
  • Garam masala → curry powder: If garam masala isn’t available, a mild curry powder will add similar warmth and depth.
  • Carrots → sweet potatoes: If you don’t have enough carrots to make this soup, try replacing half of the carrots with sweet potatoes.

Tip: I wouldn’t recommend substituting red lentils for green lentils. Green lentils won’t break down as much as red, so you’ll have a chunkier textured. Plus they will turn your soup into more brown than orange.

Closeup of a serving of soup in a black bowl with parsley sprinkled on top.

💭 Expert cooking tips

  1. Use water instead of broth – In vegetable soups, I prefer water over broth to let the natural flavors of the ingredients shine. Store-bought vegetable broth can sometimes be overpowering, while water creates a cleaner, more balanced taste. Just be sure to season generously with salt to enhance the flavors!
  2. Control the texture – For a silky smooth soup, blend it thoroughly. For a chunkier version, blend just half and mix it back in. Want extra body? Stir in a handful of whole-cooked lentils after blending. If it’s too thick, add more water to thin it out.

More soup recipes

  • Closeup of a serving of soup.
    Ground Turkey Soup with Veggies
  • Closeup of broccolini soup in a white bowl with toppings (cheese, parsley and croutons)
    Broccolini Soup
  • Closeup of soup in a white bowl on a grey napkin.
    Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Soup
  • Closeup of soup in a white bowl.
    Broccoli and Cauliflower Soup
Closeup of two bowls of carrot lentil soup on a striped napkin.

Carrot and Lentil Soup

Author: Louisa Clements
No ratings yet
Creamy, spiced, and ready in 40 minutes, this carrot and lentil soup is the perfect cozy weeknight dinner. Sweet carrots, red lentils, and coconut milk blend beautifully with warming spices, while a splash of orange juice adds a bright, fresh finish.
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Prep: 10 minutes minutes
Cook: 26 minutes minutes
Total: 36 minutes minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
  • 6 cups water
  • 1 can of coconut milk
  • Juice of 1 orange

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add carrots and onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened.
  • Stir in the tomato paste, garlic, coriander, garam masala, turmeric, cayenne and salt. Cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and tomato paste has turned a bright red color.
  • Stir in the red lentils and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, until the carrots and lentils are soft.
  • Blend using an immersion blender until smooth, or leave slightly chunky if preferred. Pour in the coconut milk and orange juice.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve warm.

Notes

  1. Storage: This soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It also freezes well for up to 3 months. Let it cool completely before storing.
  2. Consistency: If you prefer a thicker soup, add less water or more lentils. For a thinner soup, add extra water or coconut milk to reach your desired consistency.
  3. Spice level: Adjust the cayenne pepper to your taste. For a milder version, reduce or omit the cayenne.
  4. Instant pot: After adding the water in step three, cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. 
Did you try this recipe?Leave a comment + rating and let me know what you think!
Filed Under: Dinner Recipes, Fall, gluten free, Soup Recipes, Spring, vegan, vegetarian, Winter
Nutrition Facts
Carrot and Lentil Soup
Amount Per Serving
Calories 428 Calories from Fat 225
% Daily Value*
Fat 25g38%
Saturated Fat 19g119%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 4g
Sodium 680mg30%
Potassium 937mg27%
Carbohydrates 41g14%
Fiber 16g67%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 15g30%
Vitamin A 7817IU156%
Vitamin C 20mg24%
Calcium 86mg9%
Iron 7mg39%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Nutrition information is an estimate and is provided for informational purposes only. If you have any specific dietary concerns, please consult with your healthcare practitioner.
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Comments

  1. Rika

    December 27, 2013 at 5:02 pm

    Carrot and ginger are perfect together, especially for the winter! Good luck achieving the 2014 goals!
    Reply
    • Lou

      December 28, 2013 at 5:01 pm

      Thank you Rika - I'm obsessed with this flavour combination right now!
      Reply
  2. Laura

    December 24, 2013 at 10:44 am

    Hi Louisa, Just letting you know I made this soup and it was DELICIOUS :) Perfect on our very cold Montreal winter nights. I love checking in!
    Reply
    • Lou

      December 28, 2013 at 5:01 pm

      Hi Laura! That makes me SO happy!! I'm so glad that you liked it, xo!
      Reply

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Hi, I'm Louisa Clements & welcome to Living Lou. I've been creating simple, fresh & flavorful recipes for the modern kitchen for 14 years.
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