Cauliflower Lentil Soup

This vegan Cauliflower Lentil Soup is healthy and easy to make! It's made in one pot with red lentils, spinach, curry powder and coconut milk.

When it comes to healthy and comforting winter meals, it doesn't get any easier than this Cauliflower Red Lentil Soup. It's packed with flavorful ingredients and ready in no time at all!

It's easy to think that healthy meals take too long to prepare, but that's not the case at all. This is especially true when using ingredients that cook quickly, such as red lentils.

Red lentils are a great ingredient to keep in your pantry. They're delicious when added to soups, stews, and curries and are ready in a little more than 10 minutes.

The red lentils act as a thickener in this soup and their natural sweetness pairs nicely with the cauliflower, spinach, and frozen peas - All vegetables that cook quickly and part of what makes it such a quick and easy meal.

This soup is flavored with Indian spices like curry powder and garam masala, along with garlic and onions that are sautéed in a Dutch oven and simmered in a savory broth made with tomato sauce and coconut milk.

Jump to:

• What Color Lentils Are Best For Soup?
• Do Red Lentils Need To Be Soaked?
• How To Add Flavor To Lentil Soup
• Ingredients For Cauliflower Lentil Soup
• Are Red Lentils Gluten Free?
• How To Make Cauliflower Lentil Soup
• How Long Does Lentil Cauliflower Soup Take To Cook?
• Do Red Lentils Thicken Soup?
• What To Serve With Cauliflower Lentil Soup
• How Long Does Red Lentil Soup Last?
• Can It Be Frozen?
• Cauliflower Lentil Soup

What Color Lentils Are Best For Soup?

There are a few different varieties of lentils available in most grocery stores and each variety is best suited for particular types of dishes.

When shopping for lentils, the varieties commonly found in the United States are red, brown, and green lentils.

• Red Lentils cook quickly and tend to become mushy when cooked, making them a great choice for thickening soups and stews. They have a slightly nutty and sweet flavor and are often used to make Indian dishes like dahl. Most red lentils found in grocery stores are actually split red lentils. The husk is removed and the lentils are split in half, which helps to speed up the cooking time.
• Brown Lentils are the most common variety sold in grocery stores and work as a great all-around lentil. They have an earthy and nutty flavor and retain their shape after cooking. Brown lentils are often used in soups, dips, and burgers.
• Green Lentils have the longest cooking time of the three and remain firm after the cooking process. They're often used in salads and side dishes.

Technically, any of these varieties can be used in soups, but red lentils are the best if you're looking for a variety that cooks quickly.

Do Red Lentils Need To Be Soaked?

Another great thing about red lentils is that there is no need to soak them before cooking.

It's best to rinse all varieties of lentils under cold water before cooking to remove any dirt or impurities, but there is no need to soak them beforehand.

How To Add Flavor To Lentil Soup

One of the many reasons I love lentils is that they act sort of as a 'blank canvas' and tend to absorb whatever flavors are added to them. This is true no matter which variety of lentil is used.

You can combined lentils with just about any vegetables you have on hand when using them to make soup. The same goes for herbs and spices.

This recipe is inspired by Indian flavors and uses spices like curry powder and garam masala, but you can add flavor to lentil soup by using anything from bright Mediterranean spices like thyme and oregano to warming Middle Eastern or north African spices like cumin, coriander, sumac, and Zaatar.

There really is no 'wrong way' to flavor lentil soup, as lentils tend to act as a sponge and soak up all the other flavors of the dish.

Ingredients For Cauliflower Lentil Soup

Here's what you'll need to make it.

• 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 6 cloves Garlic
• 1 Onion (any color)
• 5-6 cups Cauliflower Florets (equals 1 small head of cauliflower)
• 1 Tbsp. Curry Powder
• ½ tsp. Garam Masala
• 1 cup Red Lentils (usually sold as split red lentils)
• 5 cups Vegetable Broth
• 2 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
• 1 tsp. Kosher Salt
• ½ tsp. Pepper
• 8 oz. Tomato Sauce
• ½ cup Full Fat Coconut Milk
• 2 cups Frozen Peas
• 2 cups Spinach (chopped)
• Fresh herbs such as cilantro for garnish (optional)

Are Red Lentils Gluten Free?

Red lentils are naturally gluten free, but some brands are processed in a facility that also processes wheat, so there is a risk of cross-contamintion.

It's best to choose a brand that is certified gluten free if gluten is an issue for you.

How To Make Cauliflower Lentil Soup

All that's needed to make this Lentil Cauliflower Soup is to chop all of the ingredients, sauté them in a Dutch oven with some olive oil and spices, and simmer until all of the vegetables are tender.

It's important to sauté the spices in olive oil for a minute or two before adding the vegetables. This helps to release their natural oils, which makes for a more flavorful soup and eliminates any of the 'raw spice' flavor.

As with any homemade soup, I recommend using a cast iron Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot with a lid to prepare it on the stove top.

A cast iron Dutch oven is great because it fits all of the ingredients and distributes the heat evenly across the surface of the pot.

1. Start by rinsing 1 cup of red lentils under cold water to remove any dirt or impurities.
2. Mince 6 cloves of garlic and 1 onion (any color).
3. Remove the leaves from 1 head of cauliflower and cut it into florets, making sure the cauliflower is relatively the same size to ensure that it cooks evenly (yields 5-6 cups cauliflower florets).
4. Roughly chop 2 packed cups of spinach (or hearty greens of choice).
5. Place a cast iron Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot on the stove top and heat to medium-high. Add 3 Tbsp. olive oil to the Dutch oven.
6. Once the oil is heated, add the minced garlic and onions and sauté for 5-6 minutes, stirring often.
7. Add 1 Tbsp. curry powder and ½ tsp. garam masala to the Dutch oven. Sauté the minced garlic, onions, and spices for 1-2 minutes, stirring often.
8. Add 2 Tbsp. tomato paste to the Dutch oven and sauté for another 1-2 minutes, stirring the tomato paste with a wooden spoon to incorporate.
9. Add the cauliflower florets, along with 1 tsp. kosher salt and ½ tsp. pepper. Sauté for 1-2 minutes and stir until the cauliflower is coated in the tomato paste and spices.

How Long Does Lentil Cauliflower Soup Take To Cook?

Once all of the ingredients are sautéed in the Dutch oven and the added liquid has reached a boil, it only takes about 12-15 minutes to cook this soup.

As mentioned, the red lentils and all of the vegetables used in this soup have a relatively short cooking time, which means that you don't need to wait long to get dinner on the table.

1. The next step after adding the cauliflower is to add 1 cup of red lentils and stir until incorporated.
2. Once the lentils are incorporated, add 5 cups of vegetable broth to the Dutch oven.
3. At this point, bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to a low boil, cover, and cook for 8 minutes.
4. After 8 minutes, add 8 oz. tomato sauce, ½ cup full-fat coconut milk, 2 cups of frozen peas, and 2 packed cups of chopped spinach. Stir all of the ingredients until completely incorporated.
5. Bring to a boil once again, then reduce to a low boil, cover, and cook for another 5 minutes or so.

The soup is finished cooking when the cauliflower is tender, the lentils are slightly mushy, the peas have warmed through, and the spinach has wilted.

Do Red Lentils Thicken Soup?

Red lentils not only provide soups with great flavor, they also act as a natural thickener.

It's important to remember that red lentils cook down more thoroughly than brown or green lentils and the texture is naturally more mushy.

You may think that you have overcooked the lentils, but it's normal for them to lose their shape as they cook down in the soup.

Love lentils? Don't miss these recipes!

• Hearty Lentil Soup
• Instant Pot Spinach Lentil Soup
• Instant Pot Lentils
• Sausage Lentil Kale Soup

What To Serve With Cauliflower Lentil Soup

You can serve this soup as-is for a healthy meal, or alongside some cooked rice or grains of choice.

I find that the Indian spices in the soup make it feel a bit like a curry dish that you might order in a restaurant, so I love to serve it on top of some Basmati rice.

You can also serve it alongside some long-grain white rice, brown rice, wild rice, or any cooked grains such as quinoa.

Feel free to garnish this soup with some fresh herbs such as cilantro or parsley.

Soups like this one are perfect for dipping flatbread such as naan or pita.

Love soup? Check out these recipes!

• Chunky Vegetable Soup
• Cannellini Bean, Kale, and Carrot Soup
• Dutch Oven Chicken Noodle Soup
• Roasted Carrot Soup

How Long Does Red Lentil Soup Last?

Any leftover soup may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Make sure to allow it to cool completely before transferring to the fridge for storage.

Can It Be Frozen?

Yes, this soup can be frozen and enjoyed at a later time.

How To Freeze

1. Prepare the soup as directed and allow to thaw completely before transferring to the freezer for storage.
2. Once cooled, place the soup into heavy-duty freezer bags or freezer-safe containers, label with the date, and store for 3 months in the freezer.

How To Thaw

1. Transfer the container to the refrigerator 24 hours before serving and allow to thaw completely.
2. Reheat the soup in a pot on the stove top or in the microwave.

Love vegan soups? Check out these recipes!

• Curried Cauliflower Potato Soup
• Root Vegetable Soup
• Thai Potato Corn Chowder
• Potato Cauliflower Leek Soup
• Harvest Vegetable Soup
• Orzo Vegetable Soup

Looking For More Red Lentil Recipes? Don't Miss These!

Dalcha with Lamb Chops

Instant Pot Khichdi