Dairy Free Red Lentil and Coconut Soup

This is one of my favorite soups to make, as well as a household and client favorite. This Dairy Free Red Lentil Soup has a slight sweetness that comes from the coconut milk, which makes it smooth and filling. I end up adding in other ingredients like broccoli stalks or curry powder to give it multiple layers of flavor. Red lentils are a great addition, too, since they’re low in fat and high in protein and fiber.

Before cooking, place the lentils in a bowl and run your hands through to pick out stones and other debris. Don’t skip adding the lemon juice at the end; the citrus really makes all of the flavors come to life!

You can use chicken stock which just creates a deeper flavor, or make vegetarian by using vegetable stock instead.

Dairy Free Red Lentil Soup

• Author: Andrea Sprague

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Description

Red Lentils make a great soup as they completely break down in the cooking process. This Red Lentil Soup has a slight sweetness that comes from the coconut milk, which makes it smooth and filling AND dairy free. The addition of white miso creates an umami of richness instead of just using salt. You can leave it out if you want, and just adjust the salt at the end by tasting and then adding more if you need it.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil
• 1 medium onion, small dice, about 2 cups
• 2 medium carrots, chopped, about 1 1/3 cup
• 4 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 1/2 cups red lentils
• 1 can coconut milk, 13.5oz
• 4 cloves garlic, left whole
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp white miso paste
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp grated ginger or 2 teaspoons ginger juice (optional)
• 2 tsp curry powder (optional)

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Instructions

1. In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and carrot and sauté until onions are soft, stirring frequently about 2 to 4 minutes.
2. Add stock, coconut milk, lentils, garlic and salt to the pot and stir. Bring to a boil, stir, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove lid and let simmer 10 more minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat once lentils are completely soft and broken up, and let cool 10 minutes before going to the blender.
4. Pour half the soup in a blender, including the garlic cloves. Add the miso paste, and blend until smooth. The soup will still be hot, so be careful – hold the lid on tight when you first turn on the blender and then lift the lid a little, or remove the small piece in the lid to let the steam vent while the soup blends.
5. Return soup to the pot. Add lemon juice, and any additional seasonings desired and stir to mix. If soup gets too thick, add additional stock.
6. Pour into bowls and serve. The remaining soup can be stored in the fridge for up to a week, or frozen even longer if desired.

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