Cozy Mulligatawny Soup
Warm curry spices, tender chicken, sweet apples, and creamy coconut milk come together in this cozy bowl of mulligatawny soup with lentils, carrots, and onion. Earthy, creamy, and just spicy enough. This is one of those magical soups that somehow straddles creamy and brothy, cozy and fresh, savory and lightly sweet. Add rice if you’re hungry, skip it if you’re not. Customize to your taste and enjoy comfort in a bowl!
6
bowls
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil or ghee
- 1 large onion diced
- 3 cloves (3) garlic minced
- 1 tbsp (15 g) fresh ginger grated
- 2 carrots peeled and diced
- 2 stalks (2) celery diced
- 1 apple peeled, cored, and diced (preferably tart or sweet-tart)
- 1 tbsp (8 g) curry powder
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground turmeric
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander
- 1/4 tsp (0.5 g) cayenne pepper optional, to taste
- 3/4 cup (130 g) red lentils rinsed
- 5 cups (1.2 liters) chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 can (400 ml) coconut milk (13.5 oz/400 ml, full fat preferred)
- 2 cups (300 g) cooked chicken shredded, optional or swap for tofu/chickpeas
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice fresh-squeezed
- salt and pepper to taste
To Serve
- fresh cilantro chopped, for garnish
- cooked rice optional, for serving
Equipment
- Large pot or Dutch oven
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Ladle
- Immersion Blender (optional)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil or ghee in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and ginger. Sauté for about 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Add carrots, celery, and apple. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3–4 minutes until starting to soften.
- Stir in the curry powder, turmeric, cumin, coriander, and cayenne if using. Toast the spices for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
- Add red lentils, broth, and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender.
- For a smoother soup, blend part or all of the soup with an immersion blender, or in batches in a blender. Leave some chunks if preferred.
- Stir in the coconut milk and cooked chicken (if using). Simmer gently for 5 more minutes until heated through.
- Remove the bay leaf. Stir in lemon juice. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve hot, spooned over cooked rice if desired. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro.
Notes
This soup is excellent for leftovers and actually improves after a night in the fridge. To store, let cool and refrigerate in an airtight container up to 4 days. If soup thickens, add a bit of water or broth to loosen when reheating. For freezing, freeze soup without rice (up to 3 months). Thaw and rewarm gently, then add rice when serving.
To make vegan: skip chicken and use veggie broth. Add chickpeas or tofu for extra protein. Heavy cream or Greek yogurt can replace coconut milk (stir in off heat to avoid curdling). Adjust spices to taste and add a little more cayenne or fresh chili if you want heat.
Nutrition
Calories: 320kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 740mg | Potassium: 720mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 3670IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 3mg