Slow Cooker Curried Lentil Soup. An easy, flavorful lentil soup seasoned with turmeric, ginger, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and finished with creamy coconut milk.
This recipe post is sponsored by Imagine®.
With a cold month behind many of us, nothing beats a pot of warming soup. This slow cooker curried lentil soup is hearty, nourishing, and full of bright, warming spices. It’s the sort of recipe I make at the start of the week and reheat for lunches and quick dinners — it holds up very well and makes excellent leftovers.
I keep returning to this soup because it’s simple to assemble and delivers a depth of flavor: aromatics like onion, carrot, garlic and ginger build a savory base, while curry powder, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves add warmth and complexity. French green (Puy) lentils provide a pleasant texture since they hold their shape during long, slow cooking.
Tips for Success
A good broth is the backbone of any memorable soup. For this recipe I use one quart (4 cups) of a high-quality chicken broth, which creates a rich, savory foundation for the spices and lentils. Choosing a responsibly sourced, organic broth is a simple way to improve the overall flavor and ingredient transparency of your cooking.
When preparing the soup, sauté the onions and carrots briefly until they begin to soften, then add the garlic, ginger and spices and cook until fragrant. Add the lentils and broth, then let the slow cooker do the rest of the work. The mixture will look quite loose at first but will thicken as the lentils cook and absorb liquid. Finish with a generous swirl of full-fat coconut milk and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to brighten and balance the flavors.
Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Curried Lentil Soup
This soup combines simple ingredients with layered spices for a rich, comforting bowl. French green lentils maintain their texture while cooking slowly, so you get a sturdy, satisfying mouthfeel rather than a mushy puree. The spice blend — curry powder, turmeric, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon — delivers aromatic warmth that fills the kitchen as it simmers.
After the long, gentle cook, stir in coconut milk for creaminess and finish with lemon juice to lift and round the flavors. Serve with a drizzle of extra coconut milk or a spoonful of whole-milk yogurt and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro if you like. Leftovers chill into a very thick stew but reheat beautifully with a splash of broth or water.
This is one of my favorite slow cooker soups: easy to prepare, full of flavor, and excellent for meal prep. If you enjoy this recipe, try other slow cooker soups for variety and convenience.
Slow Cooker Curried Lentil Soup
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Equipment
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4-quart (or larger) slow cooker
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons (45 g) unsalted butter
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon finely minced ginger root
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon curry powder medium-spice
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1¼ cups French (Puy) green lentils
- 1 quart (32 oz) Imagine® Organic Free Range Chicken Broth
- ½ cup (120 mL) full-fat coconut milk
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Optional Garnishes:
- coconut milk or whole-fat yogurt for drizzling
- fresh cilantro leaves
Instructions
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If your slow cooker insert is not stove-top safe, sauté the aromatics in a skillet and transfer them to the slow cooker after step two. Using a 4-quart slow cooker with a stove-safe insert (or a skillet to start), heat the butter over medium-low until melted and just beginning to sizzle. Add the onions, salt and pepper and sauté for 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to soften but do not brown. Add the carrots and cook 2–3 minutes more, until they begin to soften.
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Add the garlic, ginger and ground spices, sautéing and stirring constantly for about one minute, until very fragrant.
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Stir in the lentils and chicken broth. Cook on low according to your slow cooker’s directions for 7–8 hours, stirring occasionally if possible, until the soup has thickened and the lentils are tender but still hold their shape. Just before serving, stir in the coconut milk and lemon juice. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately with optional garnishes.
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Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The soup will firm up when chilled; reheat gently with a splash of chicken broth or water, stirring occasionally until heated through.
Tips for Success:
- The heartiness of this soup comes from aromatics (onion, carrot, garlic, ginger) and French green lentils, which retain their shape during slow cooking, making them ideal for crockpot recipes.