Indian Mulligatawny Soup

I used to live in Reston, Virginia, and occasionally ate at a nearby Indian restaurant. They served a soup that was so heavenly, so warm and lovely in my tummy, creamy and flavorful. I always asked for the recipe, and the owner always just smiled and shook his head, no. I’ve been trying to re-create that soup ever since. Here’s a version that comes close.

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Print Recipe

Mulligatawny Soup

Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Indian, Vegan
Servings: 0

Ingredients

  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1 carrot diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 teaspoons ginger root grated
  • 1 apple peeled and diced
  • 1 can tomatoes diced
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/3 teaspoon cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoon thyme
  • 1/2 cup red lentils
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • 2/3 cup coconut milk (I use light)

Instructions

  • Sauté the onion and carrot for a few minutes; add the garlic and ginger and cook another minute.
  • Add all of the spices and stir to coat the vegetables.
  • Add the apples, diced tomatoes, lentils, and broth. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes.
  • With an immersion blender, puree most of the soup. I leave a few little chunks for texture.
  • Stir in the coconut milk. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

For my cooking demonstration on Facebook, I pre-cooked the lentils in the microwave (10 minutes, with the broth) and apple (5 minutes). Still, I like to simmer the soup a full 30 minutes to develop flavor.
I find this doesn’t need salt because it has so many spices.
Garnish the soup with some toasted cashews, or chopped green onion, or a drizzle of plant-based yogurt.