Curried Pumpkin Lentil Soup

pumpkin. spice. cinnamon. warmth. a touch of honey. creamy coconut milk. This hearty soup is like fall in a bowl. Oftentimes fall recipes are heavy and fattening - but not this one. Lentils pack a big amount of vegetarian protein, iron, filling fiber, and other important vitamins into a little caloric package. This soup is comfort food at it's healthiest!

Both my girls and my husband loved this soup even more than I was expecting and were excited for leftovers the next day. I had all the ingredients in my pantry and used canned pumpkin puree for the sake of convenience. Next time I think I will roast a sugar pumpkin or other squash and leave the roasted flesh in chunks.

I served this healthy soup for an easy weeknight dinner along with a salad and pita pockets (with cheese melted inside for the girls). The girls loved dipping their pitas in the soup. This is admittedly not the prettiest soup I've ever seen. Some fresh green herbs sprinkled over the top and some crunchy seeds make a big difference.

Curried Pumpkin Lentil Soup
printer-friendly recipe

Serves 6

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 small apple, chopped
48 ounces vegetable broth
2 (15 ounce) cans pure pumpkin
2 teaspoons mild curry powder (can add more to taste)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 cups dried red lentils (green lentils are okay too if that's what you have on hand!)
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 tablespoon honey (or agave or maple syrup)
fresh cilantro or sliced green onions for garnish
1 tablespoon pepitas (pumpkin seeds) for garnish
plain Greek yogurt such as Chobani, for garnish (optional and will not be vegan)

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and saute until beginning to soften, about 7 minutes. Add the apple, and continue to saute until both the apple and onion are tender. Add vegetable broth and bring to a simmer. Whisk in pumpkin, curry, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir in lentils, coconut milk, and honey. Simmer over low heat for 30-40 minutes until thickened. Adjust spices to taste. Serve in bowls and garnish with a dollop of yogurt and/or pepitas and fresh herbs.

Recently I've been getting questions about nutritional content from those of you who are counting calories, so I created nutrition facts for this recipe on Spark Recipes. Is this something you would like to see for future recipes?