Vegan: Lentil and Coconut Soup with Cilantro-Habanero Gremolata Recipe

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
J. Kenji López-Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated Aug. 30, 2018
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Note: Wear plastic gloves and use a separate cutting board when chopping the habanero pepper. You do not want to get it anywhere near your eyes or skin.

Recipe Details

Vegan: Lentil and Coconut Soup with Cilantro-Habanero Gremolata Recipe

Active 30 mins
Total 2 hrs
Serves 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced (about 1 1/2 cups)

  • 1 large onion, finely diced (about 1 1/2 cups)

  • 2 stalks celery, finely diced (about 3/4 cup)

  • 4 cloves garlic, minced on a microplane grater

  • 2 teaspoons fresh ginger grated on a microplane grater

  • 1 small habanero or serrano pepper, seeds and ribs removed, flesh finely chopped

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed

  • 1 pound dry brown lentils

  • 3 quarts water or vegetable stock

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 1 (12-ounce) can coconut milk

  • 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems

  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce, such as Frank's

  • 1/4 cup juice from 2 limes

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce

  • Kosher salt

For the Gremolata:

  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems

  • 1 small habanero or serrano pepper, seeds and ribs removed, flesh finely chopped

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced on a microplane grater

  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger grated on a microplane grater

  • 1 tablespoon zest from one orange, grated on a microplane grater

Directions

  1. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add carrots, onions, and celery, and cook, stirring frequently, until softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, habanero pepper, cumin, and coriander and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute longer.

  2. Add lentils, water, bay leaves, and coconut milk.Bring to a boil over high heat and reduce to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lentils are completely tender and have started to break down and thicken the soup, about 1 1/2 hours, adding more water or vegetable stock if soup begins to get too thick. Add chopped cilantro and stir to incorporate.

  3. Discard bay leaves. If desired, partially puree some of the soup with a hand blender or in a standing blender to thicken. Add hot sauce, lime juice, and soy sauce and stir to combine. Season to taste with kosher salt.

  4. For the Gremolata: combine all ingredients in a small bowl.

  5. Ladle soup into individual bowls, sprinkle with gremolata mixture, and serve.

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
361 Calories
22g Fat
34g Carbs
11g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 361
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 22g 28%
Saturated Fat 12g 61%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 1797mg 78%
Total Carbohydrate 34g 13%
Dietary Fiber 9g 31%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 11g
Vitamin C 40mg 201%
Calcium 84mg 6%
Iron 6mg 31%
Potassium 818mg 17%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)