Lentil Soup With Coconut and Cloves
4.2
(5)
Cloves are often used sparingly in many recipes, and understandably so. The tiny, tack-shaped spice is an aromatic flavor bomb with sharp, penetrating notes of sweetness, bitterness, and heat, as well as a palpable mouth-drying astringency that rides beneath the base flavors. In this recipe—where the smooth, comforting softness of brown lentils star—the earthy zing of whole cloves is ever present but never overpowering, because the creamy texture of coconut milk, the clean spike of fresh garlic, and the brightness of canned tomatoes absorb and balance some of the clove's spicy charge. Whole cloves are preferred over ground cloves here, because freshly cracked whole cloves produce an aroma that remains lively long after the soup has simmered. With a no-frills ingredient list and a cook time that comes in under an hour, this recipe is simple—and like most soups—unfailingly forgiving.
This soup has been selected as Type 2 diabetes-friendly by Vandana Sheth, RDN, CDCES, FAND; talk to your care provider about whether this recipe is right for you.
Recipe information
Total Time
1 hour
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Finely grind ½ tsp. whole cloves in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. Transfer to a medium pot.
Step 2
To the pot, add one 14-oz. can no-salt diced tomatoes, including liquid, one 14-oz. can reduced-fat coconut milk, 1 cup brown lentils, rinsed and drained, 2½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, ½ tsp. coarsely ground black pepper, 7 garlic cloves, finely chopped, and 3½ cups water and stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce to medium-low and simmer until lentils are cooked through and soup has thickened, 40–50 minutes.
Step 3
Stir in 1 small bunch cilantro, chopped (about ½ cup), 2 Tbsp. lime juice (from 1 lime), and remaining 1 garlic clove, finely chopped before serving.
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Reviews (5)
Back to TopVery disappointing and strange. Flavors never melded and the cloves really overpowered it.
JJ
New York, NY
2/2/2024
Definitely delicious & hearty. My partner & I finished the whole pot in one night. The flavors are good, but they didn't make a lot of sense to me, but that doesn't mean it was bad. Of course I used ground cloves instead of whole; I can only imagine the flavors would have been "weirder" if I did. Anywho, great soup for a cold night!
Len Slaine
Albany, NY
1/17/2024
These flavors are amazing and it’s so simple yet so beautiful I would serve this to company for something they surely hadn’t had something like before and I will add it to our regular rotation of staples to always make for a nutritional, low effort meal for our family on the regular. Can’t recommend this soup enough
Anonymous
Raleigh, NC
10/25/2023
The flavors work!
Anonymous
1/4/2024
Normally, I find lentil soup quite boring. This soup is anything but. I followed the recipe as written and was really pleasantly surprised by the results. I love clove, but it’s the addition of the raw garlic at the end that really adds a lot. Would definitely make again.
Sarah P
Henderson, NV
10/14/2023
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