High-Protein Anti-Inflammatory Soup

This High-Protein Anti-Inflammatory Soup is a nourishing meal that’s great to have on hand during the cooler months ahead. It’s packed with plant-based protein from lentils, which also offer a healthy dose of fiber. We think a hot bowl of this creamy soup is ideal for warming up on chilly days. Plus, soups like this one are great for batch cooking and meal prep. Make this soup ahead and store it in the fridge or freezer to reheat for a quick, nourishing lunch or dinner throughout the days and weeks ahead. Ready to cozy up to a bowl of this easy anti-inflammatory soup? Read on for our tips and tricks for how to maximize flavor and make this soup you’ll want to reach for again and again.

Tips from the Eating Well Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too!

• When blending hot liquids, it’s important to not overfill the blender and to take the removable center off the lid of the blender to let steam escape. You can also blend the soup with an immersion blender if you have one.
• You can use hot or regular curry powder for this recipe. Hot Madras curry powder has cayenne pepper in it and will add heat to the soup. If you don’t want a spicy soup, opt for regular or sweet curry powder. 
• Red lentils add protein and fiber, and they cook quickly from dried. If you want to use another legume, opt for canned no-salt-added chickpeas or something similar. 

Nutrition Notes

• Lentils are an excellent pick if you’re managing your blood sugar. In addition to their digestion-slowing fiber, legumes also have a low glycemic index, meaning their carbohydrates are gradually released into the bloodstream, reducing blood glucose spikes.
• The sweet potatoes and carrots in this soup get their deep orange color from beta carotene, a powerful antioxidant that the body converts to vitamin A. Beta carotene promotes eye health and protects your long-term vision by reducing the risk of macular degeneration. The nutrient also works alongside the fiber in the vegetables to help fight inflammation. 
• Turmeric's  claim to fame is curcumin. This potent anti-inflammatory compound boasts multiple health benefits, from reducing arthritis-related pain to protecting against some kinds of cancer. 
  

Ingredients

• 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided

• 1 yellow onion, chopped (about 1½ cups)

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tsp minced fresh ginger

• ½ tsp salt, divided

• 1½ tbsp curry powder

• 1 tbsp ground turmeric

• 8 cups lower-sodium vegetable broth

• 1⅔ cups red lentils / masoor dal
  

• 1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed (½-inch; about 2 cups)

• 2 carrots, chopped (about 1½ cups)

• 1 tsp paprika

  1/2 tsp  fennel seeds

  2(13.5-ounce) cans light coconut milk, well shaken and stirred

  1½ tbsp lemon juice, plus more to taste

  Chopped fresh cilantro / coriander leaves for garnish (optional)

  Directions

  Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion, minced garlic, 2 teaspoons ginger and ¼ teaspoon salt; cook, stirring often, until the onion starts to soften, about 5 minutes. Add 1½ tablespoons curry powder and 1 tablespoon turmeric; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

  Add 8 cups broth, 1⅔ cups lentils and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils start to soften, about 15 minutes. Add cubed sweet potato and chopped carrots; simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes and carrots are tender, 14 to 16 minutes.  Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in 1 teaspoon paprika and ½ teaspoon fennel seeds; remove from heat. Transfer to a small bowl.

  Working in 2 batches, transfer half of the lentil mixture to a blender. Secure lid on blender and remove the center piece to allow steam to escape. Place a clean towel over the opening. Process until smooth, about 45 seconds. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Return the mixture to the large saucepan. Repeat with the remaining lentil mixture.

  Add well-stirred coconut milk to the pureed lentil mixture; bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Stir in 1½ tablespoons lemon juice. Season with additional lemon juice to taste. Ladle the soup into 6 bowls and drizzle with the reserved paprika-oil mixture. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.

   

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