Creamy Red Lentil and Cauliflower Soup

This creamy red lentil and cauliflower soup is warming, nourishing, and full of flavor from fennel, leek, and aromatic spices. Split red lentils and cauliflower are pressure-cooked with the aromatics for just 10 minutes, then blended into a naturally creamy soup without any dairy. Made with just a handful of wholesome ingredients, it’s an easy and delicious way to add more vegetables to your meals. Enjoy it as is, top it with fresh herbs, or add extra protein for a more substantial meal.

An easy way to eat more vegetables

Adding more vegetables to our diet is always a good idea, but sometimes we skip them simply because it takes work to prepare vegetables for every meal in a way the entire family will enjoy. That’s one reason creamy soups — and soups in general — are one of my favorite ways to combine a variety of ingredients into one simple, nourishing meal.

This creamy lentil and cauliflower soup has become a staple for us. It’s easy to make, requires just a handful of easy-to-find ingredients, and can be prepared in a large batch and frozen in individual portions for a quick meal whenever you need one.

The combination of leeks, fennel, cauliflower, and red lentils provides plenty of vegetables, fiber, micronutrients, and plant protein. Split red lentils also cook much faster than many other legumes and break down beautifully during cooking, which makes them especially good for creamy soups. I rinse them well before cooking, and pressure cooking makes the whole process especially quick and convenient.

How to make creamy lentil and cauliflower soup

Start by heating the extra virgin olive oil in the pressure cooker. Add the finely sliced leek and fennel with a pinch of salt and sauté for about 10 minutes, until they soften and become fragrant. This first step builds the flavor base of the soup, so I don’t like to rush it.

Add the garam masala, mild curry powder, and turmeric and stir briefly to coat the vegetables. Spices can easily stick or burn at this stage, so add a small splash of water if necessary.

Add the cauliflower florets and toss them with the aromatics and spices, then stir in the rinsed and drained red lentils. Season with salt and pepper and add the water or stock.

Close the pressure cooker and cook under pressure for 10 minutes, then allow the pressure to release naturally. Once you open the pot, remove the bay leaves, and blend everything with an immersion blender until smooth and creamy.

Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, and fresh lemon or lime juice. If you want an even richer and creamier soup, blend in a little full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream at the end.

Can I make this soup without a pressure cooker?

Yes. You can make the soup in a regular pot on the stovetop following the same initial steps. Once you add the cauliflower, lentils, and liquid, bring everything to a gentle boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the lentils and vegetables are completely soft, then blend.

You can also use already-cooked, canned red lentils. In that case, use about 3 cups cooked lentils in place of 1 cup dry lentils and reduce the amount of liquid as needed. Since the lentils are already cooked, you only need to simmer the soup until the cauliflower is tender before blending.

How to serve creamy red lentil and cauliflower soup

One of my favorite things about this soup is that it makes a wonderful base for different toppings and additions. Serve it simply with fresh cilantro and microgreens, or turn it into a more substantial meal by adding your favorite protein.

We especially love it topped with my Homemade Italian Chicken Sausage (recipe coming soon). The savory sausage works beautifully with the creamy cauliflower, lentils, and warming spices, and adds extra protein to make this a satisfying main meal.

You can also add leftover cooked chicken or another cooked protein you have on hand. Another favorite of mine is white fish, especially cod: cut it into bite-sized pieces, add it to the hot soup, and gently simmer until the fish is just cooked through.

For extra richness, stir in a little full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream. Finish with fresh herbs and microgreens — I especially love cilantro and broccoli microgreens here.

If you’re making a large batch for several meals, I recommend keeping the soup itself fairly simple and adding the protein, coconut milk, herbs, and other toppings only to the portions you are serving. That way, the remaining soup stays versatile and can become a slightly different meal each time.

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I love split red lentils. They add plenty of fiber, protein and nutrients, are easy to cook, and add creaminess to soups without any dairy. If you want to try more nourishing soups, check out this Gut-Healthy Red Lentil Soup recipe.

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