Spicy Indian Lentil Soup with Swiss Chard

This Spicy Indian Lentil Soup is so tasty and so easy to whip up! With chickpeas, Swiss chard, curry and Greek yogurt it’s got the perfect balance of acidity and coolness. The flavors work incredibly well together, plus it’s a one pot meal!

This is such a delicious soup! The base of this soup is spicy and warming, thanks to the curry powder, cayenne, lentils and chard. The lime and yogurt add the perfect blend of acidity and coolness so that your mouth isn’t overpowered by the spiciness of this soup. We also had a ton leftover, which is now packaged neatly in our freezer for one of those long days when cooking seems absolutely impossible 🙂 My whole family absolutely loved it – went back for seconds… and thirds! It’s a healthy vegetarian Indian recipe!

Kitchen Tools and Equipment You’ll Need to Make Spicy Indian Lentil Soup

• Large Stock Pot
• Food Processor
• Immersion Blender or Regular Blender
• Chopping Knife
• Cutting Board

How To Make Spicy Lentil Soup with Swiss Chard – Step By Step 

Step 1: Heat oil in large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and jalapeño and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in curry powder, salt, and cayenne pepper.

Step 2: Add 4 cups broth and chard; increase heat and bring to a boil, stirring until chard is wilted.

Step 3: Stir in lentils and chickpeas.

Step 4: Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chickpeas are tender.

Step 5: Remove from heat. Using a hand blender, puree the soup until it is mostly creamy. (Another option is to puree half the soup (about 4 cups) in a blender or food processor; return puree to pot). Divide soup among 6 bowls. Drizzle about 1 tbsp thinned yogurt over each serving. Garnish with a few slices of jalapeño (optional) and a lime wedge.

What makes this Spicy Indian Lentil Soup healthy?

• Swiss Chard is Superfood: The delicious earthy-tasting Swiss chard is a powerhouse of nutrition. Swiss chard is a low-calorie vegetable that is high in essential nutrients such as magnesium, iron, potassium and vitamins A, C and K.
• High in Antioxidants: Swiss chard is high in many antioxidants including beta-carotene and flavonoids, which may help prevent certain conditions like heart disease and cancer.
• High in Fiber: Lentils and swiss chard are both high in fiber, an important nutrient that can help maintain weight, lower your risk of certain cancers, promote heart health, and aid in digestion
• Low in Fat and Calories: One serving of this soup contains 150 calories and only 1.5 grams of saturated fat.

Will the kids enjoy this Spicy Indian Lentil Soup?

This healthy, hearty and delicious soup is great for little ones. If your kids are sensitive to spice, I recommend omitting or reducing the cayenne pepper and jalapeño, for a subtler taste.

I’ll often take a few servings out of the pot before adding the spices to ensure it has a mild enough flavor for the kids, but still spicy enough for us adults. Stirring in an extra dollop of Greek yogurt will also help mitigate the spice.

What are the best lentils for soup?

Red lentils are small split lentils that cook in no time. They’re commonly used in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Indian cuisines and have a very soft texture when cooked, so they’re ideal to use in soups, purées, and stews. 

Should I soak lentils before cooking?

Lentils do not need to soak prior to cooking, unlike beans, which contain sulfur. Rinse your lentils with fresh water before boiling to remove any dust or debris.

What do you serve with Spicy Indian Lentil Soup?

This is one of those excellent one pot meals. Serve with some toasted whole wheat pita and you have an easy, filling and complete meal. If you’d like to add more greens to your meal consider a side salad with beets and red cabbage, or a carrot tahini salad would compliment this soup well.

Top Tips For Making Spicy Indian Lentil Soup 

• Remove the tough stalks of the Swiss chard before cooking. 
• Make sure you thin the yogurt with a couple spoonfuls of water, to mimic the consistency of the soup, so the flavors and textures blend nicely. 
• You don’t need to soak the red lentils before cooking.
• Rinse the lentils to remove any dust or debris.
• Be very careful when blending hot mixtures and never fill the blender/food processor more than ¼ the way full as hot liquids expand when blending.
• Add your favorite veggies if you want to switch things up.
• Lentil soup gets even more flavorful the next day, making this soup great for leftovers.
• Add more or less liquid depending on how thick you want your soup.
• Omit the jalapeños and cayenne pepper for a milder flavor, and more kid friendly.
• Garnish with a wedge of lime and cilantro or parsley.
• Serve with toasted pita and/or a side salad.

Be Sure to Check Out These Other Delicious Soup Recipes!

• Light and Creamy Tomato Soup
• Chunky and Hearty White Bean Soup
• Moroccan Spiced Chickpea Soup
• Curried Lentil Soup
• Roasted Sweet Potato & Butternut Squash Soup by Slow The Cook Down 
• Curried Red Lentil Soup with Chickpeas and Kale by Girl heart Food 

If you have tried this Spicy Indian Lentil Soup recipe, or any other recipe on my blog, then please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more delicious, healthy, family friendly food!

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4.80 from 5 votes

Spicy Indian Lentil Soup with Swiss Chard

This Spicy Indian Lentil Soup is so tasty and so easy to whip up! With chickpeas, swiss chard, curry and Greek yogurt it's got the perfect balance of acidity and coolness. The flavors work incredibly well together, plus it's a one pot meal!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time35 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 150kcal

Author: Anjali Shah

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 1 large red onion diced
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 5 teaspoons curry powder
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper more or less to taste
• ▢ 4 cups vegetable broth
• ▢ 1 bunch 1-pound Swiss chard , tough stalks removed, coarsely chopped
• ▢ 2 cups dried red lentils
• ▢ 15 oz chickpeas, rinsed and drained 1 can
• ▢ 3/4 tsp salt
• ▢ 6 tbsp thick Greek yogurt thinned with 2 tablespoons water
• ▢ 1 jalapeño chili stemmed, seeded, and diced
• ▢ 1 lime cut into wedges or slices

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Instructions

• ▢
  Heat oil in large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and jalapeño and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in curry powder, salt, and cayenne pepper.
• ▢
  Add 4 cups broth and chard; increase heat and bring to a boil, stirring until chard is wilted. Stir in lentils and chickpeas.
• ▢
  Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chickpeas are tender.
• ▢
  Remove from heat. Using a hand blender, puree the soup until it is mostly creamy. (Another option is to puree half the soup (about 4 cups) in a blender or food processor; return puree to pot). Divide soup among 6 bowls. Drizzle about 1 tbsp thinned yogurt over each serving. Garnish with a few slices of jalapeño (optional) and a lime wedge.

Notes

Top Tips For Making Spicy Indian Lentil Soup 

• Remove the tough stalks of the Swiss chard before cooking. 
• Make sure you thin the yogurt with a couple spoonfuls of water, to mimic the consistency of the soup, so the flavors and textures blend nicely. 
• You don’t need to soak the red lentils before cooking.
• Rinse the lentils to remove any dust or debris.
• Be very careful when blending hot mixtures and never fill the blender/food processor more than ¼ the way full as hot liquids expand when blending.
• Add your favorite veggies if you want to switch things up.
• Lentil soup gets even more flavorful the next day, making this soup great for leftovers.
• Add more or less liquid depending on how thick you want your soup.
• Omit the jalapeños and cayenne pepper for a milder flavor, and more kid friendly.
• Garnish with a wedge of lime and cilantro or parsley.
• Serve with toasted pita and/or a side salad.

Nutrition

Calories: 150kcal | Carbohydrates: 26.3g | Protein: 9.4g | Fat: 1.5g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 503.6mg | Fiber: 7.7g | Sugar: 1g