This Turmeric Lentil Detox Soup is a simple, healthy, and hearty meal that's great for digestion and the liver. It’s easy to make, packed with protein, and delicious!
Let’s get this out of the way: the word “detox” is controversial in the health world, and I’m not going to claim that this detox soup will purge your body of toxins and have you feeling like a brand new person after a single bowl. Instead, consider this a detox-friendly soup—it's packed with ingredients that support your body's natural detoxification system!
You see, our bodies are pretty darn amazing (if you didn't already know). We have systems inside of us that naturally flush out unwanted junk that we're consuming. There aren’t magical foods that “detox” our bodies, but you can support your liver and digestive system by eating the wholesome, nutrient-dense foods they need to do their job.
Enter: Detox Turmeric Lentil Soup.
Just like my Easy Red Lentil Soup and Creamy Sweet Potato & Red Lentil Curry, this Turmeric Lentil Detox Soup is packed with flavor, protein, and fiber, but it's also made with some key ingredients to support your digestive system and liver health.
What Are the Health Benefits of Turmeric?
Curcumin is the active component in turmeric, and not only does it give turmeric its rich golden color, it’s also responsible for its detox powers. Curcumin has been shown to not only help reduce inflammation, but also support, and even enhance, the production of bile in the gallbladder. Bile helps the liver flush out toxins, and it also rejuvenates liver cells!
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Avocado oil
- Onion
- Celery
- Turnip or potato
- Sweet potato – Sweet potatoes are high in fiber to support the digestive system and liver health.
- Garlic – Garlic is high in vitamin C and antioxidants, both of which help support the liver and kidneys as they are working to flush toxins from our bodies.
- Sea salt – Regular salt is fine, too, but sea salt brings some extra minerals to the table.
- Black pepper – Black pepper contains a compound called piperine that enhances the absorption of curcumin in the body. Whenever you have turmeric, you should always pair it with black pepper!
- Dried thyme
- Green or brown lentils – High fiber foods like lentils help the digestive system do its job more effectively.
- Red lentils
- Turmeric
- Ginger – Ginger speeds up the emptying of the stomach and soothes digestive upset.
- Cumin
- Vegetable broth – Homemade vegetable broth is best, but store-bought is fine too.
- Water
- Almond milk
- Spinach
- Fresh herbs – I like parsley, which has a number of health benefits, but cilantro is delicious in this soup too!
- Lemon juice
- Red pepper flakes
How to Make Turmeric Lentil Detox Soup
I can't wait for you to try this soup! Not only is it cozy and loaded with healthy ingredients, it also tastes amazing—and it’s a cinch to make. What’s not to love?!
Cook the veggies. Heat the oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Stir in the onions, celery, turnip, potato, and garlic; cook for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables soften a bit. Add the salt, pepper, and thyme and cook about 2 minutes more.
Simmer. Add the lentils, turmeric, ginger, and cumin to the pot. Sauté for a minute or two, then pour in the broth and water. Bring the soup to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat. Simmer for 30 minutes.
Finish. Remove from the heat and stir in the almond milk, spinach, herbs, lemon juice, and pepper flakes. Once the spinach has wilted, serve immediately.
Tips for Success
This is a simple soup, but I still have a few hints and tips to help make sure it turns out perfect!
- Pick over the lentils. Whenever you cook with lentils, you should rinse them and give them a quick inspection to make sure there aren’t any pebbles in them. (Believe it or not, it does happen.)
- Cut your veggies in uniform sizes. This ensures that they’ll cook evenly!
- Customize it to your needs. Swap the vegetable stock for bone broth (or vegan bone broth!), use heavy cream or coconut milk instead of almond milk, substitute butternut squash for sweet potatoes—this Turmeric Lentil Detox Soup is easy to adapt to all kinds of dietary needs!
Serving Suggestions
This detox soup is delicious as-is, but here are some ideas for jazzing it up!
- Make it creamier. Add a dollop of yogurt or cashew cream on top and swirl it in just before eating!
- Add some texture. Toasted cashews, crispy roasted chickpeas, and kale chips are all delicious toppings for this soup.
- Pair it with your favorite grain. Naturally, we’re partial to cooked quinoa, but brown rice is good too!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
This detox soup is a healthy meal prep option for lunch or dinner, so you might want to double the recipe! Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days and reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Can This Recipe Be Frozen?
Like most soups, Detox Turmeric Lentil Soup freezes beautifully! Store it in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months; it can be thawed in the refrigerator or reheated from frozen.
More Delicious Soup Recipes:
- Tuscan Kale & White Bean Stew
- Coconut & Mushroom Quinoa Soup
- Healing Cauliflower Holiday Soup
- Healthy Green Detox Soup
- Tortilla Soup with Quinoa
- Creamy Italian Quinoa Soup
Detox Turmeric Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped turnip or potato
- 2 1/2 cups chopped sweet potato
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 cup green or brown lentils
- 1 cup red lentils
- 1 – 2 tablespoons turmeric I like 2
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 cup spinach
- 1 cup fresh herbs I like parsley
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large stockpot or dutch oven. Add onions, celery, turnip, potato and garlic and saute for about 5 minutes until everything softens slightly. Season with salt, pepper and thyme and cook about 2 minutes.
- Add lentils, turmeric, ginger and cumin and saute 1 – 2 minutes, then add the broth and water. Bring the soup to a boil, cover and reduce to simmer for 30 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in almond milk, spinach, herbs, lemon and pepper flakes until spinach has wilted. Serve immediately!
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Notes
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