Pumpkin Lentil Soup
A delicious and filling Lentil and Pumpkin Soup loaded with immunity building onions, garlic, ginger and turmeric! This soup is a must try, y’all!

These days there seems to be a quiz for just about everything! From “What Disney Character are YOU?” or “Who should I dress up as for Halloween?” to “How good is your vocabulary?” and, one of my favorites “How dirty are you?” (which happens to be in reference to your personal hygiene and not your behavior, we are PG 13 over here people) the consensus is: when it doubt, quiz it out!

Recently my daughter came across a quiz titled “Will you get Alzheimer’s?” and she figured she would have me take the quiz – without me knowing! So while I was in the middle of cooking this Pumpkin & Lentil Soup for dinner and picking myself up off the floor after tripping over my dog, she started asking me a set of weird questions. Between cooking and looking in my purse for the Advil Tablet Vial for my hurt derrière, I did not give her questions the attention they demanded.
When she was done, she looked all glum for a second and informed me that I was a candidate for early onset Alzheimer’s and then she cheered up and began calling me “Alzy” – I have no clue where she gets her sense of humor from! Now, Alzheimer’s is not something to take lightly. But I don’t have it. Seriously – I am not in denial. I have just been so busy recently and I haven’t been writing down where I need to be and what I need to do, like I know I should and well, you can only fill a bucket so high right?

Ingredients to make this Pumpkin Lentil Soup
- 1 red onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 inch piece of ginger chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh turmeric chopped can substitute 1 1/4 teaspoon dried turmeric powder if fresh isn’t available
- 1/2 teaspoon dried turmeric no need to add this if you used 1 1/4 teaspoons fried turmeric from step above
- 1 cup lentils
- 2 3/4 cups water
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3-4 tbsp Olive oil
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1 jalapeno chopped optional
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds optional
- 2 teaspoons Sambal Oelek optional
Instructions
Add olive oil to a pan and make sure to swirl it around so it comes the bottom
Add the onions, garlic, ginger and fresh turmeric and saute for about 10 minutes – stirring often
Add in the lentils and stir lentils around in mixture so they are covered in olive oil too
Add in the water, pumpkin puree, coconut milk, turmeric powder, chili, cumin, coriander and salt and pepper and stir well.
Bring to a boil, then cover and lower heat to low and let simmer for 15-17 minutes stir in jalapenos

Ingredients
- 1 red onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 inch piece of ginger chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh turmeric chopped can substitute 1 1/4 teaspoon dried turmeric powder if fresh isn’t available
- 1/2 teaspoon dried turmeric no need to add this if you used 1 1/4 teaspoons fried turmeric from step above
- 1 cup lentils
- 2 3/4 cups water
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3-4 tbsp Olive oil
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1 jalapeno chopped optional
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds optional
- 2 teaspoons Sambal Oelek optional
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a pan and make sure to swirl it around so it comes the bottom
- Add the onions, garlic, ginger and fresh turmeric and saute for about 10 minutes – stirring often
- Add in the lentils and stir lentils around in mixture so they are covered in olive oil too
- Add in the water, pumpkin puree, coconut milk, turmeric powder, chili, cumin, coriander and salt and pepper and stir well.
- Bring to a boil, then cover and lower heat to low and let simmer for 15-17 minutes stir in jalapenos
- Serve warm and top with sesame seeds and Sambal Oelek
Girl everyday of my life I’m forgetting stuff. I used to never write stuff down and I always just remembered everything until I think I got so busy I just couldn’t keep it all in my brain. It took me far too long to realize I should I have a calendar and actually write things down. Now I live by that thing PLUS it’s color coded which makes me extra happy….haha.
Haha – thanks Brandy – now I feel much better! I’m going calendar shopping tomorrow!
Your daughter is just too funny! But man this soup sounds fantastic! I’m always always always trying to find new ways to use lentils and with pumpkin?? Yes yes! Happy weekend!!
Haha – that she is! Thanks so much Ashley!
What a lovely and healthy fall soup!
Thanks so much Amy!
This looks so amazing Shashi! Pumpkin soup is my favourite – it’s so comforting and delicious. Such a great idea to add lentils too. Love how healthy and yummy this dish is! <3
Thanks so much Harriet!
Hi, Shashi,
Which lentils would you say will work best in this soup?
Hi Ailuy, I used red lentils – they work the best!
I’m such a sucker for quizzes, and would probably spend way too much time taking them if I let myself. I do love your daughter’s approach of secretly getting you to take one, though — I might have to try that with my own mom 😉 And I think the last quiz I took was a personality one — the Myers Briggs one. It’s always kind of neat to get a little insight into why you think the way you do.
Haha- Amanda, that daughter of mine is a cheeky one! 🙂
Yes – insight on our actions is always kind of neat!
Dear Shashi, your daughter would get on well with my son. Just sayin’. (And why are they so gleeful about it? That would be my question….their day will come….) Little sleep here too, lots to keep up with for sure at this time of the year. But, this soup looks wonderful and perfect for the season. Will definitely try, I have leftover pumpkin on hand from making Pumpkin French Toast yesterday. Have a beautiful weekend! xo
Hahaha! Allie – your son sounds as cheeky as my daughter is! And yeah – gleeful is most definitely what she was when she gave came up with yet another nickname for me – she’s having so much fun calling me Alzy!!! What in tarnation???
Hope you are having a wonderful week! xo
The soup looks wonderful! The perfect fall dish!
Thanks so much Jenn
This soup looks incredible, Alzy! Lil Shashi sure does come up with some of the best nicknames for you. 🙂 I’m thinking this soup would make for some awesome weekday lunches next week. Yum!!
Duuude…this name calling has gotta stop!
🙂
Love the color of this soup. I’m sure it tastes great!
Thanks so much Lydia!
I love the pumpkin and lentil flavors you have going on here. It’s such a lovely hearty soup!
Thanks so much Ramona!
Dear Shashi, this soup sounds wonderful! What a warm and delicious meal. I always make sure to keep Emergen-C on hand especially during flu season. xo, Catherine
Thanks so much Catherine – EmergenC is one of my favs this time of year too!
This is perfect for the cool weekend coming up!
Thanks so much Rachel!
Such a warming and delicious soup!
Thanks so much Angie
I’ve been up all night waiting for you to post this! 😉
Ha ha, no seriously Shashi, when you said you were posting a lentil soup recipe, in your comment on my lentil soup recipe, I could not wait to see what you had come up with!
Love this, and love all the spices. Another fantastic recipe to add to my Pinterest. Thank you! 😀
Haha – thanks so much Neil! You are too kind! I hope this soup was worth you staying up! I must say I am so intrigued by your carrot lentil version, I have it on the books for this weekend! Thank You!
I need to look for this Emergen-C! I need it for when I travel – I always seem to catch something on airplanes. Love this soup – looks so comforting!
I know what you mean Ashley – planes and lack of sleep are my pitfalls too! Thanks so much BTW!