Burmese-Style Lentil Soup with Lemongrass

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-16 · Updated 2026-04-16

A comforting soup featuring brown lentils simmered with aromatic lemongrass, ginger, and turmeric in a vegetable broth base. This burmese-inspired soups ready in about 45 minutes pairs brown lentils, onion, carrots for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 220 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 cup, rinsed brown lentils
• 1 large, chopped onion
• 2, diced carrots
• 2 stalks, diced celery
• 3 cloves, minced garlic
• 1-inch, minced ginger
• 1 stalk, white part only, finely chopped lemongrass
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 400ml can diced tomatoes
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• to taste salt
• 1/4 cup, chopped cilantro

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 large onion, chopped, and cook for 5 minutes until golden.
2. Step 2: Add 2 carrots, diced, 2 celery stalks, diced, 3 garlic cloves, minced, 1-inch ginger, minced, and 1 lemongrass stalk, finely chopped (white part only), and cook for 3 minutes until fragrant.
3. Step 3: Stir in 1 tsp turmeric and 1/2 tsp cumin, then add 400ml can diced tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon.
4. Step 4: Add 1 cup rinsed brown lentils and 4 cups vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes until lentils are tender.
5. Step 5: Season with salt to taste. Serve hot, garnished with 1/4 cup fresh cilantro.