Looking for a warm and hearty meal that can be made in minutes? Here is Vegetarian Mulligatawny Soup with layers of authentic flavors packed with nutritious veggies. This low-carb recipe uses cauliflower rice and coconut milk to create creamy and satisfying textures and is perfectly spiced with turmeric and garam masala.
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What is Mulligatawny
Legend has it that the word Mulligatawny has a very interesting origin during the British Raj with its unique British pronunciation. The word Mulligatawny comes from the Tamil words "milagay" or "milagu" which means pepper and "tanni" meaning water. So this soup literally means "pepper water." Traditionally the textures are similar to a "Rasam" which is a spicy soup popular in southern India. While the Mulligatawny soup now has many versions, the restaurant version with veggies and rice has now become more popular in the rest of the world.
After I shared my Instant Pot chicken mulligatawny soup, I received a lot of requests for a vegetarian version. So here it is, a gluten-free, vegan version of the Mulligatawny soup with all plant-based ingredients and still with the same authentic flavors. And if you love vegetarian soups, here is how to make spicy miso ramen.
Origins of Mulligatawny Soup
Today, mulligatawny soup is a staple on menus at Indian restaurants. But where did it originate? The earliest records of this recipe tell us that this soup became popular with the British when England occupied India. As the soup grew in popularity, it made its way to Indian restaurants in the UK and then eventually appeared in the USA as well.
Variations
- I made it in the Instant Pot, but you can make this soup on the stove. If you want to make it on the stove the directions are very similar. Just cook the soup to boiling and then simmer it for 20 minutes, stirring it frequently.
- Traditionally, this soup uses ingredients like lentils, potatoes, rice, and heavy cream. To make a lower-carb (and vegetarian) version, I made a lot of substitutions.
- I used coconut milk instead of heavy cream and cauliflower in place of the potatoes and rice. Everything else is basically the same.
- If you are on the keto diet, this recipe uses apples and carrots - both have too many carbs to make this a keto-friendly meal. You can just leave out the apples and replace the carrots with radishes.
- You can substitute fresh chopped parsley for the garnish if you don't like the taste of cilantro.
Ingredients
This soup uses all whole, plant-based ingredients:
- Veggies - Yellow Onion, garlic, celery, apple, carrots, and cauliflower
- Lentils - Masoor dal
- Broth - Low sodium vegetable broth
- Spices - Garam Masala & Turmeric
- Unsweetened Coconut Milk
How to Make Veg Mulligatawny Soup
Here are my step-by-step instructions:
- Add oil to the Instant Pot, set it to "sauté mode" and then sauté the onion, garlic, and celery for one minute (photos 1 and 2)
- Add the apple, carrots, cauliflower, and lentils. Then, add the spices and the broth and give it a quick stir (photos 3 and 6)
- Pressure cook on high for 6 minutes, followed by 5 minutes of natural pressure release. You can also choose to do a full natural pressure release.
- Blend the soup with a hand blender or immersion blender. If you like your soup to have a heart texture, only blend it for 10 seconds. If you want it creamier, blend for an entire minute.
- Stir in the coconut milk and garnish with the cilantro. Serve it hot.
Serving
Serve hot soup as is or with a side of steamed rice or sliced baguette. This soup makes for a perfect vegetarian lunch meal and also packs well as a lunch box.
Storing
Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat simply microwave or reheat on the stovetop. The leftover soup will get thicker as the lentils absorb a lot of the liquids. You can always thin out the soup by adding some more broth or hot water and salt to taste.
FAQ
This soup uses red lentils AKA masoor daal. As with any dal recipe, the soup will thicken as it cools down.
If you notice that it is too thick for your liking, you can add more water as needed.
The best way to store the soup is in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You might notice the soup separating, this is normal. Reheat it on the stove and add more water to make it thinner if you need.
This is typically served over a bed of hot rice or with some hot naan bread. If you want to keep it lower-carb, you can serve it with cauliflower rice and your favorite keto-friendly bread made with almond flour.
More Instant Pot Soup Recipes
Recipe
Mulligatawny Soup | Low Carb Vegetarian
Equipment
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ cup yellow onion finely diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- ½ cup celery sticks thinly sliced
- ½ cup apple diced
- ½ cup carrots peeled and sliced
- 2 cups cauliflower cut into small inch florets
- ⅓ cup masoor dal rinsed and drained
- 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup coconut milk unsweetened
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to saute mode and heat oil. Add onion, garlic and celery. Saute for a minute
- Add apple, carrots, cauliflower and masoor dal. Add salt, black pepper, turmeric and garam masala. Add the broth and give a quick stir. Pressure cook for 6 minutes followed by 5 mins of natural pressure release or you can do a full natural pressure release
- Using a hand blender, blend the soup. If you like hearty texture blend only for 10 seconds. If you like it creamy, blender for a minute
- Stir in coconut milk. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot
Notes
- In a heavy bottomed pot or a dutch oven heat oil. Add onion, garlic and celery. sauté for a minute
- Add apple, carrots, cauliflower and masoor dal. Add salt, black pepper, turmeric and garam masala. Add the broth and give a quick stir. Cook covered on medium heat for 30 minutes are until all the veggies are cooked soft
- Using a hand blender, blend the soup. If you like hearty texture blend only for 10 seconds. If you like it creamy, blender for a minute
- Stir in coconut milk. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot
Rahul Thomare says
Excellent recipe. Not sure how I feel about apples in my soup.
Archana says
Thank you! Give it a try.
Syd says
Holy moly this is sooo good!
My friend is vegetarian and I am not. She was coming over for lunch, and so I made this served with a baguette and we both agreed this was one of the best soups we’ve had in a while.
Thanks so much. I think this might become a weekly meal for me.
Archana says
You are welcome!
Erin says
I love all your recipes so much! I usually like mulligatawny with a little (sometimes a lot) kick. Can you please tell me what spicy ingredients work best to kick up heat in this soup? Thank you
Archana says
I would suggest adding spicy red chili powder or cayenne pepper for a spicy kick. You can also add 1 or 2 diced serrano peppers along with other veggies.
Erin says
Thank you so much!
Lindsey says
This soup is so delicious! I used leeks instead of onion and increased the recipe a bit by using 1 cup of lentils and a whole can of coconut milk. I also added a tsp of hot curry powder. It's definitely a keeper!
Archana says
Thank you for the feedback and love your variation.
P O'Carroll says
I've made this twice in the past week. It is soooo easy and incredibly tasty. Had to tone down the spices a bit as my guy found it too spicy. Thank you so much!
Archana says
Thank you! Yes spices can be adjusted to taste.
Neha says
Your receipe looks yumm. Just a question, what can I use instead of orange masoor dal..?
Thanks
Archana says
You can use Toor Dal.
Maneesha says
Excellent recipe, Archana! After I used the immersion blender, I was quite pleased with the consistency, so I omitted the coconut milk and added some.fresh lemon juice, and the soup was amazing! I have seen this soup on some Indian restaurant menus and wondered what it like,.so thank you for introducing me to it and teaching me how to make it! I love your Indian recipes!
Archana says
Thank you Maneesha! I love your variation and I am glad you enjoyed this restaurant favorite recipe.
Sage says
What kind of apple do I use?
Archana says
Tart apples work nicely in this recipe.
Jen says
Full of flavor, easy to make. Made it once last week and will be in my regular rotation from now until forever 🙂
Michael says
I made the vegetarian version. I didn't peel the carrots and added a teaspoon of cayenne, as suggested. I had to do the blend in a regular mixer but it came out fine. I also added some cooked shrimp before serving. It is unbelievably incredibly delicious!
Archana Mundhe says
Thank you for the feedback. Love your idea of adding shrimp!
Marion says
Can I use McIntosh apples?
For the Masoor Dal, can I use canned red lentils or dry lentils straight out of the package?
Marion says
I havn't tried the recipe yet.
Should I use McIntosh apples?
For the Masoor Dal: Is this dried red lentils straight from the package or from a can?