Mulligatawny Soup Recipe
Published September 16, 2019. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This Mulligatawny Soup Recipe is loaded with apples, chicken, and curry for an unbelievably delicious recipe that is sure to be a family favorite.
This is such a comforting soup to make during those fall and winter months. With its interesting combination of flavors, it’s definitely one of a kind and is perfect to serve up during the week to your family or as a recipe to impress your guests by if throwing a party.
Like any soup, this is a one-pot recipe and if you ask me tastes even better over time as flavors begin to infuse and come out.
Mulligatawny Soup
In its simplest form, Mulligatawny is an apple, chicken and curry soup recipe.
While this soup has adapted to include more ingredients, at its heart it is simple and delicious and definitely a staple on most Indian restaurant menus. Here are some other ingredients:
- Coconut milk
- Garlic
- Onions
- Carrots
- Celery
- Bell peppers
- Sweet potatoes
- Chicken stock
This can also be completely vegetarian with no protein in it.
What Is the Origin of Mulligatawny
It’s a classic Indian recipe originally called Tamil, which means pepper water, which was later anglicized and turned into what we know it as today. It’s still incredibly popular in India and has spread throughout western Europe and into the United States.
Some believe that the soup was created in England by Indian immigrants.
What Does It Taste Like
It has incredible flavors that come out the second you eat it. The strong savory red curry, the sweetness from the apples, and the tropical creamy finish from the coconut milk make it absolutely delicious
There is definitely some complexity in the flavor of this soup with curry, since it consists of so many different ingredients. If you love the balance of flavors and ingredients in food, then this mulligatawny is absolutely for you.
How to Make It
When making this, you can either cook and cut up the chicken breasts yourself or you can use rotisserie chicken. There’s a lot going on in this recipe with ingredients and I want it to be as easy as possible for you so you can focus more on getting this in your belly and less on working so hard in the kitchen.
It’s important to roast all of the vegetables so they can help bring out as much flavor in this mulligatawny soup recipe as possible before adding in the curry and apples.
If you add the apples in too early to the soup they’ll get mushy, so don’t do it! Also if you want to use our own homemade curry, have at it!
Cooking It
- 1. Add sesame oil to a large pot over medium heat and brown the vegetables. This should take 12-15 minutes.
- 2. After the veggies are browned, add in the apples, cooked chicken and curry and cook for a few minutes.
- 3. Pour in the stock and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes to get all of the flavors infused.
- 4. Thicken the soup using a slurry, i.e. 3 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with 1 1/2 tablespoons of water. You can also use a roux to thicken this mulligatawny.
- 5. Finish the soup with cilantro, coconut milk, salt, and pepper and serve
How to Serve It
Once it’s finished it’s time to serve it up into single-serving bowls. I like to finish it off with some creme fraiche or sour cream, goat cheese, croutons, and sliced chives. I just think these garnishes help to add some more body as well as some texture to the recipe, plus who doesn’t like chives?
I really hope you get a chance to make this soup recipe because wow is it just so good. If you want to really kick this up, then make my Homemade Pita Bread Recipe or Homemade Naan Bread and serve it alongside the soup.
Reheat and Storage
How to Reheat: To reheat it simply add your desired portion to a small saucepot and heat over low heat until hot. Serve with garnishes. You can also simply add your desired portion to a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 2:30 stirring after 1:15.
How to Store: The soup will hold well in the refrigerator covered up for up to 4 days. It will also freeze well covered for up to 3 months. Simply pull it out as you need it and reheat following the directions above.
More Soup Recipes
If this hits the spot then be sure to check out these other soup recipes!
- Texas-Style Chili Recipe with Slow-Cooked Brisket
- Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Pork Confit and Split Pea Soup
- Ham and Lentil Soup
- Verde Pork Posole
- Chicken Noodle Soup
Be sure to follow me on Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, and Pinterest and if you’ve had a chance to make this then definitely drop me a comment and a rating below!
Mulligatawny Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of sesame oil
- 4 finely minced cloves of garlic
- 1 small diced yellow onion
- 3 peeled and small diced carrots
- 3 small diced stalks of celery
- 1 small diced red bell pepper, seeds removed
- 1 small diced green bell pepper, seeds removed
- 3 peeled and small diced sweet potatoes
- 5 peeled and diced fuji apples
- 4 tablespoons of yellow curry powder
- 3 8- ounce cooked and diced boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 96 ounces of chicken stock
- 1/4 cup of corn starch whisked with 2 tablespoons of water
- 15 ounce can of coconut milk
- sea salt and cracked pepper to taste
- Optional Garnishes: creme fraiche, goat cheese, croutons, chopped chives
Instructions
- In a large hot pot, add in sesame oil and saute the garlic, onions, carrots, celery, peppers and sweet potatoes.
- Once the vegetables are browned add in the apples, curry powder, and chicken breasts and cook for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Once spices are infused in the vegetables, add in the stock and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling whisk in the cornstarch-water combination to thicken it.
- Turn the heat down and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Finish with cilantro, coconut milk and adjust the seasonings.
- Serve with optional garnishes.
Notes
- Mulligatawny can also be completely vegetarian with no protein in it.
- If you add the apples in too early to the mulligatawny soup they'll get mushy, so don't do it! Also if you want to use our own homemade curry, have at it!
- You can also use a roux to thicken this mulligatawny.
- How to Reheat: To reheat the mulligatawny soup simply add your desired portion to a small sauce pot and heat over low heat until hot. Serve with garnishes. You can also simply add your desired portion to a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 2:30 stirring after 1:15.
- How to Store: Mulligatawny soup will hold well in the refrigerator covered up for up to 4 days. It will also freeze well covered for up to 3 months. Simply pull it out as you need it and reheat following the directions above.
Chef Billy Parisian, we enjoyed this soooo much! I always come to your site first when looking for a new recipe❣️thank you for all your wisdom and sharing with cronies like me 😉😃
Dear Chef Billy, oh holy soup gods, this was wonderful! So unusual too. That makes it extra fun as well as delicious. I especially appreciated some background (Indian-British-the Raj) and also the helpful tips (put the apples in later so they won’t get mushy). From the every day to the unusual, we can always depend on you to teach us the best recipes and the best way to execute them. Huge thanks!
A Family Favorite, so much depth of flavor. Great with a baguette!!
Just made this for the first time. I’ve never heard of it but it looked good. Well, off the charts my friends! Pure soup perfection! I used homemade curry which elevated the soup so much! Thanks, Chef!
Amazing!
Mulligatawny soup is one of my faves. This recipe set the gold standard. Wow! The flavour was amazing- the fuji apple made a big difference to me, (I squeezed a bit of lemon it to keep it from browning) along with the garlic which I can’t remember using before. Looking forward to trying more of Chef’s recipes -this was my first.
Oh my word! This is one of the best soup recipes ever. Love the complexity and layering of the flavors! Above and beyond how good I thought it would be!
It really is something, so glad you made it!
I love the flavors of this soup, it just screams fall. So comforting!
The coconut milk in this recipe made such a difference. Absolutely delicious!
So many delicious flavors – great recipe!
This soup got two thumbs up in our house!! It’s packed with flavor!!
I really loved it! So tasty and delicious!
Thanks for the recipe! I don’t eat sweet potatoes – can I sub in white potatoes with good results? Or is there a better substitute you can suggest? Thanks!
Yes you could and it for sure would change the flavor. How about butternut squash?
I look forward to making this Billy! ❤️ You! 😘
You’ll it, it’s amazing my friend!
I made this soup last night. It was absolutely delicious. What an exquisite mix of flavors. This is going into my rotation of favorite meals. Thank you so much, Chef Billy.
that is so awesome to hear, thank you so much for the kind words and so glad it worked out!
I pinned this weeks ago and finally got around to making this pot of deliciousness this weekend. If you’re even considering making this, you need to hurry up and do it! This was soooo flavorful and a perfect weekend meal for the fam. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe Billy!
thank you so much for the kind words, glad you liked it 🙂
This looks so good. With days getting cooler soon, this will surely come handy.
yes it will!
I am so lucky to have all your wonderful recipes at my fingertips. Believe me I’ve done many of them and I am amazed at how easy and delicious they are. Thanks Chef!
LOVE this, thank you so much for being the best supporter ever!
Yum! looks good! We love curry in our family so anything with 2T of curry is right up our ally 🙂
haha! Feel free to add more 🙂