Mulligatawny Soup
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Mulligatawny Soup is a very unique, ultra-creamy, crazy delicious curry-flavored soup that originated in southern India. Chances are you’ll want seconds! Plus it’s surprisingly easy to make with ingredients that you may already have in the cupboard.
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Fans of the show Seinfeld might recognize this soup! It was featured in the episode where Kramer gets a craving for mulligatawny soup offered at the best soup place in New York – the Soup Nazi. He made his customers follow a very strict set of rules in order to purchase a bowl of his soup, and if they didn’t follow the rules? “No soup for you!”
That television show character was based on Al Yeganeh, a soup vendor who ran a food stand called Soup Kitchen International in New York City that Jerry Seinfeld frequented. Lucky for you, it can easily be made at home so you don’t have to travel to NYC or stand in line. Made with chicken, rice, veggies, apple, and curry powder, the flavors are layered, complex, and SO delicious!
And if you love the flavors of this soup, don’t miss my easy chickpea curry, cauliflower curry rice, and vegetable stir fry.
What’s in this Mulligatawny Soup recipe?
This mulligatawny recipe is made with surprisingly basic ingredients, but it’s layered with so many different and wonderful flavors. You can find the exact measurements for the ingredients in the recipe card below.
- Butter – For sauteing the veggies.
- Veggies & aromatics – Onion, celery, carrot, and garlic add flavor, texture, and color to the soup.
- Flour – This helps thicken the soup.
- Madras Curry powder – Curry powder is a key ingredient in mulligatawny and adds some earthy spice to the soup. Don’t substitute. See note below.
- Spices – Other spices added to this soup include salt, pepper, dried thyme, and red pepper flakes for some additional heat.
- Chicken broth – I recommend low-sodium broth (or you can use homemade chicken stock) to control the saltiness of the broth.
- Chicken breast – Boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into cubes.
- Apple – This might seem like an odd ingredient, but it works! An apple adds a bit of sweetness to the soup that balances out the curry flavors. I prefer Honeycrisp or Pink Lady for this soup, but any sweet apple will work.
- White rice – I use regular long grain white rice though other types of rice might work, such as basmati. You just may need to adjust the cooking time slightly to ensure the rice is cooked but not overcooked.
- Heavy cream – Adds richness to the broth.
- Fresh parsley – For garnish before serving.
Tips & Variations
- Different curry powders can be mild or very hot and spicy. This recipe uses a mild curry blend, but you can make it spicier, if you prefer. I’ve used a bunch of different curry brands over the years and don’t really prefer one over another (McCormick, Rani, and Sun Brand are all good), but do make sure it’s Madras style.
- Use leftover chicken. Feel free to use leftover rotisserie chicken or baked chicken breast in this soup. You could also substitute in leftover roast turkey too, if that’s what you have on hand.
- Add some other veggies. Feel free to stir some spinach or kale into this soup towards the end for some added veggies.
- Simmer, don’t boil. Once you add the rice and other ingredients, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer as soon as it begins to boil. If you boil the soup, the rice won’t cook properly.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving a bowl of mulligatawny soup with a side of homemade naan. They pair perfectly together. Trust me, you’re going to want to soak up every last drop of that broth. It’s so good! If you don’t have naan on hand, Dutch oven bread or any crusty bread will work.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Fridge. Store leftover mulligatawny soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I actually think the leftovers taste even better!
- Freezer. Leftovers can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Once cooled, transfer to an airtight freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheat. The best way to reheat mulligatawny soup is on the stovetop. The rice does absorb the broth as it sets so you may need to add an extra splash of chicken broth to loosen it up again.
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Mulligatawny Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small sweet onion, , diced
- 2 stalks celery, , diced
- 1 large carrot, , diced
- 2 cloves garlic, , minced
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 2 teaspoons Madras curry powder
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 6 ounce skinless boneless chicken breast, , cut into very small cubes
- 1/2 a sweet apple, , cored and diced
- 1/3 cup uncooked long grain white rice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Fresh chopped parsley, , for garnish
- Naan, , for serving
Instructions
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 1 small diced onion, 2 stalks diced celery, and 1 large diced carrot and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in 2 cloves minced garlic and cook until fragrant, 20 seconds. Add 1 tablespoon flour, 2 teaspoons curry powder, and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until no white patches of flour remain.
- Pour in 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth and combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add in a 6 ounces small cubed chicken breast, 1/2 a diced sweet apple, 1/3 cup uncooked long grain white rice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme. Return to a boil, then reduce to a gentle bubble and simmer until the rice is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Just before serving, stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream and warm through.
- Serve with a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley and enjoy warm naan!
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Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.
Did you make this? Leave a rating below!
Delicious recipe, savory, and I find myself craving it!
Excellent recipe, will make it again.
Absolutely delicious!
I made this tonight. My family and I loved it!!!!!! Will definitely make this again