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Mulligatawny Soup is a rich and creamy curry-flavored soup with Indian-inspired spices. This comforting dish combines chicken, rice, apples, and golden raisins in a savory, slightly sweet broth seasoned with curry powder and thyme. Perfect for chilly nights, this easy Mulligatawny Soup recipe brings warm, aromatic flavors to your table in just one pot.
What is Mulligatawny?
Mulligatawny soup dates back to the 18th century when it became a popular dish in India, originating in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Mulligatawny means “pepper-water” in Tamil.
There are many versions of this Indian curry soup, but this is the recipe I love because it was handed down to me by a dear friend and it is the most delicious soup I have ever had! It is so flavorful and comforting. I make it often, especially in the winter.
Ingredients in Mulligatawny Soup
- Carrots and Onions – Sautéed in butter for a rich, aromatic base.
- Curry Powder – A blend of turmeric, ginger, coriander, cumin, and mustard seed, giving this soup its signature golden color.
- Flour – This thickens the soup (see gluten-free alternatives below).
- Chicken Broth – Provides the foundational broth for the soup.
- Green Apple – Granny Smith apples add a touch of tart sweetness.
- Cooked Chicken – I like to use shredded rotisserie chicken for easy prep. Cooked chicken breast or leftover grilled chicken both work great in this soup.
- White Rice – Cooks right in the broth and soaks up all the flavors.
- Golden Raisins – The golden raisins plump up beautifully in the broth and add a subtle sweetness.
- Thyme – A pinch of thyme adds a fresh, herbal flavor.
- Coconut Milk – Provides a creamy, velvety texture and complements the curry flavor.
How to Make Mulligatawny Soup
- Sauté the vegetables: Melt butter in a large pot and cook onions and carrots until soft.
- Add the spices and thickener: Stir in the curry powder and flour.
- Simmer: Add the chicken broth, diced apples, diced chicken, uncooked rice, and golden raisins. Simmer until the rice is tender.
- Make it creamy: Stir in the coconut milk, season with thyme, salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve and enjoy! Garnish with fresh herbs or extra golden raisins. Serve with naan bread or a side salad.
Variations and Substitutions
- Make it vegetarian: Swap chicken for lentils and use vegetable broth for a vegetarian, and a more authentic Mulligatawny soup.
- Add more heat: Stir in a dash of cayenne pepper.
- Swap the rice: Basmati or Jasmine rice can be used instead of long-grain white rice.
- Make it gluten-free: Instead of using flour as a thickener, use arrowroot or potato starch (not cornstarch). However, instead of adding it at the first of the recipe, wait until the soup is done. If you feel you would like it thicker, follow the directions on the package for thickening soups. I recommend mixing 1 teaspoon arrowroot with 2 teaspoons cold water together and adding it to the soup.
Recipe Tip
I love this recipe so much, I always make a double batch. Then, I freeze half into individual portion sizes. That way I can stick one in the microwave and heat it up to enjoy Mulligatawny Soup any time the craving hits, which is often.
Questions About Mulligatawny Soup
Most mulligatawny soup recipes contain meat, but you can easily make this recipe vegetarian by removing the chicken and using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
The word mulligatawny combines two words in the Tamil language to mean “pepper water.” It eventually evolved to suit British tastes incorporating a variety of spices and ingredients.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. The soup will thicken when cooled, but you can thin it with chicken broth or coconut milk when reheating.
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More Unique Soup Recipes to Try
Try This Mulligatawny Recipe Today!
This easy Mulligatawny Soup recipe is a must-try if you love the creamy, spiced, and slightly sweet flavors of curry. Give it a try and let us know what you think in the comments below!
Mulligatawny Soup
Video
Equipment
- large pot or dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup chopped onion about ½ of a medium onion
- 2 large carrots shredded
- 3 teaspoons flour
- 4 teaspoons curry powder
- 8 cups chicken broth 2 large cartons
- 1 granny smith apple peeled and diced
- 2 pounds cooked chicken cubed very small or shredded
- 3/4 cup white rice
- 1 cup golden raisins
- salt and pepper
- two pinches dried thyme
- 1 cup coconut milk full fat (or heavy cream)
Instructions
- Saute the onion and shredded carrots in the butter over medium high heat in a large pot or dutch oven. Add flour and curry and cook five more minutes.
- Stir in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer for about 30 minutes.
- Add chicken, apple, rice, raisins, thyme, salt, and pepper to the soup.
- Cover and simmer for 20 more minutes until the rice is done. When there is about 2 minutes left, stir in the coconut milk (or cream).
Notes
- We have updated this recipe, however we know some people will want the original recipe. The original recipe included only 3 teaspoons of curry powder, ¾ cup of golden raisins, and heavy cream instead of coconut milk.
- Instead of using flour as a thickener, use arrowroot or potato starch (not cornstarch). However, instead of adding it at the first of the recipe, wait until the soup is done. If you feel you would like it thicker, follow the directions on the package for thickening soups. I would suggest mixing 1 tsp arrowroot with 2 tsp cold water together and adding it to the soup.
- Serve with naan bread and a side salad for a delicious dinner.
How about using beef, pork or lamb? Potatoes, turnip, cabbage; brussell sprout or……..?
How about cold, probably without a thickening?
I have always LOVED Mulligatawny Soup!
Those all sound delicious! Let us know how it turns out if you try any of those variations!
What an unusual and delicious soup recipe.
Such a wonderful and unique recipe. Very easy to make though! So good 🙂
This is everything a gourmet soup should be, and then some! Looking forward to enjoying this for dinner tonight!
I have never tried Mulligatawny Soup but I have noticed that it has curry and apples. I know this will be so loved by me and my hubby! Thanks for the recipe!
I love soups with a bit of spice to them. This mulligatawny soup is one of my favourites!
I was wondering why you use flour in the recipe, is it for a thickener? If so could Arrow Root or Corn Starch be used and how much would you use? I am gluten intolerant I would need to use something else.
Yes, the flour is used for a thickener in this recipe. You have a couple of options. 1. You can leave it out completely and just be sure to use heavy cream, and not substitute half and half. The cream will keep the soup thick. 2. Use arrowroot or potato starch (not cornstarch), but instead of adding it at the first of the recipe, wait until the soup is done. If you feel you would like it thicker, follow the directions on the package for thickening soups. I would suggest mixing 1 tsp arrowroot with 2 tsp cold water together and adding it to the soup.
whats the serving amount?
4 to 6 servings
This soup sounds quite interesting. I’ve never had Indian food but this does sound good. I could see myself liking this, but not quite sure about the hubby and kids?!
My husband was wary of all the different flavors… but now he asks for this soup ALL the time! It is a good introductory recipe for Indian food!
I made Mulligatawny soup tonight and my daughter, 9, loved it! My husband liked it too, but definetly need to serve a salad and bread with it. (Though the soup alone was enough for me.)
So this sounds great, but raisins kind of turn my stomach. Would there be something else to use in place of the raisins, or do they not give it much of a gummy raisin taste?
Thanks
I have made it without raisins and it still tastes great!
Can I use curry paste instead of curry powder?
Yes! A general rule of thumb is 1 tsp of curry powder = 1 tbsp of curry paste. Hope this helps!
Thank you so much! I am making this for dinner tonight, my family keeps coming into the kitchen asking when it’ll be ready =D
This is my new favorite soup! I love it. I hate to share it with my family!
I used a granny smith, a tart apple is best.
What kind of apple did you use?
We made this soup last week and it was delicious. Definitely adding this to the list of favorites. I didn't make any changes. Although I wonder if there is a way to make it a little more healthy?
We just did rolls and a side salad. Caesar salad and breadsticks would be good too.
Thanks, EB. One more question: what else did you serve with the soup? Any suggestions?
Thanks much!
Probably about 6 to 8 servings, depending on how big your bowls are.
This sounds delicious. I am a big fan of Indian food. About how many servings does it make?
No spice at all, curry powder isn't hot.
How spicy is this? I am a total wuss when it comes to spiciness.