Thai Coconut Red Lentil Soup
A delightful Thai Coconut Red Lentil Soup, combining rich flavors and hearty ingredients for a comforting meal.
Equipment
- large pot or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped carrot
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic cloves 2 or 3 cloves
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- ⅓ cup Thai red curry paste *Note for vegans: Check the label to ensure the curry doesn't include shrimp paste
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup red lentils
- 3½ cups vegetable broth or water
- 1 can coconut milk (13.5 ounce can, 400 ml, not light)
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook 5 minutes, or until softened.
- Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, curry paste, turmeric and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the lentils, 1 teaspoon salt and the broth or water. Bring to a simmer, then turn the heat down to medium-low. Partially cover the pan and cook about 20 minutes, until the lentils have swelled and softened and the mixture is thickened.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the coconut milk and lime juice. Taste and season with additional salt if you like. Serve in bowls garnished with cilantro.
Pressure cooker directions
- In steps 1 and 2, use the saute function to heat the oil, onion and carrot, followed by the garlic, tomato paste, curry paste and cayenne.
- Add the lentils, salt and water as in step 3. Cover the pot and cook on high pressure for 6 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally.
- Stir in the coconut milk and lime juice and serve with garnish.
Notes
This soup keeps about a week in the refrigerator. For a heartier soup, add ½ cup peeled, cubed potatoes along with the carrots. Use an immersion stick blender to partially puree the soup if you like a smoother, creamy-textured soup. Taste your curry paste before starting to be sure you like the heat level — it can vary from brand to brand. Adjust the amount in the recipe to suit your taste. Serving ideas: Add ½ cup per serving cooked rice noodles, basmati or jasmine rice (white or brown). Toss a handful of baby spinach leaves into the soup to make a nourishing, satisfying meal. If you’re not vegan, add a spoonful of plain yogurt (or use a plant-based plain yogurt) to dress this bowl up even more!
Nutrition
Serving: 1bowlCalories: 266kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 10gFat: 14gSodium: 95mgFiber: 11gSugar: 5g
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