Soups

January 9, 2022

Red Curry Red Lentil Butternut Soup

We can’t have too many butternut squash soup recipes, right? Especially ones with Thai-inspired flavors like this one - red curry paste, peanut butter, coconut milk, lime juice. This is a hearty soup, perfect for a winter weekend. It’s not spicy, but will warm you through and through.

This soup came together one weekend when I didn’t really know where I was headed, but knew that I was craving Thai takeout. I perused my pantry and fridge, and ended up creating this creamy, flavorful Thai-inspired butternut squash soup that is now on repeat in my menu rotation. It hit all the right flavor notes that I was craving - the sweetness of the squash, the heat from the curry, the richness from the peanut butter and coconut milk, balanced out with the tartness from the lime.

A nice, light butternut squash soup like my Bright Butternut Squash Soup is great sometimes, but sometimes you want a soup that’s a little heartier. This soup meets my healthy meal trifecta of fiber, fat, and protein: fiber from the squash and lentils; fat from the coconut milk and peanut butter; protein from the red lentils and peanut butter. This soup will keep you full and warm for the remainder of the winter season.

Ingredients assembled for Red Curry Red Lentil Butternut Soup
Assemble your ingredients.

Sautéing vegetables, adding broth, then pureeing with an immersion blender
Saute onions, then garlic and ginger, then red curry paste. Add squash and broth, and simmer until squash is tender. Puree soup using an immersion blender.

Adding red lentils to butternut puree, then stirring in coconut milk and peanut butter until melted and smooth
Add red lentils to the butternut puree, and simmer until cooked through. Add peanut butter, coconut milk, and lime juice to finish.

Red CurryRed Lentil Butternut Soup served in a dish with two handles and garnished with cilantro
Serve soup garnished with cilantro (optional).


Original publication date: February 15, 2021 // Photos updated January 10, 2022

Red Curry Red Lentil Butternut Soup

We can’t have too many butternut squash soup recipes, right? Especially ones with Thai-inspired flavors like this one - red curry paste, peanut butter, coconut milk, lime juice.

Author:

Kira Freed - The Joyful Plateful

Prep:

10

min

cook:

45

min

total:

55

min

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. coconut oil

1 onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 inches fresh ginger root, minced

1 1/2 Tbsp. red curry paste

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 6 cups diced squash)

4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1 cup red lentils, rinsed and picked over

1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 cup natural peanut butter (I prefer chunky!)

14 oz. can full-fat coconut milk

Juice of 1 lime

Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat coconut oil until melted. Add onion, and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add garlic and ginger, and saute another minute.
  3. Add red curry paste, and saute one minute.
  4. Add diced butternut squash to the pot, then cover with the vegetable broth, stirring to get everything off the bottom of the pot. Stir in salt and pepper.
  5. Cover pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until butternut squash is cooked through, about 15-17 minutes.
  6. When squash is tender, remove from heat, and puree the soup using an immersion blender. (Or, if you do not have an immersion blender, transfer soup in batches to a blender to puree until smooth.)
  7. Return pureed soup to the stove, and return to a simmer. Add lentils, and simmer until cooked through, about 12-15 minutes. Stir frequently, as lentils will want to clump and stick to the bottom.
  8. Once lentils are cooked through, stir in peanut butter, coconut milk, and lime juice until combined.
  9. Serve immediately, garnished with cilantro (optional).
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