Lentil Red Curry Soup (Printable)

A flavorful lentil curry with creamy coconut and fresh vegetables in a warm, aromatic broth.

# What You'll Need:

→ Lentils & Pulses

01 - 1 cup dried red lentils, rinsed

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
05 - 1 medium carrot, diced
06 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
07 - 2 cups baby spinach
08 - 1 small zucchini, diced (optional)

→ Liquids

09 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
10 - 3 tablespoons red curry paste
11 - 1 can (13.5 fl oz) full-fat coconut milk
12 - 4 cups vegetable broth
13 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
14 - Juice of 1 lime

→ Seasonings & Garnishes

15 - 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
17 - Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
18 - Lime wedges (for serving)

# Directions:

01 - Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for 3 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and grated ginger; sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add red curry paste and ground turmeric; cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly to release aromas.
04 - Add diced carrot, red bell pepper, and optional zucchini; sauté for 2–3 minutes until slightly softened.
05 - Add rinsed lentils, coconut milk, vegetable broth, and soy sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes until lentils are tender and vegetables cooked.
06 - Stir in baby spinach and cook for about 2 minutes until just wilted.
07 - Add lime juice and salt to taste; stir well to combine.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with chopped cilantro, and serve with lime wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, making weeknight dinners feel intentional instead of rushed.
  • The creamy coconut milk soothes the red curry heat in the most satisfying way, and somehow feels luxurious without being fussy.
  • Lentils are so forgiving that you can barely mess this up, which is genuinely freeing when you're tired.
02 -
  • Red lentils break down as they cook, which is a feature not a bug—that's how the soup gets its natural creaminess, but it also means they won't stay perfectly whole, so don't expect that.
  • Add the spinach right at the end or it'll turn an unappealing shade of brown; wilting is the goal, not cooking it to death.
  • Taste and adjust the salt and lime at the end because both the curry paste and broth bring their own sodium, and you don't want to over-salt too early.
03 -
  • Bloom your curry paste in the oil before adding anything else—this releases the aromatics and prevents it from tasting raw or one-dimensional.
  • Use full-fat coconut milk straight from the can, without shaking it; that thick layer at the top is what makes the soup luxurious.
  • Lime juice is your friend at the end; even a quarter more than the recipe calls for wakes everything up.
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