Thai Red Curry Lentil Soup
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Vegan Thai Red Curry Lentil Soup delivers bold flavor in every spoonful with creamy coconut milk, aromatic red curry paste, tender lentils, and loads of veggies all simmered together for a meal that’s equal parts comforting and exciting. Ready in under an hour, it’s perfect for busy weeknights or some quick comfort!
“This was absolutely delicious! It’s one of those dishes that is hard to stop eating – I wanted more even after I was full just because it was so dang tasty.”
Why This Recipe is a Keeper!
You know it as well as I do–after a full day, dinner needs to have minimal steps. My Thai Red Curry Lentil Soup with Sweet Potatoes is perfect when you’ve had a long day and need some comfort and warmth in a hurry.
This creamy, spicy soup has a complex Thai-inspired flavor but comes together quickly with purchased red curry paste.
This Thai Red Lentil Curry is:
- Easy!
- Freezer-friendly!
- Can be made in a slow cooker or the Instant Pot.
- Sooooo tasty!!!
How to make Thai Red Curry Sweet Potato and Lentil Soup:
Recipe Ingredients:
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this red curry lentil soup recipe. See the recipe card below for the exact quantities.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:
- Red Curry Paste: I no longer bother making my own red curry paste after discovering the Maesri line of curry pastes at a local international market. These pastes have plenty of punch, are made from real ingredients, and flavorwise, beat grocery store brands hands down. Their Thai green curry paste is also fabulous!
- Red Lentils: Red lentils cook much faster than brown or green lentils and at approximately the same rate as sweet potatoes. You can use the other types of lentils but you’ll need to cook them longer than red lentils or cook them separately then add them to the soup.
- Vegetable Broth: If you’re not concerned about the soup remaining vegan, you can also use chicken broth.
Step-By-Step Instructions:
- Gather and prep the ingredients.
- Melt the coconut oil or heat the canola oil over medium-high heat.
- Add the onions, reduce the heat and cook until they’ve softened up.
- Add the garlic and the red curry paste and give it a quick stir.
- Then add the broth, sweet potatoes, lentils and tomatoes.
- Bring that up to a boil, then simmer until the red lentils and sweet potatoes are tender. Red lentils get super-soft but that’s what you want!
- Stir in the coconut milk and heat it through.
- Add cilantro and lime juice if using…
- Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
That’s it! Thai Red Curry Lentil Soup with Sweet Potatoes! Serve garnished with cilantro sprigs and lime wedges.
Chef Tips and Tricks:
- It’s always a good idea to look lentils over for stones, sticks and odd-looking bits. I do this on an inexpensive white paper plate so I can easily add them to whatever I’m cooking. Place a small amount on the paper plate, look them over then bend the paper plate to easily add them to the soup or whatever you’re making.
- Vary the veggies! Not a sweet potato fan? Try regular potatoes, carrots, butternut squash, rutabaga or turnips.
recipe faqs:
Absolutely! This red curry lentil soup freezes great so make a double batch and freeze in small portions for delicious Thai comfort all winter long! Cool completely then place in containers in the amount desired.
Cook the onions and garlic on the stovetop as directed. Add the red curry paste and give it a quick stir. Transfer to your slow cooker and add the broth, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and lentils. Cover and cook on High for 3-4 hours or on Low for 6-7 hours. Add the coconut milk and heat through for 20-30 minutes keeping the slow cooker uncovered. Add the cilantro, lime juice and salt and black pepper to taste.
Yes! As with most soups and stews, lentil soup only gets better when it sits a day or two. Cool completely then refrigerate. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Yes, but it will probably be just as fast on the stovetop. Cook the onions and garlic. Add the red curry paste then add the broth, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and lentils. Cover and cook on High for 15 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally. Add the coconut milk, cilantro and lime juice and heat through uncovered.
More great vegetarian and vegan soups you’ll love!
- Italian Vegetable Stew
- Vegetable Barley Soup
- Vegetable Bean Soup
- Smoky Spanish Vegetable and White Bean Soup with Kale
Get all my soup recipes at Soups and Stews – From A Chef’s Kitchen.
Thai Red Curry Lentil Soup with Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons canola oil, or coconut oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons red curry paste, or to taste
- 6 cups vegetable broth, or chickren
- 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (1/2-inch cubes)
- 1 can (15-ounce) petite diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 1/2 cups red lentils, picked over
- 1 can (14.5-ounce) unsweetened coconut milk, light or regular
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish if desired
- 1-2 tablespoons lime juice, optional
Instructions
- Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large heavy pot such as a Dutch oven.
- Add the onion, reduce heat to medium and cook 5 to 7 minutes or until onion begins to soften.
- Add the garlic and red curry paste, give it a quick stir, then add the broth, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and lentils.
- Bring to a boil, cover slightly and simmer until potatoes and lentils are tender about 20 minutes. (Will be thick.)
- Add the coconut milk and heat through.
- Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Stir in cilantro and lime juice if using.
Video
Notes
- Vary the veggies! Try regular potatoes, carrots, butternut squash, rutabaga, or turnips.
- Always look lentils over for stones, sticks and odd-looking bits. I do this on an inexpensive white paper plate to easily add them to what I’m cooking.
- Can be made up to 2 days ahead. Cool thoroughly.
- Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave for individual servings.
- Cool thoroughly and package as desired. Freeze up to 2 months.
- Thaw in the refrigerator or microwave. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are automatically calculated using unbranded products and are estimates only. Actual results may vary based on ingredients used and portion sizes. Adjust as needed for dietary restrictions, allergies, or health concerns.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Easy and delicious 🙂
I made this. Wowza. Very good. Stayed true to the original recipe, but I added cumin, garam masala, turmeric and salt and it really brought out all the flavors. In the end, I topped it with a dollop of sour cream and it was perfect!! Will definitely make again!
Hi, Tess, Thanks so much! You really made my day! So glad you enjoyed and the tweaks you made sound wonderful!! Thanks again and hope you’ll try some of my other soups!
My husband is a meat-eating, soup FREAK and he loves this soup. I have modified it though, using a thawed bag of frozen root vegetables (sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and beets) for the sweet potatoes, some grated ginger, and only about a cup of lentils. I also added the juice of half a lime when adding the cilantro at the end.
I strongly advise you to taste to make sure it is done before adding the coconut milk. The first time I made it, it wasn’t quite done but I couldn’t cook it further because I’d already added the milk. It was still good though 🙂
Hi, Paula, Thanks so much and glad you both enjoy this soup. Love that you made modifications and made it your own! Thanks again and hope you’ll try some of my other soups!
This was a wonderful recipe! I made a few additions that just added to the deliciousness. Added 2 cups of spinach…. fresh grated ginger… tumeric and few pinches of cayenne for some heat! Served over jasmine rice! And let this soup simmer down for over an hour to thicken. It was amazing !!!!! A must try!!!
Thanks so very much, Nicole! Yes, you definitely can vary the veggies and spinach is a great addition. Thanks again and hope you’ll keep in touch and try some of my other vegan and vegetarian recipes!
I love this soup!! I had some leftover shredded carrots and half a red pepper (chopped) so added those. I used 5 tablespoons red curry paste and added about 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper. So delicious!!
Hi, Marian, Thanks so much and so glad you enjoyed! This is one of our perennial favorites and hope it becomes one of yours, too!
Delicious! I bought like ten pounds of red lentils a long time ago and I don’t think they’ll ever run out, so every time I have a couple sweet potatoes lying around and I want to make soup, I make this. Tonight I over-salted it (probably because I used salt that was too coarse, so it didn’t dissolve before I had tasted and re-salted) so I added more broth and some strained tomatoes. It balanced right back up.
Thanks so much, Jane! Love that this is one of your “go-to’s!” Red lentils are so great because they cook so quickly. However, as they get a little older, they may take longer to cook so keep that in mind. Thanks again!
Here’s how I made it:
Used red curry sauce since store did not have the paste. Added greenpepper along with the onion. Forgot to buy the sweet potato so did not add that. Pureed the lentils after they cooked in the crookpot. Added some garam masala. Then ate it over a mixture of saffron rice, quinoa and brown rice made with homemade chicken bone broth. We loved it and will make again.
Hi, Kathy! Sounds delish but sounds like a whole new dish you created from this inspiration! Love it and I’m all for it! Thanks again and so glad you enjoyed!
Yes- Definitely a different recipe! I pretty much followed the ENTIRE recipe as you described it. My only suggestion (after the fact) is to put a cup of the lentils (half a cup?) aside until the end and add them then to give a bit more ‘tooth’ to the dish. And maybe make it look like your photo! I found the lentils cooked faster than the sweet potato although I chopped them up pretty small. It was, however, one of the best soups I have ever had!! Thank you so much!
Hi, Lauren, Thanks so very much and so glad you enjoyed!!! I love your suggestion about adding some lentils later in the process. Thanks again and hope you’ll try some of my other soups and vegan recipes!
I don’t have any curry paste but do have powder. Could I sub the powder for the paste and in what quantities?
Hi, LaDena, If it’s Thai red curry powder, you most likely could. However, if it’s Indian curry powder you will have an Indian-inspired soup rather than Thai. Thai red curry paste and Indian curry powder are two very different things. I like the paste because the taste is so much fresher. Thanks so much and hope it works for you!
ok Carol. I just completed my marathon soup session. You win!!! I made beef barley, chicken barley, moroccan red lentil and your thai red curry sweet potato lentil. Oh My. The reviewers here are really telling the truth. I love this!! I only added 2 Tablespoons but might go for the full 3 Tablespoons next time. Thank you.
Hi, Anne, Oh my, how you made my Monday! Thanks so much! Making soup is just the best thing ever and I love that you made a marathon out it!
Thanks Carol for your speedy reply on freezing the soup. I am having a marathon soup session right now because I have contractors here and I can’t leave! Chicken Barley, beef barley, moroccan lentil and now your thai red curry. My freezer will be packed!