This flavor-packed soup brings the spice of Thai red curry together with roasted squash for a dish that is both sweet and spicy. Adding red lentils and coconut milk adds protein and some healthy fats to keep you full. I love to make a large batch of red curry paste in the early fall when peppers are fresh and abundant, then freeze it in an ice cube tray and store it in a sealed bag in the freezer to pull out for simple and flavorful winter meals like this soup.
This soup can also be made with about 1.5 lbs of carrots instead of squash. Just roughly chop, toss with oil, and roast until soft.
Thai Red Curry Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash, or other similarly sized squash.
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
- ¼ cup red curry paste, homemade is ideal but store-bought will do
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1 cup red lentils
- 1 cup vegetable stock (or more, as desired)
- Vegetable oil
- Salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Cut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Place cut side down on a baking sheet and poke a few holes in the skin using a fork or knife.
- Bake squash for about 45 minutes or until it is soft. Remove from oven and let cool until it can be handled. Once cool, scoop cooked squash out of skins. Set aside.
- While the squash is baking, cook the red lentils. In a medium saucepan, combine lentils with 3 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. They should be mushy. Remove from heat and strain.
- In a large pot, heat a glug of vegetable oil over medium heat. Add onions and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Add garlic and continue cooking until lightly browned.
- To the large pot, add curry paste, coconut milk, cooked lentils, cooked squash, and vegetable stock. Stir to combine.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the soup. If you don’t have one, transfer to a traditional blender to blend and return to pot.
- If you prefer a thinner soup, add more vegetable broth.
- Cook over medium-low heat until the soup is warm. Salt to taste.
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