This is so much more than just another healthy vegan soup that you’ll cook and eat because it’s good for you. This one actually tastes really good, I promise. While not a traditional Thai soup, it is a perfect balance of sweet and sour which is typical in Thai cuisine. The sweet potatoes provide a lovely sweetness and a creamy texture while being a good source of beta carotene, and an excellent source of vitamin “A”. The lentils, which are high in Fiber add to the texture of the broth, made from canned diced tomatoes and Coconut Milk, and the Thai Red Curry Paste brings the flavour… oh so much flavour!
When I was in Culinary school, I learned how to make all the Thai Curry Pastes from scratch, Red, Yellow and Green. It’s a bit time consuming, so when I do, I make a large batch and freeze it in cubes for future use. These days, I have less time so I settle for store bought, and it’s pretty good.
If you want to make your own, you’ll definitely need to head out to an Asian grocery store, as many of the ingredients are not easily found. It’s a really unique combination of herbs, spices and chilies, and while it can be quite spicy it is most often combined with Coconut Milk which smooths out the heat. If you want to make your own and have access to the ingredients, I recommend this recipe from Epicurious.
Thai Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive or coconut oil
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste or to taste
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 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
- 2 can coconut milk
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro plus more for garnish if desired
Instructions
- Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large 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 sweet potatoes. Stir in broth, tomatoes, 1 can of coconut milk and lentils.
- Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a medium simmer, cover slightly and cook until sweet potatoes are tender and lentils are soft and almost dissolved, about 20 minutes.
- Stir in last can of coconut milk and cilantro. Heat through and serve.
