Are you looking for a meal that feels like a comforting embrace while simultaneously delighting your palate with an explosion of flavour? We all have those moments when only a restorative bowl of soup will suffice, particularly one that’s quick to prepare and brimming with wholesome ingredients. Your search ends here. We present to you this magnificent Thai Coconut Red Lentil Soup, a dish that strikes a perfect harmony between creamy, sweet, spicy, and zesty in every single spoonful. It’s the ultimate healthy comfort food that we find ourselves returning to again and again.

This recipe magically transforms humble red lentils and a handful of kitchen staples into a spectacular meal in less than 30 minutes. It’s a wonderfully aromatic soup, enriched with the classic Thai flavours of red curry, ginger, garlic, and lime, all blended into a smooth, velvety coconut milk base. This is the sort of meal that nourishes the body and soothes the spirit, making it an ideal choice for a bustling weeknight supper or a relaxed weekend lunch. Let’s get started!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Ready in a Flash: We’ve designed this recipe with the realities of a busy life in mind. From dicing the onion to serving the finished soup, you can have this wonderful meal on your table in around 30 minutes, making it a genuine weeknight lifesaver.
• A Wonderful Medley of Flavours: This is far from your ordinary lentil soup. It features a complex taste profile that is at once salty, sweet, sour, and spicy, thanks to the delightful combination of red curry paste, coconut milk, and fresh lime.
• Brimming with Plant-Based Nutrition: Red lentils are a true nutritional champion, offering a fantastic source of protein, fibre, and iron. This makes our soup not just delicious but also one of those superb nutrient dense meals that leaves you feeling full and thoroughly satisfied.
• Inherently Vegan and Gluten-Free: We adore a recipe that can be enjoyed by everyone. This soup is created using entirely plant-based ingredients and is naturally gluten-free, so you can serve it with confidence to guests with various dietary requirements.
• Made with Budget-Friendly Staples: This recipe is built around affordable pantry items like tinned coconut milk and dried lentils, demonstrating that you don’t need to break the bank to create an exceptionally tasty meal. If you appreciate simple, affordable cooking, you’ll also adore our Creamy Tomato and Basil Soup.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp coconut oil (or olive oil)
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 2-3 tbsp Thai red curry paste (use a vegan brand)
• 200g (1 cup) red split lentils, rinsed
• 900ml (4 cups) vegetable stock
• 400ml (1 can) full-fat coconut milk
• 1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
• 1 tbsp maple syrup or brown sugar (optional, to balance flavours)
• Juice of 1 large lime
• 100g (2 large handfuls) fresh spinach
• A large handful of fresh coriander, chopped, for garnish
• Red chilli flakes, for garnish (optional)

How to Make Thai Coconut Red Lentil Soup Step-by-Step

Crafting this gorgeous soup is a very simple affair. We’ve organised it into three easy-to-follow stages to take you from basic ingredients to a truly impressive final dish.

1. Sauté the Aromatics

First, we lay the foundations of flavour. Warm the coconut oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over a medium heat. When it begins to shimmer, add the chopped onion and cook for 5–7 minutes, until it has softened and turned translucent. Following that, add the minced garlic and grated ginger, stirring continuously for about a minute until their wonderful fragrance fills your kitchen. Take care not to let them scorch! Finally, incorporate the Thai red curry paste and cook for one more minute. This step is vital as it toasts the spices within the paste, intensifying their flavour and releasing their incredible scent.

2. Simmer the Soup

Now it is time to unite the main components. Add the rinsed red lentils and the vegetable stock to the pot. Stir everything thoroughly, making sure to scrape any flavourful bits from the bottom. Bring the liquid to a boil, then immediately lower the heat, pop a lid on, and allow it to simmer gently for 15–20 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready for the next stage when the lentils are completely tender and have started to break down, which is what creates the soup’s distinctive thick and creamy consistency.

3. Finish with a Flourish

Once the lentils are perfectly soft, pour in the full-fat coconut milk, the tamari (or soy sauce), and the optional maple syrup. Stir everything together well. Let the soup warm through gently for another couple of minutes, but do not let it reach a vigorous boil after adding the coconut milk. Switch off the heat and stir in the fresh lime juice and the spinach. The soup’s residual heat is all that’s needed to wilt the spinach leaves perfectly within a minute or two. Give it a final taste and adjust the seasoning as you see fit—perhaps a little more lime for brightness or tamari for savoury depth.

Tips for the Perfect Spicy Coconut Soup

Although this recipe is wonderfully straightforward, a few little pointers can help elevate it from merely great to truly unforgettable. Here’s how we ensure our spicy coconut soup turns out perfectly every single time.

Choose Your Curry Paste Wisely

The heat and flavour of Thai red curry pastes can differ quite a bit from one brand to another. We suggest beginning with the smaller quantity mentioned in the recipe (2 tablespoons) and then adding more later on if you fancy a bit more fire. Always read the label to confirm it’s vegan, as some varieties contain shrimp paste. The method of building flavour with a quality paste is quite similar to the one we use in our popular 15-Minute Vegan Chickpea Curry.

Don’t Skimp on the Coconut Milk

For the richest, most luxurious texture, it’s essential to use full-fat tinned coconut milk. The lighter or carton-based alternatives just won’t deliver the same level of creaminess that makes this soup such a comforting delight.

Add More Vegetables

This soup serves as a fantastic base for incorporating other vegetables. You can add diced carrots or sweet potatoes at the same time as the onions for added sweetness and nutrition. Alternatively, try stirring in some chopped red bell pepper or broccoli florets for the final 5–10 minutes of simmering.

Serving and Storing Your Soup

We absolutely love to serve this soup piping hot, ladled into generous bowls and finished with a good scattering of fresh coriander, a pinch of red chilli flakes, and an extra wedge of lime on the side. It is heavenly when paired with some crusty bread or warm naan for dipping.

To Store: Let the soup cool down completely before decanting it into an airtight container. It will keep very well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The flavours often meld and become even more pronounced the following day!

To Reheat: Warm the soup gently in a saucepan over a medium-low heat until it is heated all the way through. You may find it needs a splash of water or vegetable stock to loosen it, as it has a tendency to thicken once chilled.

To Freeze: This soup is an excellent candidate for freezing. Allow it to cool completely, then transfer it into freezer-safe containers or bags. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost it overnight in the fridge before reheating as instructed above.

FAQ

A Perfect Bowl of Comfort Awaits

So there you have it—a straightforward, nourishing, and intensely flavourful Thai Coconut Red Lentil Soup that we’re confident will become a new staple in your household. It’s a wonderful illustration of how a few modest ingredients can be transformed into something truly remarkable. This recipe is proof that you can enjoy a meal that is both incredibly healthy and deeply satisfying, all without spending a great deal of time in the kitchen.

We truly hope you fall in love with the bright, fragrant flavours and the creamy, gratifying texture as much as we have. It’s the ideal way to bring a little Thai-inspired warmth to your dinner table, whatever the weather is doing outside.

We are so excited for you to give this recipe a go! When you do, please pop back to leave a comment or a rating below and let us know how you got on. Happy cooking!

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Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 2-3 tbsp Thai red curry paste (vegan)
• 200g (1 cup) red split lentils, rinsed
• 900ml (4 cups) vegetable stock
• 400ml (1 can) full-fat coconut milk
• 1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
• 1 tbsp maple syrup or brown sugar (optional)
• Juice of 1 large lime
• 100g (2 large handfuls) fresh spinach
• For Garnish: Fresh coriander and red chilli flakes

Instructions

1. Sauté Aromatics: Heat coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5-7 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic, ginger, and Thai red curry paste, and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
2. Simmer Soup: Add the rinsed lentils and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the lentils are tender and have broken down.
3. Finish: Stir in the coconut milk, tamari, and optional maple syrup. Warm through gently, but do not boil. Turn off the heat and stir in the lime juice and spinach until wilted.
4. Serve: Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh coriander and red chilli flakes, if desired.

Nutrition (per serving):
Calories: 474 kcal,
Carbs: 47 g,
Protein: 16 g,
Fat: 25 g