About this recipe
This curried red lentil butternut squash soup recipe is delicious and incredibly easy to prepare. The best part is that it can be made ahead of time and frozen for later. The soup is made with red lentils, curry, tomato, coconut milk, and butternut squash, making it a perfect and nourishing vegan meal.
All about Red lentils
Have you ever tried red lentils or heard of them? Red lentils are similar in size to traditional lentils. The main differences are the color and that they are split before packing, like dried peas.
Lentils are fantastic ingredients for a variety of dishes. They cook relatively quickly compared to other types of lentils, have a mild, slightly nutty flavor, and are super nutritious, too—packed with protein, fiber, and essential nutrients.
These little lentils, more than a bright red color, have a salmon color; when cooked, they turn yellowish. When my kids were younger, they used to call them magic lentils; they loved to see the color change.
✨ Red lentils are a quick-cooking legume, perfect for preparing a healthy and tasty meal when you're short on time. They are so perfect for this lentil squash soup, but if you need to substitute, use green lentils or any other dal.
HOW do you cook red lentils?
- Rinse and Sort: Rinse the lentils in a fine-mesh sieve under cold water. Take a moment to remove any debris or small stones that you might find.
- Boil Water: In a pot, bring water to a boil. The ratio is generally 1 part lentils to 3 parts water, but you can adjust depending on the desired consistency.
- Add Lentils: Add the rinsed lentils to the boiling water.
- Season: At this point, you can add a pinch of salt or any spices you like. Some people also add a dash of oil to reduce foaming.
- Simmer: Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot partially, and let it simmer. Red lentils usually cook for 15-20 minutes.
- Check for Doneness: Taste a lentil or two to make sure they’re cooked to your liking. They should be tender but not mushy.
- Drain: If there’s excess water, drain the lentils.
HOW TO MAKE butternut squash RED LENTIL SOUP?
Cook Aromatics: Start by heating some oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent. Add the minced garlic, grated ginger, and spices of your choice. Cook until fragrant.
Spice it Up. Add your choice of spices. Stir the mixture for about 15 seconds or until the spices release their aroma.
Add the Main Ingredients. Pour in the canned tomatoes and their juice. Add the rinsed red lentils, water (or vegetable broth), and cubed butternut squash. Stir everything well to combine.
Cook the Stew. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until the lentils are soft and the butternut squash is tender, usually 20-30 minutes.
Add Creaminess. Once the lentils and butternut squash are cooked, stir in the can of coconut milk. Cook for an additional 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
Garnish and Serve—dish out the stew into bowls. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro, a splash of lemon juice, and jalapeño slices for some heat.
Popular Red Lentil Recipes
- Red Lentil Curry: This delicious and hearty curry pairs well with rice or bread. It could also be called a curried butternut squash soup.
- Red Lentil Soup: Perfect for a cozy evening, often flavored with spices like cumin and turmeric.
- Red Lentil Salad: Toss cooked and cooled red lentils with chopped veggies, olive oil, and your choice of herbs.
Storing
- Uncooked: Keep them in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
- Cooked: Store in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze for up to three months.
Why red lentils are so popular?
- Meal prep. You can also prepare the ingredients and freeze them. When you’re ready to make the soup, you put everything in an InstantPot, crockpot, or on the stove in Dutch cast iron.
- They cook really fast. To eat at the moment, it’s done, you prepare it, and in 30 minutes, you have a super nutritious vegan soup.
- Freeze. You can perfectly double the recipe, eat one part, and freeze the other.
Benefits of Butternut Squash and lentil soup
This red lentil curried soup is the absolute best and is also packed with superpowers. It has garlic and onion, which are great for coughs or colds. It also has turmeric and ginger, both superfoods. Overall, it is an immune-boosting vegan soup.
Best of all, this vegan soup recipe is so delish that you don’t even realize that you are eating something powerful and good for the body; the combination of flavors with tomato, coconut milk, and red lentils is perfectly delicious.
Frequently asked questions
Vegan Red Lentil Butternut Squash Soup
Equipment
- Cutting board
- good knife
- Soup pot
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 cup finely chopped onion
- 3 garlic cloves chopped
- 1 piece ginger, 1 inch grated or finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons of curry powder I use Madras
- 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 2 cups of red lentils
- 2 cups of butternut squash diced
- 1 15 oz can of tomatoes chopped
- 1 can of coconut milk
- 4 cups of water
- 2 teaspoon salt, Kosher
To serve
- Cilantro chopped
- Lemon juice
- Jalapeño
- Brown rice* *optional
Instructions
- In a large pot, add coconut oil, onion and sauté for 3 minutes. Then add garlic and ginger, and cook for 2 more minutes while stirring to prevent burning.
- Add the spices and mix for 15 seconds until fragrant. Then, add canned tomatoes, lentils, water, and butternut squash. Once the lentils are soft and the squash is cooked, add a can of coconut milk.
- Mix the ingredients together and add chopped fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lemon juice, and jalapeño slices. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
information
Nutritional information of this recipe is only an estimate, the accuracy for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
This recipe is a repost from December 2016.
Tengo una Certificación Profesional en la cocina vegana; en el mundo de la cocina basada en vegetales, frutas, granos, leguminosas… en comida limpia, orgánica y vegana.
My cookbook is called Yo Cocino Latino..
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