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Thai Green Curry Lentil Soup

Thai green curry lentil soup in a bowl.
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Made with feel-good veggies, ground chicken and aromatic green curry paste, this one-pot Thai Green Curry Lentil Soup is a delicious and wholesome meal!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 270 grams / 1.5 cups whole Green Lentils (or use brown lentils)
  • 230 grams / 1 medium Red Onion – finely chopped
  • 25 grams / 6 Garlic cloves – minced
  • 50 grams / 2-16 fresh Red Chilies (Thai Bird’s Eye or any other small hot red chilies – note 1*), to taste – finely chopped
  • 16 grams / 1-inch piece Ginger – peeled, minced (about 2 tablespoons minced)
  • 290 grams / 4-5 small Carrots – peeled, diced
  • 500 grams / 17.6 ounces (2 medium) Sweet Potatoes – peeled, diced (weight is for peeled potatoes)
  • 4 Makrut Lime Leaves (note 2) – destemmed, minced into a fine powder
  • 100 grams / 3 cups Baby Spinach, washed
  • 24 grams / 1.5 cups Thai Sweet Basil Leaves (note 3) – picked off stems, washed, pat-dried
  • 2 TBLS Canola Oil (or any other neutral flavored cooking oil), divided
  • 570 grams / 1.25 pounds Lean Ground Chicken
  • 1 TSP Kosher Salt, divided (use half the amount if using iodized table salt)
  • 60 grams / 4 TBLS Thai Green Curry Paste (I use Mae Ploy brand – note 4)
  • 946ml / 4 cups Chicken Broth (adjust salt to taste if using low sodium chicken broth)
  • 355ml / 1.5 cups Water
  • 400ml / 14 fluid ounces Lite Coconut Milk (or use full fat for a richer flavor)
  • 1 TSP ground Cayenne (optional), to taste
  • 1 TSP Thai Chili Powder (optional – note 5), to taste
  • 150 grams / 1 cup Frozen Shelled Edamame
  • ½ TBLS Fish Sauce, to taste
  • To Serve (optional): Chopped coriander (cilantro), sliced red chili, lime wedges for squeezing, crusty bread for dunking

Instructions

Prep:

  1. Prepare the ingredients: Place the green lentils in a fine mesh strainer and pick through for stones and sticks. Rinse well under cold water from the sink and set aside. Chop the red onion, garlic, chilies, ginger, carrots, sweet potatoes, makrut lime leaves, baby spinach and Thai sweet basil leaves as indicated in the ‘ingredients’ section.

For the Thai Green Curry Lentil Soup:

  1. Cook the chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken and season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes, breaking up the clumps with a wooden spoon or meat masher until just cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a clean bowl and set aside.
  2. Sauté the veggies: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pot and heat over medium-high heat. Add the red onion, carrots and sweet potatoes and sauté for 4-5 minutes until slightly softened. Add the garlic, red chilies and ginger and sauté for another minute until fragrant.
  3. Add the green curry paste: Add the Thai green curry paste and stir-fry to combine until the paste has broken down and is fragrant.
  4. Build the soup: Add the green lentils, chicken broth, water, minced makrut lime leaves, remaining ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ground cayenne and Thai chili powder (if using). Stir to combine and bring to a boil over high heat.
  5. Simmer: Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes (note 6).
  6. Stir in the chicken and coconut milk: Uncover and add the lite coconut milk, cooked ground chicken and edamame. Cover and simmer again for 10-15 minutes until the lentils are soft and the carrots and sweet potatoes are tender.
  7. Stir in the fish sauce and greens: Season with the fish sauce and add the baby spinach and Thai sweet basil leaves. Stir until just wilted – 20-30 seconds. Taste and add more fish sauce or kosher salt if you feel it’s needed and a little water if would like to adjust the consistency. Switch off the heat.
  8. To Serve: Divide evenly into bowls and garnish with chopped coriander and sliced chili. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing and crusty bread for dunking if desired.

Equipment

Notes

  1. Fresh Red Chilies. Any small hot red or green chilies will work. Use more or less chilies based on your heat level preference.
  2. Makrut Lime Leaves. Also known as kaffir lime leaves, this Thai herb has a citrusy and fragrant aroma. Look for them in a Thai grocery store or substitute with ½ tablespoon of the ground dried version. Dried ground kaffir lime leaves can be found in the spices and seasonings section or the Asian aisle in supermarkets that are well-stocked with international ingredients.
  3. Thai Sweet Basil Leaves. Known as ‘horapa’ in Thai, this type of basil has an intoxicatingly fragrant aroma and sweet anise-like flavor. It’s delicious in Thai curries and stir-fries.Find it in a Thai grocery store or Asian supermarket. Or use regular Italian basil in a pinch.
  4. Thai Green Curry Paste. I use Mae Ploy Thai green curry paste in my home because I love the authentic and spicy flavors it has. Other good brands are Maesri and Nam Jai. If you prefer a milder curry paste, De Siam and Thai Kitchen are both flavorful and good options. You can find green curry paste in large mainstream supermarkets, Thai and Asian grocery stores, or purchase it online.
  5. Thai Chili Powder. This is a combination of chili powder, flakes, and seeds. You can substitute with crushed red pepper instead. Feel free to leave it and the ground cayenne out if you prefer a milder soup.
  6. To thicken the soup. If you’d like a thicker and creamier broth, after simmering for 30 minutes in step 5, transfer 2 cups of the soup to a high-speed blender and blend. Then transfer back into the pot. Alternatively, use a handheld stick blender and briefly run it through the for soup for 2-3 whizzes to thicken it. Proceed with the remaining steps as indicated.
  7. Storing and reheating leftovers. Store in airtight sealed containers for 3-4 days in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring once in between, or until hot throughout.
  8. To freeze. Once completely cool, transfer to airtight sealed freezer-friendly containers. I recommend freezing individual servings in small containers so that you thaw only what you need. For extra protection against freezer burn, wrap a sheet of aluminum foil around the container. Freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in the fridge overnight. Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring once in between, or until hot throughout.
  9. See ‘Variations’ section in the post to customize this soup.
  10. Recipe inspired by my Thai red curry lentil soup and Bon Appetit.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://thatspicychick.com/thai-green-curry-lentil-soup/