Pumpkin Curry with Red Lentils & Coconut Cream

Name: Pumpkin Curry with Red Lentils & Coconut Cream
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1 cup dry red lentils; 1 kg butternut squash peeled & cut to cubes; 3 bay leaves; 1-2 bouillon cubes; 1 can coconut milk; 4 cups water (or more for desired consistency); 1 tbsp olive oil or a splash of water; 1 large yellow onion chopped; 3 cloves garlic minced; 1 tsp cumin optional; 1 tsp turmeric; 10 g fresh ginger (size of thumb knuckle peeled & chopped); 1 carrot peeled & grated; 1 tsp sea salt; ground pepper to taste; chili flakes to taste; 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds optional

This Pumpkin Curry with Red Lentils & Coconut Cream is a creamy, comforting meal that is so great for cold autumn or winter days. So richly flavorful, spicy, and filling, it makes a great lunch or dinner meal.

Red Lentils are a great versatile product to have at hand. They are so easy and quick to cook, yet make the meals so much more filling and nutritious thanks to the high protein content as well as being rich in many minerals and vitamins. Lentils are an especially great source of fiber (which supports healthy gut bacteria and bowel movement), folate, iron, and manganese. And this is just a small portion of nutritional benefits red lentils can bring to our bodies.

Besides their nutritional density, red lentils are unique in their flavor: somewhat sweetish, creamy, and earthy. As a result, it makes them an incredible ingredient to base, vegan stews, and thick creamy soups.

This Pumpkin Curry with Red Lentils & Coconut Cream is a combination of a typical Lentil and Coconut soup and autumn’s most popular product: pumpkin. Less spicy than a usual dhal, and without the sourness of tomatoes, it is rather on a sweetish side of flavor palette. Still, I can imagine this soup turning to a stew if combined with some rice (that would possibly allow stretching the pot of this goodness from 6 to 8 portions).

How to Serve Pumpkin Curry with Red Lentils

Serve this Pumpkin Curry with Red Lentils & Coconut Cream on its own or along with rice as garnish. Add some fresh spinach to top up on the greens portion and sprinkle 1 tsp ground flax seeds to increase omega-3 intake. Optionally, sprinkle with juice of a lemon wedge to balance sweetness and with the slight sourness of lemon juice.

Print Recipe

Pumpkin Curry with Red Lentils & Coconut Cream

This Red Lentil & Pumpkin Coconut Curry is an exceptionally satisfying & richly flavorful meal. It would make a perfectly comforting dish for colder days.

Prep Time10

Cook Time45

Total Time55

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: Gluten free, Nut free, Vegan

Servings: 6

Calories: 388kcal

Cost: $5 USD

Equipment

Large soup pot

Ingredients

1 cup dry red lentils
1 kg butternut squash peeled & cut to cubes
3 bay leaves
1-2 bouillon cubes
1 can coconut milk
4 cups water or more for desired consistency
1 tbsp olive oil or a splash of water
1 large yellow onion chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp cumin optional
1 tsp turmeric
10 g fresh ginger size of thumb knuckle peeled & chopped
1 carrot peeled & grated
1 tsp sea salt
ground pepper to taste
chili flakes to taste
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds optional

Instructions

Into a large soup pot pour thoroughly rinsed red lentils, add pumpkin, bouillon cubes, water, and bay leaves. Let cook for 20-25 mins.
Meanwhile, to a heated pan, add olive oil, chopped onion, minced garlic, ginger, grated carrot, and spices. Cook until softened, for around 5 minutes.
Add the onion-carrot mix into the soup pot along with a can of coconut milk. Add salt and pepper, mix the soup and add more water if more liquid consistency desired. Let cook for another 20 minutes.
In a separate pan, roast pumpkin seeds for a couple of minutes and set aside in a small bowl.
Serve the curry warm with roasted pumpkin seeds and optionally chili flakes.