It's finally soup season!

Los Angeles finally had its first rainy day, and though the rain didn't last very long, there is still a chill in the air making it the perfect day for a steaming bowl of this Thai Spiced Lentil Soup!

Vegan or not, this soup is perfect for all!

This recipe is vegan, however with a few quick changes, it can be ready for your favorite carnivore in your life. Just substitute the vegan fish sauce or soy sauce for real fish sauce. You can also substitute the lentils with chicken or shrimp! Or just use both! Nothing wrong with more protein! If using chicken, I recommend using poached chicken to ensure that it is fully cooked through. Shrimp cooks fast though, so you are safe throwing it into the soup for the last 7 minutes of cooking time!

Spice not your thing? Tone down the soup with a bigger coconut milk to broth ratio!

The poblano peppers aren't too spicy, but the Serrano chilies definitely pack a punch. If you find the soup too spicy just add in more coconut milk. Not spicy enough? Add more chili paste in by the tablespoon! I used reduced fat coconut milk and found that ⅔ cup of chili paste and 2 and ½ cups of coconut milk worked for me. But keep in mind that if you use a fuller fat coconut milk you may not need as much to calm down the spice.

 

How we make it:

This soup was inspired by a chili sauce I found on Bon Appetite. I thought the flavors sounded incredible, too incredible to be just a sauce. I thought why not turn it into a full meal. And ta da! The result was this incredible vegan soup. To start I made a similar chili paste to the one I found from BA but altered it to make it vegan, match my preferred level of spice, and to better accommodate the ingredients I could find at my local grocery store.

Make the Spicy Thai Chili Paste

To begin, deseed and char the peppers and chile then combine with the shallot, ginger, and herbs in a food processor to make the paste. add in the soy sauce and lime juice and blend until combined. This paste is what will flavor your soup, so try it now and adjust accordingly for saltiness, sweetness, if there is enough lime juice, etc. Do not worry if you find it too spicy because the coconut milk will cool it down significantly. This recipe will make just over 1 cup of chili paste, and you can use as much or as little of that in your soup as you desire. I typically use ⅓-2/3 cup to make the soup. The remainder will save for 3 days in the fridge or for 2 months in the freezer.

Soup Time!

Once the paste is made, begin making the soup by blooming the chili paste in coconut oil to maximize its flavor. To be safe, I like to start with ½ cup chili paste and then build the flavor from there. Stir the paste for 1 minute then add the vegetable broth and coconut milk. Bring to a boil then add the lentils in and reduce to a simmer. Cover the pan and simmer until the lentils are cooked through, roughly 35-40 minutes.

Then just serve and enjoy!

 

[lt_recipe name="Thai Spiced Lentil Soup" servings="4" prep_time="20 MINUTES" cook_time="35-40 MINUTES" total_time="1 HOUR" difficulty="Easy" summary="Stay warm and cozy through the longer nights with this vegan Thai Spiced Lentil Soup! This soup is so easy to throw together and can be ready in under an hour! Keep the recipe as is, or swap the lentils for tofu. Or, if you don’t follow a vegan diet, throw in shrimp or chicken!" print="yes" image="https://www.thefeastlocal.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/IMG_7411-Edit.jpg" ingredients="4 Pablano Peppers;1 Serrano Chile;½ Shallot;4 Garlic Cloves;1 Lime, Jucied;½ Tsp Lime Zest;1 Tbs Vegan Fish Sauce (Sub coconut aminos);1 Tsp Agave or Coconut Sugar (Optional*);¼ Cup Cilantro;¼ Cut Mint;2-3 Cups Coconut Milk (Light or Full Fat);2 Cups Vegetable Broth;1 Cup Dried Green Lentils" ]Deseed and Char the peppers and Chile by placing on an open flame on a gas stove or broiling them for 10-12 minutes. Set aside to cool;Add the shallot, garlic, peppers, chili, lime juice, zest, fish sauce, agave or sugar, and herbs to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. This chili paste is what will flavor the soup, so try it now and adjust accordingly for saltiness, sweetness, if there is enough lime juice, etc. Do not worry if you find it too spicy because the coconut milk will cool it down significantly. This will make just over 1 cup of chili paste. I typically use ½ Cup to ⅓ Cup of this to make the soup. The remainder will save for 3 days in the fridge or for 2 months in the freezer. ;Begin by blooming the chili paste to maximize its flavor. Add 1 Tbs of coconut or olive oil to a large sauce pan and melt over medium high heat, then add in the chili paste, starting with ½ Cup. Stir the chili paste for 1 minute then add in the vegetable broth and 2 cups of coconut milk. Stir until combined and bring to a boil. Add in the lentils and bring to a simmer. Cover the pan and let simmer for 35-40 minutes until the lentils soft. While the soup is cooking, continuously test it and decide if you want more flavor and add in more chili paste. If you prefer less spicy, add in the extra cup of coconut milk. Before serving, I like to add in a few extra torn mint and cilantro leaves. ;;[/lt_recipe]