Instant Pot Thai Red Curry Lentil Soup
Try this Instant Pot Thai Red Curry Lentil Soup recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Instant Pot Thai Red Curry Lentil Soup recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- pinch salt
- 1 small onion (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon ginger (grated)
- 1 cup red lentils
- 2 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon thai red curry paste (use 2 tablespoons for spici
- 3 cups broth (chicken or vegetable))
- 1 can coconut milk (398-milliliter can)
- 1/2 head cauliflower (chopped small)
- 2 cups spaghetti squash (cooked)
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce (omit if vegan or vegetarian)
- 1 lime (juiced plus more to serve)
- cilantro (to serve)
- Carbohydrate 22.4298666666667 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 2.6624 g
- Fiber 11.3866666666667 g
- Protein 9.632 g
- Saturated Fat 2.01890666666667 g
- Serving Size 1 1 -8 serving (41g)
- Sodium 28.0786666666667 mg
- Sugar 11.0432 g
- Trans Fat 0.208026666666667 g
- Calories 151 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat the Instant Pot on sauté mode and add the oil when the display says "hot".
- Sauté the onion for about 2 or 3 minutes until it just starts to take on some colour.
- Add in the garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 more minute.
- Now put in the red curry paste and sauté that for about 30 seconds to a minute - don't let it burn.
- Pour about 1 cup of the broth in and stir the curry paste into the broth until it's all dissolved. Add in the rest of the ingredients.
- Lock on the lid with the valve closed and cook at High Pressure for 15 minutes. When time is up natural pressure release for about 10 minutes before releasing the last of the steam.
- Open the lid and puree the soup with an immersion blender.
- Serve with a wedge of lime and some chopped cilantro and some fresh chilis if you really want to make it spicy. Enjoy!
Blooming Aromatics Under Pressure
Thai red curry paste relies on lipid-soluble flavor compounds that require direct contact with fat to fully release their aromatic potential, which is why frying the paste briefly in coconut oil before adding liquid transforms the raw spices into a cohesive base. When operating an electric pressure cooker, ensure the inner pot reads hot before introducing the oil to prevent sticking while sautéing onions for two to three minutes. Deglazing the base with a single cup of broth dissolves any browned starches clinging to the bottom, avoiding the dreaded burn notice that modern multi-cookers trigger when thick pastes scorch against the heating element.
Texture Management and Equipment Substitutions
Red lentils break down naturally during high-pressure cooking, yielding a creamy medium without requiring extensive manual labor. Sealing the lid with the steam valve closed for 15 minutes followed by a strict 10-minute natural pressure release allows the starches to hydrate fully while preventing explosive liquid release through the valve. Processing the cooked mixture with an immersion blender creates a velvety emulsion, though a standard countertop blender works if batches are cooled slightly and filled only halfway to prevent thermal expansion accidents. Fish sauce adds necessary umami depth through glutamates, but soy sauce or tamari serves as a reliable vegetarian substitute at a one-to-one volume ratio.
