Asian-inspired · Starter · 40 min

Red lentil and coconut soup

Name: Red lentil and coconut soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Asian-inspired
Ingredients: 2 tbsp oil; 2 onions, finely diced; 2 cloves garlic, finely diced; 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated; 175 g red lentils; 1 tsp turmeric; 2 tsp chilli powder (for less heat use only 1 tsp); 1 can chopped or whole tomatoes (about 400 g, with the juice); 1 can coconut milk (about 400 ml); 600 ml vegetable stock; 1 stalk leek, cut into rings; 50 g young leaf spinach; 1 lime (juice, plus wedges to serve); salt and pepper; ground coriander (to taste)

Creamy, mildly spicy soup of red lentils, coconut milk and tomato with fresh ginger, spinach and a squeeze of lime.

As of: 11 October 2026

Preparation

Heat the oil in a pan and sweat the onions, garlic and ginger until translucent.
Stir the lentils with the turmeric and chilli powder briefly in the pan, then deglaze with the tomatoes, coconut milk and stock.
Bring everything to the boil, crush the tomatoes with a wooden spoon and simmer for about 10 minutes, then add the leek and cook for another 10 minutes until the lentils are soft.
Stir in the spinach and let it just wilt, then season with salt, pepper, coriander and the lime juice and serve with lime wedges.

Drink with it

White wine · excellent match
Off-dry Riesling Kabinett or Gewürztraminer, well chilled
A little residual sugar tames the chilli warmth, the acidity loosens up the coconut milk, and the wine's citrus and spice notes meet the ginger and lime.
Which wine pairs with food? A simple approach to choosing
Wheat beer · excellent match
Hefeweizen, cold
The banana and clove of the wheat beer meet the coconut and turmeric, and the soft carbonation refreshes against the chilli.
Wheat Beer: Where Do Banana and Clove Come From?
White rum · good match
White rum highball with tonic or ginger ale, lots of ice and lime
Coconut and lime are the tropical notes of rum; long and ice cold it stays light instead of fanning the chilli.
White or dark rum: what does the color really tell you?

With the same drinks

This pairs well too.

Asian-inspired · Starter · 40 min

Red lentil and coconut soup

Creamy, mildly spicy soup of red lentils, coconut milk and tomato with fresh ginger, spinach and a squeeze of lime.

As of: 11 October 2026

Preparation

Heat the oil in a pan and sweat the onions, garlic and ginger until translucent.
Stir the lentils with the turmeric and chilli powder briefly in the pan, then deglaze with the tomatoes, coconut milk and stock.
Bring everything to the boil, crush the tomatoes with a wooden spoon and simmer for about 10 minutes, then add the leek and cook for another 10 minutes until the lentils are soft.
Stir in the spinach and let it just wilt, then season with salt, pepper, coriander and the lime juice and serve with lime wedges.

Drink with it

White wine · excellent match
Off-dry Riesling Kabinett or Gewürztraminer, well chilled
A little residual sugar tames the chilli warmth, the acidity loosens up the coconut milk, and the wine's citrus and spice notes meet the ginger and lime.
Which wine pairs with food? A simple approach to choosing
Wheat beer · excellent match
Hefeweizen, cold
The banana and clove of the wheat beer meet the coconut and turmeric, and the soft carbonation refreshes against the chilli.
Wheat Beer: Where Do Banana and Clove Come From?
White rum · good match
White rum highball with tonic or ginger ale, lots of ice and lime
Coconut and lime are the tropical notes of rum; long and ice cold it stays light instead of fanning the chilli.
White or dark rum: what does the color really tell you?

With the same drinks

Red lentil and coconut soup

Preparation

Drink with it

Off-dry Riesling Kabinett or Gewürztraminer, well chilled

Hefeweizen, cold

White rum highball with tonic or ginger ale, lots of ice and lime

This pairs well too.

Red lentil dal

Chicken and Mango Curry

Chicken and Pineapple Curry

Coconut Fish Curry

Red lentil and coconut soup

Preparation

Drink with it

Off-dry Riesling Kabinett or Gewürztraminer, well chilled

Hefeweizen, cold

White rum highball with tonic or ginger ale, lots of ice and lime

This pairs well too.

Red lentil dal

Chicken and Mango Curry

Chicken and Pineapple Curry

Coconut Fish Curry