Spiced Lentil Soup with Curried Acorn Squash
“A recipe the family has come to love. It’s creamy from coconut milk and spiced similarly to an Indian butter chicken with garam masala, turmeric, and a bit of cayenne. The lentils keep the dish filling and hearty without meat, and then the roasted squash on top is an extra-special topping that makes this simple soup a bit more exciting than your average bowl.”
Stove top method:
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. Make the squash. On a baking sheet, toss together the squash, olive oil, honey, garam masala, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Roast until the squash is tender, 25 to 30 minutes, tossing halfway through.
3. Meanwhile, make the soup. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onion and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the butter, ginger, garlic, garam masala, turmeric, cumin, cayenne, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the butter is melted and the mixture is fragrant, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the broth and lentils. Season generously with salt. Increase the heat to high, bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook until the lentils are soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk and spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cilantro.
5. To serve, divide the rice among bowls and ladle the soup over the top. Spoon the squash into the soup and top with the herbs and a dollop of yogurt. Serve with naan alongside, if desired.
Pressure cooker method:
1. Roast the squash as directed for the stove top.
2. Meanwhile, using the sauté function, heat the olive oil in the pressure cooker pot. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the butter, ginger, garlic, garam masala, turmeric, cumin, cayenne, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the butter is melted and the mixture is fragrant, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the broth and lentils. Season generously with salt. Lock the lid in place and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Quick or natural release, then open when the pressure subsides.
4. Turn on the sauté function. Stir in the coconut milk and spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes. Turn off the pressure cooker. Stir in the cilantro.
5. Serve the soup as directed for the stove top.
Slow cooker method:
1. Make the soup. In the slow cooker pot, combine the olive oil, onion, butter, ginger, garlic, garam masala, turmeric, cumin, cayenne, broth, and lentils. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 6 hours.
2. During the last 15 minutes of cooking, stir in the coconut milk, spinach, and cilantro.
3. Meanwhile, roast the squash as directed for the stove top.
4. Serve the soup as directed for the stove top.
Excerpted from Half Baked Harvest Every Day by Tieghan Gerard. Copyright © 2022 by Tieghan Gerard. Photographs by Tieghan Gerard. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.
Originally featured in 3 Hearty Soups for Chilly Winter Days
