Creamy Pumpkin and Red Lentil Soup

Dear Dinner Therapist: Cooking dinner feels like such a chore! I’m in need of a vegan dinner recipe that makes good leftovers for lunch the next day, and can be reheated easily (my family of three eats at different times). Watching food costs as well is very important. I like to cook but am not excited by it. Glad I found you for some inspiration!!! Thank you! — Loves Leftovers

Dear Loves Leftovers: You’re not alone in the sentiment that cooking dinner feels like a chore. I develop recipes and cook for a living and I feel the same way more than you might expect. But dinner still has to get on the table, so here’s my strategy: I lean on big-batch, low-effort pantry meals that basically cook themselves. As we head into fall, the meal at the top of that list is a comforting curried pumpkin soup (a fun twist on the classic pumpkin soup).

I’ve been making a version of this curried pumpkin soup for over 10 years, and this is by far the best iteration. A few spoonfuls of red Thai curry paste ensures an incredible mix of warm spices and aromatics, rich coconut milk gives the soup extra body, and creamy red lentils really bulk it up and add a boost of protein. It’s also freezable and reheats wonderfully to accommodate a staggered dinnertime schedule.

• It leaves you with leftovers, but almost no leftover ingredients. The leftover soup reheats so well and tastes great for days to come (week, even months, if you happen to stash it in the freezer). I love a recipe that uses up most, if not all, of the ingredients required, which is why this one uses the whole can of pumpkin purée and coconut milk, and the entirety of perishable items. 
• This is a low-effort, high-reward meal. My favorite kind of recipe! There’s only five minutes of up-front prep and minimal hands-on cooking. Smart grocery items like canned pumpkin and red Thai curry paste mean that this soup has layers of big flavor.

• Dried red lentils. These give the soup texture, body, and a boost of protein. 
• Vegan red Thai curry paste. Do check the label because not all red Thai curry paste is vegan (some contain shellfish). I happen to like Thai Kitchen because it’s widely available and the spice level is relatively mild but definitely still there. If you prefer a curry paste with more heat, I also like Mekhala.
• Pumpkin purée. Good news, you’ll use the whole can, so there’s no need to worry about how to use up the leftovers. Be sure to buy pumpkin purée, not pie filling.
• Unsweetened coconut milk. I prefer full-fat for the extra body and richness it adds to the soup, but light coconut milk also works well. Just be sure it’s unsweetened. 
• Low-sodium vegetable broth. This will give your soup so much more flavor than using water.

• If keeping the soup vegan isn’t a priority for you, an equal amount of low-sodium chicken broth can be used for the soup.
• Canned butternut squash purée works well as an alternative for pumpkin purée.
• I prefer fresh garlic and ginger, but those handy frozen garlic and ginger cubes will also get the job done. 
• If you’re concerned about spiciness, reduce the curry paste down to 2 tablespoons.

Dinner Therapist is my column dedicated to solving your dilemmas around the most important — but let’s be honest, sometimes most dreaded — meal of the day. Prepping dinner night after night can be so hard. Here, I deliver practical and hopefully fun advice to make cooking less complicated and more enjoyable. Follow along for all the recipes. Got your own dinner struggles? We want to hear from you! Fill out this super-quick form for your chance to be featured in an upcoming column.