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When you’re in need of warming comfort food, but you also want healthy, this Coconut Sweet Potato Lentil Soup with Rice is just the soup recipe to make. All made in just ONE pot (or in your instant pot), in less than an hour, and using good for us ingredients like sweet potatoes, red lentils, warming spices, and creamy coconut milk. It’s cozy, a little spicy, and filled with vegetables. Finish each bowl off with steamed rice and you’ll have the perfect healthy bowl of sweet potato soup for lunch or dinner.
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When I get stuck creatively, I try to look at flavors and foods just slightly out of my comfort zone. I tend to fall back on cozy foods…pastas, creamy soups, and pretty much anything roasted. Those are my go-to’s and very much in my comfort zone.
This is why, when I get in a recipe rut, I love to step outside my box, and explore flavors I don’t use as often as I should.
Enter this soup.
Lately all I want to cook is the comfort foods I know and love. Which is totally fine, since I whole heartedly believe that you should make what’s inspiring you. With our cold, snowy weather I’m embracing all the comfort foods…after all, I think it’s what I’m best at!
That said, I was ready for a flavor switch up, and decided to explore some Indian inspired recipes.
Instead of googling anything, I text my soon to be sister (because my older brother is gettin’ married this summer!). Lyndsie is one of the more well-rounded eaters I know, and great for recipe ideas. She quickly responded with mulligatawny soup. At first I thought she spelled something wrong. But after some googling I discovered that mulligatawny soup is an East Indian curry soup. It’s traditionally made with veggies, sometimes lentils, sometimes apples, and coconut milk.
Honestly, I saw a ton of different versions online, so I’m not sure what’s really traditional. The point here is that I drew the inspiration for this soup from mulligatawny soup. This is not a mulligatawny soup, but it’s similar…ish, and 100% delicious.
When I set out to make this soup, I knew it needed to include three things: sweet potatoes, lentils, and rice.
I LOVE a rice based soup (have you made my favorite tortilla soup…or my wild rice soup?!). Since I haven’t made one in a bit, I knew using rice for this soup was key. I wanted lentils for protein, and sweet potatoes for, well, just because I love them…and they’re in season!
So those were my three must have ingredients. From here I built up the rest of the soup and it quickly came together.
You’ll start by cooking up some onions, garlic, and lots of ginger. These are major flavor boosters, so don’t skip them. Then toss in your sweet potatoes, yellow curry powder, and a pinch of cayenne for some heat. You could easily add some carrots and celery for extra veggies.
Add broth and red lentils, then simmer until the lentils are extra soft, which only takes about 15 minutes or so. You can also do this all in your instant pot (which I included directions for). But I honestly think it’s just as quick and easy to do this on the stove top.
Once the lentils are soft, stir in the full-fat coconut milk and some spinach, and simmer to warm through. And like that, the soup is done! I don’t like to add the rice directly to the soup. Instead I add the rice to bowls and then pour the soup over. This way the rice doesn’t soak up all the soup’s broth while it sits.
This soup is SO flavorful, SO full of color, and filled with good for us ingredients. Yet it feels totally comforting with the sweet potatoes, creamy coconut milk, and rice. I love serving it with my homemade naan (obviously). It’s our favorite over here.
Best part, well aside from all the deliciousness, this requires only one pot and is ready in less than 45 minutes. Perfect.
If you make this coconut sweet potato lentil soup please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Watch the How to Video:
Coconut Sweet Potato Lentil Soup with Rice from Half Baked Harvest on Vimeo.
Coconut Sweet Potato Lentil Soup with Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 tablespoon yellow curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, more or less to taste
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or water
- 3/4 cup dried red lentils
- kosher salt
- 1 can (14 ounce) coconut milk
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 2 cups cooked basmati rice
- 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, plus more for serving
- fresh Naan, for serving
Instructions
Stove-Top
- 1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onion and cook 5 minutes until soft. Add the ginger, garlic, and sweet potatoes and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in the curry powder and cayenne and cook another minute. 2. Add the broth and lentils. Season generously with salt. Bring the mix to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes, until the lentils are soft and the sweet potatoes tender. 3. Stir in the coconut milk and spinach, cook 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the cilantro. 4. To serve, divide the rice among bowls and ladle the soup overtop. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with Naan on the side. Enjoy!
Instant Pot
- 1. Set Instant pot to sauté. Add the olive oil and onion and cook 5 minutes until soft. Add the ginger, garlic, and sweet potatoes and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in the curry powder and cayenne and cook another minute. 2. Add the broth and lentils. Season generously with salt. Cover, select the manual setting, and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.3. Once done cooking, use the quick release function and release the steam. Set the Instant pot to sauté. Stir in the coconut milk and spinach, and cook 5 minutes. Turn the instant pot off. Stir in the cilantro.4. To serve, divide the rice among bowls and ladle the soup overtop. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with Naan on the side. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Just made this soup for lunch today and it was spectacular! So delicious and so fast to make and simple. What’s not to love!! I don’t know that it needed the basmati rice. I liked the rice in it but with the nan bread and lentils it’s an already wonderfully filling soup on its own. I had to substitute ground ginger since I didn’t have fresh ginger and you could still taste the ginger without an issue. I highly recommend you make this, and I’m definitely planning on making it again this fall season.
Thank you so much Anna! I am really happy this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
This recipe looks amazing! Would it be a bad idea
To throw some protein in there such as chicken or
Shrimp?
Hey Mahvesh,
I think that would work well! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I made this recipe yesterday! It cooked up quick. The flavors are amazing. My picky eater even liked it! I will definitely make again!
Thank you Liz! xTieghan
Just made the sweet potato lentil soup (mine was more like a stew.) it was fantastic! Thanks for adding this vegan recipe to your list – it’s great!
I am really happy you enjoyed this Pam! Thank you! xTieghan
This recipe was fantastic! I will be sure to make again. Thank you for these wonderful creative recipes. I was wondering where you got those beautiful soup bowls?
Hey Elisa,
Thank you so much for giving the recipe a try! So sorry I do not have a link for these bowls, I got them from a potter. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi
What could I have with this dish for a bigger dinner…….we are going on a family trip and looking for something vegetarian??? Thanks
Hey Kathy,
I would do a large salad with this. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I’m excited to try this tonight! I’m wondering if it matters to use full fat or reduced fat coconut milk? I have both on hand. Thanks!
Hey Paige,
Either one will work! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Does the coconut milk make it a tad sweet, if so would you recommend something else to make creamy (besides cream of course lol) Can’t wait to try this recipe even though it is the summer time. I love soups!
Hey Riche,
I would just recommend using unsweetened coconut milk. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Tha
nkyou the coconut sweet potato lentil soup with rice it sound so good iam going to make it this weekend
Thank you Doreen!! xTieghan
Finally made this tonight and it’s definitely going to be made again. I used the full 1/2 tsp of cayenne and added a seeded jalapeno with the onions, and it was very spicy but really good. I used kale and red cabbage instead of spinach for a bit more chew to the veggies; next time I want to try peas and broccoli. I love sweet potatoes and loved them in the soup, hubby doesn’t love them and that was his one complaint, so I might swap those too. This was my first time cooking with red lentils and I’m happy to try them in such a great recipe. The base is so good and I know it will be versatile. Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
Thank you Robyn!! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I am allergic to coconut and was wondering for almond milk me an ok substitute?
Hey Ashleigh,
Yes almond milk would work. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This was the best tasting soup I have ever had. EVER. I’m not vegan or vegetarian, but this tasted so good I didn’t feel I was missing out. Thank you!
Thank you so much Melinda!! I am really happy to hear that! xTieghan
This was delicious! I made it in the instant pot and used the only curry that I had (which said Thai curry powder) and then threw in some turmeric to compensate and left out the cayenne, but otherwise, did exactly the recipe. I served it to a 2, 4, and 6, yr old and it was a HIT! Thank you for a recipe that everyone will eat- it was so delicious!
Amazing! Thank you so much Allison! xTieghan
Second time making this this month and can’t get enough! This time didn’t have cilantro, only parsley, so I just added that and it was as good! I’ll also try out kale instead of spinach next time. It’sna really simple dish yet so flavorful!
Amazing! I am so glad this turned out so well for you, Juul! Thank you! xTieghan
ABSOLUTELY delicious. I added a dash of cinnamon but that’s the only change I made. I think in the future I would skip the rice because the soup on its own is absolutely lovely. We actually didn’t even eat the rice we made to go with it. Otherwise HUGE crowd pleaser.
Hi Hope! I am so glad this recipe turned out so amazing for you! Thank you for trying it! xTieghan