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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.
Wow. I made this for dinner and it was the perfect meal for a cold and rainy winter night! So wholesome and delicious, also very easy to make. As always, thanks for sharing!
Hey Karen,
I am so glad that the recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Have a great week:) xTieghan
This is the soup that I probably make the most these days. I sub out the sweet potatoes for butternut squash, as my husband doesn’t like sweet potatoes, I use brown rice instead of basmati, and kale instead of spinach. It’s so versatile!
Hey Kristy,
I am thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks for making it! I hope you have an awesome weekend:) xTieghan
Hi I have made this recipe and it is so yummy! ? I do have a fair bit left over, does anyone know if it freezes okay? And if you would add the rice before freezing? Thank you ?
Hey Charmaine,
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, I would recommend freezing without the rice. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This is soooo good. Mine came out like a curry though. I used the really creamy kind of coconut milk and more sweet potatoes than what was called for. I’ll be making it again!
Hey Sierra,
I am thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
I made this tonight for a quick, warming dinner. It was so good. I used chicken broth instead of veg, that is all I had, and used kale instead of spinach. The lentils and coconut milk makes this very creamy. Next time I will make Naan to go with it. So good. I just discovered your Instagram yesterday, so excited to make more of your recipes.
Hey Gentry,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Have a great week:) xTieghan
A new classic at home ! Sooo comforting, softy and hearty. And flavourful too of course ! Thanks for sharing your recipes, I absolutely love them ! I would love to have access to a French version of your book / a version with metric measures. It would be like Christmas! 🙂
Hey Marion,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
Made this for dinner and everyone loved it! Honestly better the second day so all the flavors blend together. Everyone’s favorite part was the fresh naan! Will be a winter dinner favorite!!
Hey Kat,
I am so glad the recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for trying it out! Happy Sunday! xTieghan
Hey Tieghan,
Wondering if I could add the rice into the soup or if that would be a bad idea? If it’s okay, when would I add it?
Thanks!
Hey Chelsea,
I would honestly just follow the recipe as is, otherwise the rice will soak up a lot of the broth. I hope you love the recipe. Please let me know if you have any other questions. xTieghan
This sounds amazing! Would green lentils work instead of red?
Hey Katie,
Yes, those would work nicely. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy New Year! xTieghan
I just made this and it is delicious! I wanted something lower calorie that was a little bit warmer than eating a salad in the Midwest in winter and man, this is it! I followed the recipe to the letter with the exception of using shallots (ran out of onions). Thank you!!
Hey Wendi,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled it was a hit! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Do you use full fat coconut milk for this or light coconut milk? Thanks!
Hey Becca,
I like to use full fat coconut milk. Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Super tasty! I was feeling lazy so chucked in brown rice at the same time as the lentils and added some extra water. It’s a really delicious bowl of warmness on a cold new years day!
Hey Sarah,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Thank you for this recipe. My lentils were brown and I skipped the cilantro but added a little bit of basil when I added the coconut. I used arugula because I didn’t have any spinach. It had a nice flavor and pureed well (my gma has few teeth and a colostomy). We had it over cauliflower rice.
Hey Rachel,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it worked out for you! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
My whole family loves this soup!! So warm and comforting and easy to make. Thank you!
Thanks so much Joy!! xTieghan
I think this soup is my new favourite!! And so easy!
We don’t like a lot of spice in our house so I skipped the cayenne all together and it still HD a ton of flavour. I also added cauliflower and used brown rice which gave it a little chew. Overall, and A+!
Thank you so much Nikki! xTieghan