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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 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 soup for lunch or dinner.
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.
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 coconut 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.
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Can you use green or brown lentils?
Green lentils hold their shape much better. They don’t become mush easily. Just cook the soup longer and it should be fine.
Hi Josie,
Yes, either of those will work well for you. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
This is delicious! We have lots of leftovers, how would you recommend freezing extras?
Hey Danielle,
Happy Sunday! So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, thanks a lot for making it! I would just freeze as is, you might have less broth once you thaw. xxT
Good morning
I need to make some meals ahead to freeze. Would this freeze well?Any adjustments? I was thinking prepare up to coconut milk and spinach, freeze. When needed put in slow cooker and then add coconut milk and spinach? Any tips would be appreciated.
This looks cozy!
Hey Lisa,
That sounds like a great idea and should work well for you! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
UHM, this is absolutely delicious! Definitely becoming a staple meal in the house! Thank you!
Hey Riley,
Awesome! Thanks a lot for making this recipe. I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Happy Thursday❄️ xxT
This is a new favorite in my house. The perfect fall/winter meal. So comforting, so yummy, so healthy. It’s like a hug in a bowl! I questioned the need for rice at first, but I get it now. It’s perfect. Even the meat loving men in my house approved! Bonus – I’ve got a yummy lunch of leftovers to look forward to! I love the whole HBH platform, these recipes are great, (mostly) healthy and help me branch out from the rut of making the same handful of dishes.
Hey Kristen,
Thank you so very much for trying this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
Delicious! Great flavor combo, very satisfying, and pretty simple to make.
Do you think you can put the rice right in the instant pot with the sweet potatoes to eliminate the extra step?
Hi Erin,
Thank you so very much for trying this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Sorry, you will want to cook the rice first. xxTieghan
Omg this is the most comforting meal! I just took my first bite and it makes me feel at home. I’m obsessed!
Hey Madeline,
Thank you so very much for trying this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
This is the first HBH recipe I ever made. I had come across this in a collection of different recipes from different blogs right before Thanksgiving that year. We’ve been friends ever since
Hey Toni,
Wonderful! I am thrilled to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a go! Happy New Year!? xTieghan
Just made this soup; so comforting, flavourful and super easy to make. Doubled the recipe for our weekly meal prep. My boyfriend is upstairs working, and said how yummy it smells! I added the rice in after cooking, and it is still delicious! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe 🙂
Hi Julia,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Very delicious! I skipped the rice but made some quick garlic croutons from stale bread and they were the perfect topping ?
I love your recipes!
Hi Kathleen,
Thank you so very much for trying this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
I make this soup all the time in the instant pot! Definitely a go to:) thank you!
Hey Molly,
Wonderful! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try! Happy Holidays!?? xTieghan
Made this tonight and fell in love. This soup is perfect, hearty, sastifying, flavourful and healthy! The lentils, coconut, sweet potatoes work so well together.
Hey Emily,
Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Have the best day! xTieghan
Made this tonight and fell in love. This soup is perfect, hearty, sastifying, flavourful and healthy!
Hey Emily,
Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Have the best day! xTieghan
Can you use a slow cooker?
Yes! xTieghan
I couldn’t find red lentils at my store. Will the flavor be similar with regular lentils (and/or are they one in the same? There were yellow lentils and then just “lentils”). Thank you!
Hey Carmen! Those should work just fine 🙂 xxTieghan
Is this about 2 cups of cubed sweet potatoes? Mine are gigantic, so just trying to get a better idea about the amount.
Yes, that should work great! xTieghan
This was delicious, satisfying and comes together easily so it’s perfect for a week night. I added some fish sauce for umami and opted not to make the rice so dialed the broth back to 3 cups.
Hey! So glad you loved this recipe! 🙂 xTieghan
This soup was so comforting, filling, and tasty! Thank you so much. We love it 🙂
Hi Elizabeth,
Fantastic!! I am so glad that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a try. Have the best week! xTieghan