Next Post
Milk Chocolate Stuffed Jack-O’-Lantern Cookies.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
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.
Coconut Sweet Potato Lentil Soup with Rice
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 1813 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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!
This was so good! A great fall recipe. I made it this weekend and have been eating leftovers all week–flavors are even better the second and third day!
Hey Katie,
Happy Wednesday! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for making it! xT
Loved this recipe! This is the first one we tried an it was a great success. Love the naan and I’m excited to start trying mor bread recipes. Thanks Tieghan!
Hey Scot,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it! xx
Is the calorie counter per serving 1813 correct? This sounds like something I’d like to try, but that scares me a little. (Also the photography on your site is amazing. It makes me want to try everything-even the things that have ingredients I would hate lol. It’s all so beautiful.
Hey April,
I always recommend that if the nutritional information is important to you, you use your own personal calculator. Ours is automatic and controlled by google. It’s not something we’d prefer to be using. We are required to. I’m sorry for the trouble, we do our best! Hope you enjoy the recipe! xT
I did a little mental math and I think that 1813 calories has to be total for the whole dish not per serving
This was so simple, affordable, and tasted incredible! Thanks Tieghan!!
Hey Emily,
I am so glad to hear that this recipe was tasty for you and appreciate you giving it a try! xxT
Delicious and so easy!!
Hi Rebecca,
Happy Monday!! Thanks a lot for making this dish and sharing your review, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have a great week! xx
I tell you what, this was delicious… but I unexpectedly made the naan per your recipe and my baker husband’s mind was blown. Both are excellent and keepers!! Thank you!!
Hi Laura,
Amazing!! Thanks a lot for trying this dish and sharing your feedback, I love to hear that it was tasty for you! xT
I love this recipe! I have made it several times, and sometimes I add chicken to it. It’s delicious with naan and tons of cilantro on top. So good!
Hi Jessica,
Happy Friday! I am so excited that you enjoyed this recipe, thanks a lot for giving it a go! xT?
So, so good. Thank you for all your recipes- I use them frequently!
Hey Andrea!
Happy Sunday! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was a winner:)
This recipe is always a winner. Any thoughts on adjusting for a crockpot? I’ve got a little one, and anything that can be dumped in a slow cooker and forgotten about makes our lives ever so slightly easier…
Hi Whitney,
Happy Monday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a go, I am so glad it was a winner:) I don’t see why this wouldn’t work in the crockpot, I would probably do 6-8 hours on low. Have the best week! xx
Hi Tieghan,
While this recipe is neither new nor seasonal, I am pregnant and was really craving soup on this beautiful June day and thought of this one, because I always have everything you need to make it on hand (truly one of my all time favorite HBH recipes). It never disappoints and as I devoured my bowl it occurred to me how completely nourishing a meal it is. Everything my stomach and soul needed without any animal products or gluten! And it’s definitely going to set me up for success in the bathroom tomorrow, which is a major pregnancy bonus. Thank you for this and every other recipe and for being the best!
Hi Lucy,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for your comment and making this recipe. So glad it hear it was enjoyed! Thanks for your kind message! xTieghan
LOVED IT! I couldn’t find red lentils but the regular ones were fine!
Hey there,
Awesome!! Thanks for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Can this be made without lentils? What recipe changes would need to happen for that?
Hi Ivy,
Sure, you can simply just omit the lentils here. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
I seriously can’t rave about this recipe enough. I make it at least once a month and it makes so much I have meals for a week. It’s also easily freezeable which, as a singleton, is super helpful. Especially since this recipe makes so darned much. I often freeze half and then, when I’m feeling particularly lazy or under the weather, just let it thaw in the fridge and reheat in the microwave. So, so good!! Another Half Baked winner!
Hey Gretchen,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
Followed directions with exact ingredients and it turned out PERFECTION. Oooo I’m so thankful for Half-Baked Harvest!!!
Hey Charity,
Thank you so much for trying this recipe, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed!! Thanks for your kind message! xTieghan
Is it okay to use regular lentils and not red lentils? Thanks!
Hey Daniella,
You bet, that would be just fine to do! Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Really enjoyed the flavor of this recipe. And it is very substantive and filling. I’m trying to cook at least 1 meal each week without meat due to rising meat prices, but it’s difficult for my husband to eat vegetarian. So, I pan-fried a chicken sausage for him to add to his.
Hey Noell,
Thanks for giving this recipe a try and sharing what worked well for you! xTieghan