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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.
Absolutely DELICIOUS
Hi Lara,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xT
Very nice soup. And super quick to make. Used “adult spinach” – because I prefer it in soup – and Thai red curry paste. (and finished with a squeeze of lime!)
Hi there,
Thank you so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was a winner! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! xx
One of our favorite go to’s! and all of the kids love it <3 (BONUS!!!!)
Hey Laura,
Happy Wednesday! So glad to hear that this recipe is always a hit, thanks for making it so often and sharing your review:)
Great, simple easy soup. I added porcini mushrooms. Gave it an earthly flavor. Also used riced cauliflower instead of rice. But I love the suggestion of adding the rice separately instead of cooking it in the soup. That always causes the rice to drink up all the broth.
I keep coming back to Half-Baked Harvest for more and more recipes. Love all of them <3.
Hey Cathy,
Happy Friday!!🌻 I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for trying it and sharing your review:) xT
Absolutely delicious – we made with Japanese white sweet potatoes and regular lentils (brown ?) and it was fabulous. Forgot the rice … ooops…and it didnt really need it. I didnt even notice we forgot til I read the recipe again way later🤣. Thank you Tieghan! This one was a winner!
Hey Jerri,
Happy Friday!!🌻 I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for trying it and sharing your review:) xT
Do you think this can be done in the slow cooker? If so how?
Hey Emerald,
I’ve not tested this recipe in the slow cooker, so I’m not sure of the best instructions, but let me know if you give it a try! xx
Yum! Thank you!!
Hi Patty,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xx
Is this really 1800 calories per serving?
Hi Alison,
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 checked 4 different online nutrition generators. Without the rice it ranged from 400 cal – 2000. So, who knows? LOL You’d have to check it with something you trust, one ingredient at a time.
Omg this is so good. Plz keep it up with all the amazing soups and stews this fall and winter!!!
Thanks so much!!
So simple and so good!!
Hi Jenny,
Awesome! So glad to hear this recipe turned out tasty for you, thanks so much for making it! xT
I’ve been making this for a few years now and it’s definitely a favorite! So good and perfect for fall
Hi Allie,
Happy Monday!! 👻 I am so glad this recipe is always tasty for you, thanks a lot for making it so often! xT
So delicious! Easy to prep, and came together pretty quickly. I’ll probably use green lentils next time, since the red ones became a little too soft for my taste. Definitely adding this to the fall meal rotation!
Hey Dylan,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback, I am thrilled to hear that it was enjoyed! xx
Excellent, easy, definitely a nice change up. Super comforting and came together pretty quickly.
Is it possible to confirm the calorie estimation here? I know coconut milk is calorie dense but 1,800+ feels like it might be off for one serving?
Hey Amanda,
Amazing!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks so much for trying it out! 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! Let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Outstanding. I doubled the recipe which was easy to do. Garnished with avocado. Considering freezing half, because usually it’s just two of us, but honestly not sure we won’t just eat it up. I don’t think the color lentils matters much here. Red lentils pretty much dissolved into the broth so a green or brown might hold up a bit if you like some bite there. Color is a consideration too, if you change the curry. In general this is an easy healthy soup we will put on rotation this winter.
Hey Michelle,
Amazing!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks so much for trying it out! Thanks for sharing what worked well for you! xT🍂
Yum!! So tasty. I used brown lentils and it was still delicious. Will make this again.
Hey Liz,
Happy Friday!! I am delighted to hear that this recipe turned out tasty for you, thanks a bunch for giving it a try!