This red lentil sweet potato soup recipe is quick and easy. Using simple ingredients this soup is high in protein, and naturally gluten-free. Flavored with warm curry spices and made entirely in the Instant Pot.
This is one of my healthy soup recipes you’ll want in your regular recipe rotation.
Lentils are often overlooked, even though they are an inexpensive ingredient full of nutrients. They have plenty of iron and are a great source of iron and fiber.
Lentils do not only taste amazing they are an amazing plant-based meat-alternative.
Fun fact: The majority of the world’s lentils are grown in Canada. Who knew?!
Key Ingredients For This Creamy Soup
- Rinsed or soaked red lentils. I prefer soaked as they are easier to digest this way. 2 hours of soaking are already enough. After soaking always drain and rinse legumes.
- Peeled and cubed sweet potatoes. You will need 1.5 lbs of sweet potatoes which are about 2 large or 3 small sweet potatoes. Peeling isn’t essential but it ensures your soup will have a beautiful color. Cubing is essential because else they won’t cook properly in such a short amount of pressure cooking.
- Onion & garlic. Both give amazing flavor. Coarse chopping is enough. No need to spend much time on finely chopping. We will be blending them in at the end anyway.
- Stock or broth. You can use vegetable stock to keep the soup vegan or you can use chicken broth.
- Spices. Garam masala, paprika, sea salt and pepper are the best spices for this red lentil sweet potato soup.
- Sour cream and cilantro. The best toppings ever. Not only because they look beautiful but because they taste amazing mixed in.
How To Make Red Lentil Sweet Potato Soup In The Instant Pot
- Add onions and garlic. Preheat the Instant Pot by hitting the sauté button. Once the display says hot add a drizzle of avocado oil and chopped onion and garlic.
- Sauté onions and garlic. Stir-fry until they become translucent and barely start to brown.
- Add dry ingredients. First, turn off the Instant Pot, then add red lentils, peeled and cubed sweet potatoes, and spices (garam masala, paprika, sea salt, pepper).
- Add wet ingredient. Add 3 cups of broth.
- Pressure cook. Give everything a quick stir, put on the lid, and turn the valve to the sealing position. Then set the Instant Pot to 10 minutes on high pressure and after that let the pressure release naturally.
- Blend. Turn the Instant Pot off and use an immersion blender to blend the soup right in the pot until smooth and creamy, or transfer everything to a regular blender or food processor in batches.
- Serve. Serve with a swirl of sour cream, a few leaves of cilantro, and a few sesame seeds on top.
Variations Of This Recipe
- Spices – Feel free to play around with the spices in this recipe. Garam masala is great because it is a spice mix but other spices that go well with lentils are cumin, coriander, turmeric, and ginger.
- Other vegetables – If you are not a fan of sweet potato you can easily replace it with any kind of creamy squash. Pumpkin, butternut squash, or acorn squash. It will be equally delicious.
- Low-carb vegetables – You can also add some low-carb vegetables to the mix. Great options are 1 zucchini, 1 red or yellow bell pepper, or 3 stalks of celery.
- Other toppings – My favorite are sour cream, fresh cilantro, and sesame seeds but the sky is the limit of course. Use coconut cream to keep to soup vegan and any kind of seed and fresh herb you like.
- Regular pot – You can obviously make this soup in a regular pot on the stove as well. An Instant Pot isn’t essential. Simply follow the same instructions and then instead of pressure cooking, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for 20-30 minutes on the stove.
How To Store This Soup
Creamy sweet potato soups are perfect for freezing! You can easily double the recipe and freeze for another night when you don’t want to cook dinner.
The soup can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It will simply become thicker and thicker over time. You might have to add a splash of broth or water to the soup when reheating to make it creamy again.
The following links are affiliate links:
The best soup-freezing containers are these Souper Cubes.
My favorite jars to store soups in the fridge are these 3/4 liter Weck Jars.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s up to you. This recipe works with soaked and unsoaked lentils. I personally prefer to soak them because they become easier to digest that way.
This soup is nutrient dense and balanced. No need to serve anything on the side. It serves as main dish or as entree.
It’s not absolutely crucial. The skin is edible. However, to avoid an ugly brown-colored soup and instead a bright orange soup you will want to remove the skin.
Red Lentil Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 1/2 Tbsp avocado oil
- 1 yellow onion, coarsly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
- 1.25 cups dried red lentils - * see notes
- 1.5 lbs sweet potato, peeled and cubed - 2 medium or 3 small
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- sea salt
- pepper
- 4 Tbsp sour cream - or coconut cream to keep vegan
- 1 Tbsp black sesame seeds - optional
- 1/3 cup cilantro leaves - optional
Instructions
- Preheat the Instant Pot by pressing the Saute button.
- Once hot, add oil, onion, and garlic and saute until translucent.
- Add drained lentils, cubed sweet potato, spices, and broth, and give a quick stir.
- Put on the lid and seal it and set to 10 minutes on high pressure. Then let pressure release naturally.
- Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth or transfer to a regular blender or food processor.
- Serve with sour cream swirled into the soup and sprinkle with a few cilantro leaves and black sesame seeds.
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Carla @ Foodie Digital says
Not only is this soup ridiculously delicious, it is also very budget friendly and also made with ingredients that I almost always have on hand in my fridge and pantry. Win win!
Susan Hylton says
Lorena, this an awesome recipe. I served it with steaming hot Turkish Bazlama. It was perfect!
Ayme says
I absolutely love this soup! I made it last week for dinner! I am Mexican so added on my plate some jalapeños…yummy yummy yummy! Thank you!
Anije says
HI Lorena, What may I substitute for garam masala, please?
Thanks for letting me know.
~~~Anije
Lorena Grater says
Hi Anije, I respond to that question in the blog post :) Any other spice you like and I even make suggestions for great alternatives.
Erin says
This was so delicious. I feel so healthy, too! Thank you!
Lorena Grater says
I’m happy to read you enjoyed it :)
Apenny Vacuum says
This soup is utterly delicious – I can’t get enough of it! I thought the consistency was just perfect. The only change I made was to add a little more garlic and also to throw in some fresh red chilli with the onions. Tasty!
Lorena says
I’m sooo happy you like it that much Apenny!!
Lorena says
Ok, so I did a quick google search of how long it takes to cook red lentils in the instant pot and it seems to be 10 minutes high pressure and natural pressure release. Considering very small sweet potatoes take only 15 minutes I would cut them up really small and then the 10 minutes should be enough. I’d do 10 minutes high pressure and natural pressure release until the pin drops. If the sweet potato isn’t cooked, immediately close the lid again and bring to pressure again and cook another 5 minutes on high pressure.
M says
So delicious and satisfying! Thanks
Lorena says
Thank you for coming back and commenting :)
Lorena says
of course! You can also use 6 cups of broth instead of water. Just go easier on the spices to compensate :)
Cliff says
Thank you so very very much! Super excited to try this!
Lorena says
You are very very welcome :)
Lynn says
Do you have a recipe for this soup if you don’t have an instant pot ?
Lorena Grater says
Everything cooked in the Instant Pot can also be cooked in a regular pot on the stove, it simply takes longer. You simply follow the same instructions and add another 1/2 cup liquid to account for evaporation, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until done.
Sharon says
Delicious! I modified and also sauteed a whole onion two cloves garlic, a couple of stalks of celery, diced. I used 8 cups of veg broth and threee sweet potatoes diced.
I added chopped spinich at serving time with a dollop of palin yogurt, sprinkle of lemon juice, and grilled nan bread.
Lorena says
Sounds great! ?
Chris says
Great soup! – yummy and filling. It’s a keeper.
Rony Jahid says
It was flavorful!!! My kids adored it despite the fact that they don’t care for lentils. The shade of the soup helps a great deal! This is such smart thought to put red lentils.
Lorena says
I’m so happy to read this Rony!! Lentils are so healthy and they are a fenomenal source of iron and protein in a child’s diet. I’m glad you found a recipe that works for your kids :D
Lorena says
Hi Anne, you can use coconut oil it’ll give it a strong coconut flavor though. If you don’t like olive I recommend a tasteless oil such as avocado or sunflower. You can leave in the onion in if you like. The soup will take on a less sweet and more savory flavor. Totally up to you :)
Monika says
It was delucious!!! My children loved it even though they do not like lentils. The colour of the soup helps a lot! This is such à good idea to put red lentils.
Lorena says
Thank you Monika!! How nice of you to come back and comment. Thrilled!
The Steaming Pot says
Lovely recipe. I am fond of both red lentils and sweet potatoes – a recipe that combines the two is a sure winner!
Lorena says
Thank you The Steaming Pot :D