This Lentils and Sweet Potato Soup recipe is made with deliciously fresh but simple ingredients, making a hearty soup that’s perfect for warming up on a cold day. With protein-packed lentils, a ton of vegetables in the form of spinach, carrots, and onions, and lots of seasonings, it’s got all of the good stuff you need for comfort food that tastes great and makes you feel great too!
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Lentils and Sweet Potato Soup is more than just a good soup; it’s a bowl full of goodness. It’ll warm you up during soup season in the cold winter months, but it’s also a great healthy soup recipe that can be enjoyed any time of year.
This one-pot, easy lentil and sweet potato soup recipe is nutritious and delicious. Plus, the recipe is so versatile and can easily cater to a gluten-free or vegan diet, so it’s great for dinner guests with specific needs and it’s perfect for a hearty lunch, a light dinner, a side dish, or a starter for a dinner party.
We like to enjoy it with a crisp side salad and freshly baked bread, yum!
For more delicious recipes for comforting soups, check out my Broccoli Cheese Soup, Creamy Tomato Basil Soup, Zuppa Toscana Soup, and this Cheesy Lasagna Soup.
Why We Love This Recipe
- This sweet potato and lentil soup recipe can be easily customized to suit your flavor preferences, and you can adapt it to use up veggie leftovers too!
- It’s a great recipe that’s ready from scratch in just an hour, so it’s perfect for busy weeknights or for when you need a comforting meal without much effort.
- As it’s a one-pot recipe, there’s minimal clean-up!
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Dry Lentils – The star of the soup, lentils are a great source of protein and fiber. You can use different types of lentils, such as red lentils, brown, or French green lentils, for other textures and flavors.
- Onion & Garlic – A yellow onion and freshly minced garlic cloves will provide aromatic, savory flavors to the base of the soup.
- Sweet Potato – Use a large sweet potato for this soup. It’ll add a natural sweetness and creaminess to the soup.
- Carrots – They add a slight sweetness and lots of nutrients.
- Vegetable Stock – Forms the soup base, can be replaced with veggie broth for a different flavor profile or chicken stock or broth for a different flavor or if you aren’t trying to make this a vegetarian soup recipe.
- Olive Oil – Used for sautéing, it adds richness to the dish.
- Spinach – Fresh spinach leaves will add color, texture, and a host of vitamins and minerals.
- Tomatoes – Chop some fresh tomatoes to add a bit of acidity and freshness, balancing the sweetness of the sweet potatoes.
- Seasoning – A combination of smoked paprika (one of our all-time favorite spices), bay leaves, dried oregano, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper adds a ton of flavor and warmth in the soup.
- Parsley – Use fresh parsley for a fresh finish that also adds color and extra flavor.
- Cheese (optional) – Use freshly grated parmesan cheese to add a salty, umami flavor to the soup.
How to Make Sweet Potato Lentil Soup
- Prepare potatoes and sauté carrots. Peel and chop the sweet potato into cubes. Set aside. Chop the carrots into slices. Heat the olive oil in a large pot and add the sliced carrots. Sauté until slightly golden.
- Add onion and garlic. Chop the onion and garlic into small pieces and add them to the pot.
- Sauté. Sauté the onion and garlic with the carrot until tender.
- Add tomatoes. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and bay leaves, then sauté until the tomato is soft.
- Add spinach. Throw the spinach on top of the mixture, roughly chopping it first, if desired.
- Add sweet potato, lentils, and paprika. Add the cubed sweet potato, soaked lentils, and smoked paprika on top. Sprinkle the dried oregano and fresh parsley on top.
- Add stock and cook soup. Start by adding just 4 cups of the stock and add the other 2 only if needed. Cook for 30–40 minutes, or until everything is tender. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese or additional chopped parsley sprinkled on top.
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes, of course! Simply combine all ingredients except the garnishes in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6–8 hours or on high for 3–4 hours. Stir, garnish, and serve as desired.
The base recipe for this soup is vegan, however, if you add Parmesan cheese to serve, it’s no longer vegan. Use a vegan cheese alternative or omit the cheese for a fully vegan version.
For a creamier texture, blend a portion of the soup with an immersion blender before serving. You can also add a bit of full-fat coconut milk or even heavy cream for extra creaminess.
Let any leftovers cool to room temperature, and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The soup may even taste best the next day, once the flavors have had more of a chance to meld. You can reheat the soup on the stovetop or portion in the microwave for a couple of minutes until heated through.
Absolutely! This soup freezes well, just let it cool completely to room temperature before transferring it to freezer-safe containers or to freezer-safe bags in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the refrigerator before reheating it.
Tips for Success
- Choose a different type of lentil for your soup. Brown or green lentils will maintain their shape well and offer a pleasant bite, whereas red lentils tend to break down more, thickening the soup.
- One of the best tricks to learn for making flavorful soup is to not rush sautéing the vegetables. This step develops the flavors, ensuring a rich and deep taste in the soup. The onions should be translucent, and the carrots should slightly caramelize when they’re ready.
- Season the soup gradually, starting with a small amount of salt and spices, then adjust to taste towards the end of cooking. The flavors will deepen and develop over time, so it’s best to be conservative initially.
What do I serve with Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup?
Soup is always best served with some yummy bread on the side, not just to add substance but also to soak up those delicious juices at the end that might otherwise be wasted! Try my Easy Rye Bread, Challah Bread, Sweet Molasses Brown Bread, Multigrain Bread, or my Homemade French Bread.
We also love soup and grilled cheese, so try this recipe with my Grilled Caprese Panini, a Classic Ruben Sandwich, or even this Grilled Cheesy Garlic Bread!
Substitutions and Variations
- Try using butternut squash or regular potatoes instead of sweet potatoes for a different flavor and texture.
- Garnish the soup with your favorite fresh herbs, cream, or other add-ins for a different flavor. Fresh cilantro, heavy cream, coconut cream, a dash of lemon juice, or some lime juice would add extra flavor to the soup.
- Give your soup a little kick by adding in some cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, chili powder, or a dash of your favorite hot sauce! If you do this, you can serve your soup with a dollop of sour cream to balance out the flavors.
More Soup Recipes to Try
- Easy Cheesy Taco Soup
- Tortellini Soup with Italian Sausage
- Smoked Salmon Chowder
- Classic Beef Stew
- Chicken Noodle and Dumpling Soup
- San Francisco Cioppino Seafood Stew
Soup Recipes
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Soup Recipes
Easy Minestrone Soup
Soup Recipes
Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Lentils and Sweet Potato Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry lentils, soaked 8 hours in cold water
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 large sweet potato
- 2 carrots
- 4-6 cups vegetable stock
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup fresh spinach leaves, packed
- 2 tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Add dry lentils to a bowl with enough cold water to cover them. Soak for 8 hours or overnight, then drain.
- Peel and chop the sweet potato into cubes. Set aside.
- Chop the carrots into slices. heat olive oil in a large pot and add the sliced carrots. Saute until slightly golden.
- Chop the onion and garlic into small pieces and saute with the carrot until tender.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and bay leaves. Saute until the tomato is soft.
- Add the cubed sweet potato, fresh spinach leaves (roughly chop first, if desired), soaked lentils, smoked paprika, dried oregano, fresh parsley, and vegetable stock. Start with just 4 cups of the stock and add the other 2 only if needed.
- Cook for 30-40 minutes, or until everything is tender. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese or additional chopped parsley sprinkled on top.
Notes
- You could use the dry lentils without soaking them if you’re in a rush, but it is always a good practice as it reduces the antinutrients in the legumes. If you don’t have enough time to soak them, wash them carefully before use. Soaking them will also reduce the cooking time and improve their digestion!
- Store: Let any leftovers cool to room temperature, and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The soup may taste best the next day, once the flavors have had more chance to meld. You can reheat the soup on the stovetop or in the microwave for a couple of minutes until heated through.
- Freeze: Let the soup cool completely before transferring it to freezer-safe containers or to freezer bags, and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the refrigerator before reheating it.
