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Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup is a one-pot wonder! Bursting with flavorful comforting spices, this 30-minute soup makes a satisfying vegan meal even non-vegans will love! It hits all these dietary high points — Gluten Free + Low Calorie + Vegan — making it perfectly suitable for a wide variety of eaters!
Lentils are like the superfood of beans. They’re high in protein and fiber (9 grams and 8 grams). They also have valuable B vitamins for energy and minerals like phosphorus, manganese, and iron to name a few. They’re also low in calories and virtually have zero fat.
Psst…if you’re trying to lose weight you better be eating them! A bag of lentils is also a very inexpensive way to make a meal. Seriously, a little goes a long way!
They’re great staples for one-pot wonders like this smoky vegetarian Lentil Chili, Lentil Potato Soup and of course, this Chicken and Lentil Soup!
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Sweet Potato Lentil Soup
- So Flavorful! This creamy 30-minute vegan soup is bursting with comforting antioxidant-rich spices. Perfect for building up the immune system for cold weather.
- Wholesome Ingredients. Naturally sweetened with sweet potatoes and tomatoes so there’s no worrying about additives or preservatives either.
- Suitable for a Range of Dietary Needs: This lentil sweet potato soup is gluten-free, low in calories, and vegan!
- Quick and Easy. Ready in less than 30 minutes in one pot which means fewer dishes.
Ingredients You Need
Here’s a glance at the main ingredients you need to make vegan sweet potato lentil soup. Be sure to check the recipe card for the full list and quantities of each one.
- Lentils: Use dry green or brown lentils in this recipe. I got my lentils from Farmer Direct which means these beans are as wonderful as they’ll get. 100% organic, 100% fair trade, and 100% farmer cooperative owned.
- Sweet Potato: The light natural sweetness of sweet potatoes works perfectly with the aromatic, warming spice blend that seasons the soup. You can also use butternut squash as well though it is slightly less sweet in flavor.
- Tomatoes: Use canned diced tomatoes without salt added and a can of whole tomatoes to add rich tomato flavor. Using the diced tomatoes without salt helps reduce the overall sodium in the soup.
- White onion: Adds more depth of flavor to the soup.
- Baby spinach: Boosts the overall nutrition but also adds a bit of color to the soup making it a bit more interesting. You can swap them for another green such as kale or arugula.
- Vegetable broth: Adds more flavor than cooking the soup with water.
- Spices: This lentil soup with sweet potato gets its flavor from cumin, paprika, coriander, ginger, and turmeric.
How to Make Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup
This one-pot lentil soup goes together in just a few simple steps. Here’s a look at the highlights.
- Cook the onions in olive oil until slightly softened and translucent.
- Add the canned tomatoes, sweet potatoes, spices, salt, pepper, and broth to the pot. Simmer for about 5 minutes to allow sweet potatoes to soften a bit.
- Add the vegetable broth and lentils to the pot and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat and cook until the lentils are soft but not mushy. Add the spinach and stir into the soup. Cook for a couple of minutes to will the spinach.
How to Store
- Leftovers: Store leftover soup after it’s fully cooled in an airtight container. Place it in the fridge for up to four days.
- Freeze: You can freeze lentil and sweet potato soup for up to three months. For meal prep, portion it out into individual servings or however many servings you will need for a meal before freezing. This makes it easier to take out exactly what you need.
- Reheat: If frozen, thaw it out in the fridge overnight. Return the soup to a pot and heat over medium heat until heated through. Add more broth if the soup thickens as it sits. Alternatively, you can reheat a bowl of soup in the microwave.
How to Serve
This aromatic lentil soup with sweet potatoes recipe makes a hearty and warming lunch or dinner. It’s satisfying enough to enjoy on its own but you can also add some simple sides if you prefer.
- Garnish: Add a splash of freshly chopped herbs on top of the soup. Parsley and cilantro both work well with the flavors of the soup. You can also swirl in a bit of Greek yogurt too.
- Salad: Enjoy it with your favorite salad such as this Healthier Olive Garden Salad or a simple Tomato and Cucumber Salad.
- Bread: Serve up a slice of Gluten Free Cauliflower Bread, a Healthier Cornbread Muffin, or Oat Bread.
Expert Tips
- Don’t overcook the lentils. You want them soft with a bit of texture not mushy.
- Taste before salting. Since we are using canned tomatoes and vegetable broth you may not need to add too much salt.
- Adjust the seasoning to your tastes. Add more or less of any of the seasonings to make the soup to your tastes. You can even add a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes if you want it a bit spicy.
- Servings: I got about six large bowls (1 1/2 cups) of soup from this recipe, but you could easily extend it to 8. It makes a lot!
Technically you could but it will change the entire texture of the soup. These lentils tend to fall apart when cooked so if you’re looking for a chunkier consistency stick with green or brown lentils.
More Healthy Soup Recipes
If you tried this Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below.
Lentil Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 1 cup lentils
- 1 ½ cup diced sweet potato, ~1 medium sweet potato
- 14 ounce diced tomatoes, no salt added
- 1 28 ounce can whole tomatoes
- ½ cup white onion, diced
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large pot on the stove to medium heat. Add extra virgin olive oil and onion. Sauté until onions soften and are translucent about 3 minutes.
- Add canned tomatoes, sweet potatoes, spices, salt, pepper and broth. Simmer 5 minutes to allow sweet potatoes to soften a bit.
- Next add vegetable broth and lentils. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and simmer 15-20 minutes until lentils soften. Lentils should be soft, but not mushy.
- Add spinach, stir and simmer another 2 minutes.
- Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator up to 5 days or freezer up to 60 days.
Notes
- Don’t overcook the lentils. You want them soft with a bit of texture not mushy.
- Taste before salting. Since we are using canned tomatoes and vegetable broth you may not need to add too much salt.
- Adjust the seasoning to your tastes. Add more or less of any of the seasonings to make the soup to your tastes. You can even add a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes if you want it a bit spicy.
- Servings: I got about four large bowls (1 1/2 cups) of soup from this recipe, but you could easily extend it to 6. It makes a lot!
- My Amazon shop has more products similar to those used for this recipe that I recommend to my nutrition clients.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Could I make this with pumpkin instead of sweet potato?
Freshly cut pumpkin not from a can yes.
Hi,
The recipe calls for a 28 ounce can of WHOLE tomatoes. Should they be crushed?
They should be whole tomatoes not crushed.
This soup is delicious, and so easy to make. I’ve cooked it the traditional way, but today I’m trying it in the crock pot.
I always wanted to try that. Let me know how it goes!