Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup
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This lentil and sweet potato soup makes a healthy and filling family meal that uses seasonal sweet potatoes and protein-packed lentils. It’s rich, nourishing, and absolutely delicious.
It’s also healthy, economical, gluten-free, and vegan!
Soup season means I’m cooking big batches of hearty soups and stews with seasonal produce and protein-packed legumes. They taste even better on the second day, and they freeze perfectly, too.
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From this vegan lentil soup for a filling lunch to a spicy lentil soup for a comforting dinner, you can’t go wrong with a hot bowl of warming soup this time of year.
And for how flavorful and nourishing this sweet potato lentil soup is, this recipe is more straightforward than you might think.
Start by sautéing the diced veggies in olive oil, a classic step that builds flavor and nutrition. Then add the garlic and sauté for 1 more minute. Next, stir in the remaining ingredients and simmer until the lentils are tender.
It’s easy to whip up, while the lentils and the delicious sweet potatoes bring wonderful flavor and texture that will make you come back for more.
If you’re looking for a new soup recipe to add to your cold-weather rotation, look no further. This sweet potato lentil soup is it.
List of the ingredients
- Sweet potatoes
- Brown or green lentils
- Veggies (onion, carrot, garlic, celery)
- Tomato paste
- Herbs (rosemary, bay leaf, basil, thyme)
- Vegetable broth
- Olive oil
- Salt & pepper
How to make lentil sweet potato soup
(Note: this is a quick description; the full recipe is at the bottom of the page)
- Sauté the diced veggies in olive oil for about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute more.
- Add the remaining ingredients, including the broth and bay leaf.
- Cook for about 25 minutes or until the lentils are soft. Done.
Recipe notes
Lentil & sweet potato soup ingredients
Olive oil or extra-virgin olive oil: It’s perfect for sautéing veggies and adding flavor, but you can use your favorite oil here.
Veggies: as usual, this soup recipe starts with sautéed onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. This step adds savory depth of flavor and more veggies to the pot.
Sweet potatoes: They add body, texture, and delicious sweetness to the soup. And if you love sweet potatoes, make sure you check this pizza, soup, and one-pot pasta recipe!
Lentils: both brown and green lentils work well in this recipe, adding earthy flavor and plenty of plant-based protein. Make sure to rinse and drain them well. Dried lentils are best, but canned lentils are fine if you prefer.
Herbs: For convenience, we use dried basil, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf. With just a few teaspoons of these pantry staples, you can give the soup a lovely aromatic depth of flavor. You’re also welcome to use fresh herbs instead, of course!
Tomato paste: Another must-have pantry staple that adds rich flavor and a touch of color.
Broth: I used low-sodium vegetable broth, but feel free to use your favourite broth. In this case, adjust the seasoning accordingly, as some broths can be quite salty.
Salt & pepper: To make all the flavors pop before serving.
Serving suggestions
Ladle the soup into bowls and add freshly ground black pepper or a pinch of chili flakes if you like. If you’re not vegan, you could also top your bowl with freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese for extra richness and salty, nutty flavor and serve with easy croutons, crusty panini rolls, or warm focaccia for dunking.
Hungry for more? This soup goes very well with fall salads. Try pairing it with any of these recipes:
- Salad with grapes
- Cabbage salad with apples
- Spinach arugula salad
- Beet salad with arugula
- Artichoke salad
- Celery and Parmesan salad
Storage tips
It’s a good idea to make a big batch, the leftovers taste great and keep well in the fridge for about 3-4 days. They freeze beautifully, too.
I suggest dividing the soup into single portions, cooling completely in the refrigerator overnight, then transferring to the freezer. I use these glass containers, they’re brilliant, and they don’t get stained with use.
Love lentils?
Me too, and here are two inspiring collections of lentil recipes, and 25+ green lentil recipes perfect to turn a bag of lentils into a delicious meal.
Below are more of my fav lentil recipes:
- Lentil tabbouleh
- Spicy tomato lentil soup
- Italian pasta with lentils
- Red lentil pasta recipe
- Green lentil soup
- Swiss chard lentil soup
- Lentil kale soup
- Carrot lentil soup
If you make this lentil and sweet potato soup or if you have any questions, let me know! Leave a comment, send me a message, or rate it.
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Sweet Potato Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil, plus more to drizzle
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 carrots, diced
- 1 celery sticks, diced
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lb (450 grams) sweet potatoes, peeled and diced*
- 1 cup (200 grams) brown or green lentils, rinsed
- 5½ cups low sodium vegetable broth,
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon thyme or Italian seasoning
- 1 bay leaf
- ¾ teaspoon fine salt, or to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- Warm the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the diced onion, carrots and celery, stirring often, until the onion is turning translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic (I used 3 large cloves) and cook until fragrant while stirring constantly, about 50-60 seconds.
- Add the rest of the ingredients, raise the heat and bring the mixture to a boil, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.
- Turn the heat off, taste and adjust the seasoning as needed, adding more salt or pepper or a touch of chili flakes if you like, for overall flavor.
- Optional step: to make the texture creamier, transfer 1 cup of the soup to a blender, fasten the lid, protect your hands from the steam with a tea towel and purée the soup until smooth (careful, it's still hot!). Return the puréed soup back into the pot, stir to combine, and a touch of broth if you prefer a thinner soup.
- Serve when it's still hot along with crusty bread for dunking and grated parmesan or pecorino cheese if you don't keep it vegan, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and black pepper if you wish. Enjoy!
This is divine, a new staple for me. I added cinammon, out of this world.
Amazing!! Thanks so much for sharing your great feedback, Tanya. I’m so pleased to hear you loved it! x