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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.
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
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 1813 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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!
This post was originally published on October 11, 2018
I have made this 3 times in the past two months. My husband and I are obsessed!
I am so happy you have been loving this! Thank you Lindsay! xTieghan
Is there a way to make it more if a thicker stew consistency versus soup?
Thank you for providing such easy and tasty recipes! We’ve made a handful and each was a success! You’re now one of our trusted sources for easy and easy family meals ?
Hey Garol,
This recipe is already a thick consistency. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I’ve made this before and LOVED it! I have some leftover cooked lentils from thanksgiving, do you think I could use those in this recipe instead of dried lentils? Maybe just don’t cook them as long? Thank you!
Hey Katie,
I have never tried this, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work! I hope you love the recipe. Please let me know if you have any other questions and Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I have added this to our weekly rotation. This is amazing!! (I doubled the curry as I really love my flavors,) yum ? seriously so so good!
Love that!! Thank you so much Cassie! xTieghan
How long does the chili oil last?
Hey Jordan,
You can keep the chili oil for a week or two in the fridge. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
Sooooo delish! Rice was not necessary, used kale ? (Keeps texture longer) and let me say..YUMMM! Going in the recipe box.
We made this for dinner tonight and it was lovely! We used an immersion blender to blend part of it, and added rice noodles instead of rice. We loved it and will be making it again soon. Thanks for another tasty recipe!
Thank you Rory! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Can I use wild rice instead of lentils? Thanks!
Hey Elyssa,
Sure that would be great! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Made the soup yesterday and it came out so yummy and tasty! I added some lemon juice, perfect!
Amazing! Thank you Cornelia! xTieghan
Absolutely love this recipe! It so so full of flavour. Will def be making it again. One question – would it be okay to freeze without the rice?
Hey Kayla,
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Yes, you can freeze without the rice. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Added this to our meal rotation. So delicious and easy! We use kale instead of spinach.
Amazing! I am really glad you enjoyed this recipe, Patricia! xTieghan
Just made this and it’s reallllyyyy yummy! I used lite coconut milk to make it a tad healthier, also went easy on the cayenne. Super quick, affordable, healthy and perfect for leftover lunches! I’ll definitely be making again 🙂
I made mine in the slow cooker because I had late kids activities and it was still amazing. The sweet potatoes and lentils kind of disintegrated but it was so thick and comforting. Love the flavor and can’t wait to make it again!
Thank you for trying this one, Robyn! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
My husband and I just switched to a plant based diet and this is a new family favorite!!! It was in the 30s tonight and the combination of spice and cream from the coconut was absolutely amazing. It was also fast and easy which is a bonus for someone with two kids under two! Thank you for all of your recipes. Going vegan has been easy with all of the different recipes you offer and your work never disappoints!
Hi Kelsey! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you both! Thank you so much for trying this one! xTieghan
We loved this dish! Great flavors, crowd pleaser. I omitted the cayenne because not everyone liked spicy but added it to mine, and it made it even better. Adding this to our recipe rotation
Love to hear that! Thank you for trying this one, Jenna! xTieghan