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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
This looks SO delicious!! I’m not a big fan of cilantro though – is there another herb that would work well in this? Thanks!!
HI! I would use basil. That will be delicious! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much!! xTieghan
I used brown rice since I didn’t have any basmati, and I used half the amount of red pepper, as I didn’t want it too spicy. Otherwise, I followed the recipe as written, and I don’t have words to describe how delicious and cozy this meal is! I will definitely have this in the regular rotation during cold Michigan winters. Make it folks, this is a winner!
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe Laurie! Thank you so much!
Running a victory lap around the kitchen island! This was great. Omitted the greenery in hopes to have have better reception from the picky children. Husband loved it! I had regular lentils on hand so I used those. Added a pinch of cinnamon and tumeric but otherwise followed the recipe as is. Thank you! I never get to knock out out of the park!
I am so glad you all enjoyed this! Thank you so much Mandi!
This soup is so addicting! It is on our regular rotation and we can’t get enough!
I am so glad you loved this Kathryn! Thank you!
4 out of 5 people in my family are not adventurous with food. 5 out of 5 LOVED this. We added some cashews at the end, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. Thank you so much! This is a keeper!
I am so happy to hear that! Thank you so much Julie!
This is incredible! I honestly wouldn’t change a thing. I’m so excited to have a new recipe in rotation!!
Thank you so much Betsy!
Can you use regular lentils?
Hi Barb! Most regular lentils come dry in the bulk food bins or in bags at the grocery store. Is that what you’re also referring to by regular lentils?
Regular lentils will be great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much and happy Holidays!! xTieghan ?
How can I adjust this for a slow cooker?
How would I make this in the slow cooker?
Add all ingredients to the slow cooker except the rice and slow cook for 6 hours on low. Add the rice before serving. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much!! xTieghan ?
I love this recipe! So warm and cozy. I think next time i’d add more lentils, because they are my favorite and i can never have enough. 🙂 Thanks for another great one!
Thank you so much Marina!
Hello! I am considering making this for my husband and me this coming week in our Instant Pot.
Do you think chicken breast could be added? He is a pretty staunch believer that there should be a meat in every meal 🙂 How would adding two cubeb and thawed chicken breasts change the time in the instant pot?
Thank you so much!
Annie
HI! You can add chicken breast right to the instant pot. That will be great! No need to change the cooking times, the chicken should cook up perfectly. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much!! xTieghan ?
This is one of my favorite recipes from HBH! It’s incredibly delicious and so healthful. It fills you up in the best way. I can’t recommend this one enough!
Thank you Gabby!
My boyfriend is from Nepal so we eat a lot of lentils and I’m always looking for a new way to use them. I made this with barley and homemade roti and we both loved it! Thanks for sharing!
I am so glad you loved this, Summer! Thank you!
Made this last week and it was so good!!
I am so happy to hear that! Thank you Lindsey!
So tasty and love how healthy it is.
Thank you so much Amanda!