Cold temperatures call for a heartwarming soup! Lentils and sweet potatoes make a creamy, comforting soup with blended savory & sweet flavors. Nutritionally dense sweet potatoes and protein-rich red lentils are simmered together with aromatics ginger, onion, and warming spices to make this delicious and hearty soup.
The warmth in this lentil and sweet potato soup comes from fresh ginger and dried spices like, cumin, turmeric, cayenne and garam masala. Cashews add creaminess to an already creamy soup. A touch of lemon juice, at the end elevates the flavor to the next level. For an optional crunch, top it with toasted sunflower seeds or pepitas. Drizzle a little EVOO and freshly crushed black pepper for the final touch before serving.
How to Cook Lentil and Sweet Potato soup in Instant Pot?
This soup is easy to make when cooked on a stovetop. However, you still need to keep a constant watch for boiling it over. Also, it needs to be stirred often.
Instant pot makes it almost a dump and go one pot meal. It can’t get easier than this. Red lentils get pressure cooked really quickly, which makes this an ideal recipe for weeknights. This recipe only needs 10 minutes of active time to get it done in Instant Pot.
To make this soup in the Instant pot, start by sautéing ginger onions and cashews. Then added sweet potatoes, red lentils, spices and water (or broth if you prefer that). Pressure cook, blend and soup is ready to enjoy!
How to Store Leftovers Soup?
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 – 6 days in an airtight container. Simply re-warm on the stovetop or in the microwave. It makes a great meal prep for the week with a side of garlic bread.
How to Freeze Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup?
Yes, it freezes well for months! I personally prefer to freeze this soup in portions which I am going to use next time in a freezer safe container. That way, whenever I am ready to serve warm soup to my family, I just pull required portions out from the freezer, thaw and reheat on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through and serve.
Why You should Try this Soup?
Vitamin and fiber rich Sweet potato and cashews make the soup creamy, comforting and naturally sweet. Red lentil adds required protein and makes it more filling. This soup is the perfect easy and quick entrée or side dish for cool weather.
Here are the reasons why you should give this soup a try:
- Both wholesome and nutrient dense
- Creamy and flavored with warming spices
- Savory, with a hint of natural sweetness
- Enriched with protein, vitamins and fibers
- Quick, one pot meal done under 40 minutes
- Great for meal prep and freezer friendly
- Gluten free and vegan recipe
- Light, yet filling and so delicious!
I hope you LOVE this ‘Red Lentil Sweet Potato Soup’!
Few additional tips
- Do you have curry spice mix in your pantry? If so, you can also use curry spice mix instead of adding individual spices like turmeric powder, cayenne pepper coriander powder and cumin seeds.
- You can also add additional vegetables like carrots, celery, potatoes
- If you prefer garlicy flavor, then add a few cloves of that.
- For extra deep flavor use broth instead of water.
- This soup also works great as a pasta sauce for kids, give it a try!
Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup: Vegan & Gluten-free Instant Pot Recipe
Ingredients
Pantry:
- ¼ cup Broken Cashews Tuta Kaju: ¼ cup
- ½ cup Red Lentil Lal Masoor da: ½ cup/ 100 grams
Produce:
- 15 g Ginger Root Adrak: 1 inch knob, finely chopped or grated
- 5 g Serrano Pepper Hari Mirch: 1-2 in number, finely chopped
- 150 g Onions Pyaz: 1 cup/ 150 grams/ 1 medium size, finely chopped
- 400 g Sweet Potato Shakarkandi: 2 cups/ 400 grams/ 2 medium size, peeled and cubed
- 2 tablespoon Lime juice Nimbu ka ras: 2 Tablespoons, juice of one lime
- 2 tablespoon Cilantro Hara Dhaniya: 2 Tablespoon, handful, finely chopped
Oil and Spices:
- 2 tablespoon Avocado oil Vegetable Oil: 2 Tablespoon
- 2 teaspoon Cumin seeds Jeera: 2 Teaspoon
- 1 teaspoon Salt Namak: 1 Teaspoon (adjust as per taste)
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder Haldi: ¼ Teaspoon
- 1 teaspoon Cayenne pepper Lal Mirch Powder: 1 Teaspoon (adjust as per spice level)
- 1 tablespoon Coriander powder Dhaniya Powder: 1 Tablespoon
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper kali Mirch: ½ Teaspoon
- ¼ teaspoon Garam masala adjust as per intensity
- 4 cups Water or broth
Garnish (Optional)
- ¼ teaspoon Cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon Sun flower Seeds Roasted
- 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 15 g Kale Chips Handful: 15 grams
Instructions
- Wash the lentils for 3-4 extracts of water and put aside until ready to use.
- Start the instant pot on SAUTE normal heat mode and add oil in it. Add cumin seeds, ginger, green chili and cashews to hot oil. Sauté for few seconds.
- Next, add diced onion and sauté until translucent.
- After that add cubed sweet potato and stir well.
- Add rinsed and drained lentils as well.
- Add salt, turmeric powder, cayenne pepper and coriander powder. Mix them.
- Add 4 cups water or broth and give it a good stir.
- Close the instant pot lid with vent in sealing position. Press MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK mode for two minutes with NPR (natural pressure release)
- When float valves pop down, open the lid, and blend.
- If it is too thick after blending, add some water to adjust the consistency and bring it again to boil using sauté normal heat mode.
- Add some black pepper, garam masala and lemon juice.
- Finally, top it with handful of chopped cilantros.
- Red lentil sweet potato soup is ready to be served.
Preeti says
This looks delicious. Can I use Zuccini instead of sweet potato?
Rupali Agarwal says
Hello, Preeti yes you can add zucchini, you can also do carrots but definitely, the taste would differ. Sweet potato adds a bit of sweet flavor to the soup which enhances the overall flavor profile of the soup.
Rupali
Pradnya says
Tried the recipe today since I had all ingredients ready!
It’s really rich recipe taste wise! Loved it! And my family loved it too! It can be a nice addition to thanks giving dinner since it has sweet potatoes! Definitely going to make this more often! Nice way to include sweet potatoes in the diet!
Sapna says
If I substitute red lentils with toordal, will it be a lot of difference? My whole family is a little sensitibe to the fibrous nature of red lentils..
Rupali Agarwal says
Taste will be different because toordal has more distinct flavor then masoor. So toor-dal flavor will dominate. You can reduce the quantity of toor dal or you can use moong-dal as well. My preference would be use moong instead of toor to avoid the doninant flavor of toor dal. Thanks - Rupali
NK says
Wondering if 2 mins is sufficient in the instant pot. My IP takes 20 mins minimum for normal red lentil cooking.
Rupali Agarwal says
Must be differences of altitude, for me it actually works for zero minutes as well. Since I am anyways blending the soup, I cooked for two minutes. Red lentils, mung lentils (with skin and without skin), urad are few lentils I don’t pressure cook more than a zero minute. I actually wonder why people pressure cook so long when zero minute is enough to cook these lentils.
Hope this helps.
Rupali Agarwal
Neha says
Absolutely amazing recipe. It was so easy to make on a busy work day. I always enjoy simple quick recipes and this tasted very yummy and my little toddler also enjoyed it a lot.
I have admired all yout recipes here and tried them. Hope to keep trying.
Rupali Agarwal says
Thank you for sharing your feedback, glad you enjoyed it specially little one!
Rupali Agarwal
Archana says
So delicious! Love how quick, easy and healthy it is! My kids loved it too!
Rupali Agarwal says
Thank you so much for sharing your feedback! Glad your family specially kids enjoyed it.
Once again thanks you for trying this soup.
Rupali
Neha says
Absolutely amazing recipe. It was so easy to make on a busy work day. I always enjoy simple quick recipes and this tasted very yummy and my little toddler also enjoyed it a lot.
I have admired all yout recipes here and tried them. Hope to keep trying.