I’m so excited to share this curried red lentil and sweet potato soup with you! It’s one of those cozy, nourishing recipes that always hits the spot when you want something warm and satisfying. With a velvety coconut base, vibrant spices, melt-in-your-mouth sweet potatoes, and hearty lentils, it’s a one-pot meal that feels indulgent yet deeply wholesome.
This is the kind of soup you can make even when you’re a little tired or sick. There’s less than 10 minutes of chopping, it all goes into one bowl, and no blender is needed. It’s packed with nutrients to make you feel really good, protein, fiber, healthy fats, and plenty of antioxidants, to promote longevity. I’ve also added ingredients known for their anti-inflammatory properties. If you love a cozy soup, my zuppa toscana, marry me chickpea soup, and butternut squash soup are next on your bowl list.
It’s so delicious, even my non-soup-loving fiancé loved it. It truly feels like a hug in a bowl, tastes even better the next day, makes for the coziest meal prep, and is freezer-friendly too. So don’t hesitate any longer, and add this wonderful one-pot meal to your meal rotation this week!
Why I love this recipe (as a nutritionist)
- Nourishing and balanced: lentils bring plant protein (21 g / serving), fiber (14 g per serving), and iron (7mg per serving), while sweet potatoes and kale add antioxidants and beta-carotene
- Gut-friendly: fiber from lentils and vegetables supports healthy digestion. With lots of plant diversity to support a thriving gut microbiome. The slow-cooked method of the vegetables and lentils also makes them easier to digest.
- So comforting: perfect if you need a cozy pick me up
- Easy to make: simple vegetables and pantry ingredients, with minimal prep. Use store bought spice mix to save time if needed.
- Perfect for meal prep: stores and reheats beautifully for quick lunches through the week. Freezer-friendly for up to 3 months.
Ingredient notes
- Red lentils: cook quickly and create a naturally creamy base; soaking them helps improve digestion and reduce cook time. Great source of protein, iron, and fiber
- Sweet potatoes: bring color, fiber, and subtle sweetness; great source of beta-carotene (for eye health, skin health, and immune support) swap for pumpkin or carrots if preferred
- Coconut milk: adds body and richness, you can substitute cashew or sunflower cream if avoiding coconut (including for existing cardiovascular concerns)
- Spices: a mix of garam masala, turmeric, cumin, and coriander adds warmth and depth, or use your favorite curry blend for a quick and easy swap. Spices are some of the richest sources of antioxidants widely available to us.
- Kale and cilantro: added at the end for freshness and a pop of green that brightens the flavor, and up the antioxidants.
How to make this recipe (summary)
Start by rinsing and soaking the red lentils (optional but recommended for easier digestion). Sauté onions in olive oil until softened, then add garlic, ginger, spices, and tomato paste for a quick flavor base. Simmer with celery, sweet potatoes, and vegetable broth until everything is soft and tender.
Finish by stirring in coconut milk, kale, cilantro, and lime juice for a creamy, fresh finish. View recipe card below for detailed instructions.
Variations and tips
- Make it oil-free: sauté onions in water or broth instead of olive oil
- Use a store-bought spice blend: replace the listed spices with a butter chicken or curry mix for convenience. They are just as good, and make it a lot easier when you’re new to cooking.
- Boost the protein: as written this recipe contains 21 g of protein per bowl. If you wish to up it, stir in some small cubes of tofu, or frozen edamame. You could also serve it with some sourdough or our Easy Dairy-Free Naan for an extra 6 g of protein per naan.
- Swap greens: use spinach or Swiss chard instead of kale
- Low saturated fat option: If avoiding coconut products for heart health, replace the coconut milk with cashew or sunflower cream. To make it, blend soaked nuts with dairy-free milk until smooth. Or use a store-bought soy cream.
- Allicin tip (garlic): After mincing, let garlic rest for 10 minutes before cooking to maximize allicin formation. Allicin is a natural compound formed when garlic is crushed or chopped. It has antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties that support immune and heart health.
- Reheat: My favorite way to reheat it is on the stove on low heat. Add a splash of water if needed.
- If you like this recipe, you’ll also love our Healing Butternut Squash Soup, Marry Me Chickpea Soup, or Roasted Cauliflower and Red Bell Pepper Soup.
Why you’ll love this creamy red lentil and sweet potato soup TL;DR
- Comforting
- Protein-rich
- Easy cleanup
- Allergy-friendly
- Flavorful
FAQ
Yes, it’s naturally gluten-free.
Yes, water-fry the onions or use a tablespoon of broth to sauté.
Up to 5 days in the fridge, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Yes, swap with cashew or sunflower cream for a similar texture.
2 tablespoons of curry powder should do it. There can be some variation depending on the blend, so taste and adjust as you go.
Yes, there are so many flavors here you won’t miss it. A little dash of tamari at the end can add extra umami if needed.
Use canned full-fat coconut milk. It gives the soup that beautiful creamy texture and a richer flavor. The drinkable carton versions are much thinner, so the soup would end up a bit watery.
Yes, it keeps for up to 3 months in the freezer. Take it out in the morning and reheat on the stove on gentle heat.
Completely fine to omit it. If you have some on hand, a little parsley works too.
You could, but you’ll need more liquid and the cooking time will be longer. An easier option is to cook them separately on the side and add them to the soup when they’re almost done.
Creamy red lentil and sweet potato soup (vegan + high protein)
Equipment
- Large Pot
- knife
- cutting board
- ladle
Ingredients
soup
- 1.5 cups (270 g) dried split red lentils - dried
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
- 2 onions - finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- 3 stalks celery - finely chopped
- 1 oz (28 g) ginger - minced
- ⅓ cup (85 g) tomato paste
- 1 lb (400 g) sweet potato - diced
- 7 cups (1.66 l) low-sodium vegetable broth
- 3 cups (63 g) kale - finely chopped
- 1 cup (16 g) cilantro - finely chopped
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lime juice
- ⅔ cup (150 ml) coconut milk
spices (or use a curry mix)
- 1.5 tsp (2.5 g) garam masala
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander
- 1 tsp (2 g) chili powder
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground cardamom
- 1 tsp (3 g) ground turmeric
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin
- ½ tsp (3 g) sea salt flakes
- ½ tsp (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Optional: Rinse the lentils under cold water until the water runs clear. Add them to a large bowl and cover with cold water. Soak for 2 hours to overnight in the fridge, then drain and set aside. This helps with mineral absorption and reduces the cooking time slightly.
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Add the garlic, ginger, spices, and tomato paste, and cook for 2 minutes while stirring.
- Add the celery, sweet potatoes, lentils, and vegetable broth. Stir well, then cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Lower the heat about 10 minutes in, so it stays at a soft simmer. Check the sweet potatoes and lentils for doneness; both should be completely soft.
- Stir in the coconut milk, kale, cilantro, and lime juice. Stir until the greens are just wilted. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
Notes
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We have an onion intolerance in our house so we softened the celery instead and then added the spices, leaving out the onion. No coconut milk so used natural yoghurt instead. All else as per the recipe – still delicious
Hi Simon, that sounds absolutely delicious, I’m so happy you loved it! Thank you for sharing your tip for an onion-free version! 💚
This was absolutely delicious, thank you!
So happy you loved it! 🥰
Hello, I was wondering how much curry powder to use instead of each spice? Thanks.
It would depend on the exact potency of the blend you use, but I think 2 tbsp is a good place to start 😊
Ok this is delicious and I’m glad I made it. And thank you for the recipe. But honestly I myself would not consider it a weeknight meal. Unless you buy everything pre-chopped I myself can not chop everything, and get all the ingredients and spices together by myself in 10 minutes. It took a good 30 mins of prep for me. Then 45 minutes to cook. This is a make on Sunday for meal prep. And that’s ok 🙂
Totally fair, and I’m so glad you loved it and took the time to make it!Prep time can vary so much depending on chopping speed, your knife, and how organised your kitchen setup is. If it took you closer to 30 minutes, that honestly makes complete sense, and I love your idea of making it on Sunday as a meal prep situation. A little tip if you love this one, next time you make it you can double the spice mix and keep the extra in the pantry to make it quicker in the future 🥰
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Thank you Lynette 💚
This is delicious, BUT how can anyone eat such a huge bowl of soup? This made 10 servings for me which greatly reduced the protein, fiber, etc. I will make it again though. ❤️
Hi lovely, I’m so happy you loved the recipe!
Serving size is really individual, we all have different needs. For most people, though, this recipe makes about four servings, and that’s a fairly standard serving size.
Of course, it’s totally fine to adjust it to suit your needs. I’d just mention, with a lot of love, that if you’re dividing this particular recipe into ten servings, you’re looking at under 200 calories per serve. For most people, that’s too low for your body to truly thrive, so it’s just something to keep in mind 🙏
Sooooo good!
What a beautiful bowl! Thank you for sharing lovely 🥰
It’s very good but I ran this thru 2 nutritional analysis apps and they both said 12 grams of protein per serving – not 21. Disappointing since I made it due to the protein stated.
Hi, lovely. Curious what nutrition app you used? And is it the photo function by any chance? Those are widely inaccurate, and I’m seeing more and more people using them 🥲
I take nutrition info very seriously, and this recipe has 21 g of protein per serving (87 g for the whole pot).
The 1.5 cups of dry red lentils alone have 69 g of protein, which is the bulk of our protein here. The rest comes from the vegetables and seasonings.
Hope this helps, and let me know if you have any questions, always happy to answer 💚
Wow – what a quick, considerate response! Both apps use a link to the online recipe. I was using it for calorie counts so now wonder if those are wildly inaccurate as well. Thank you!
Hi, lovely. I wonder if they recorded the lentils as cooked rather than dried? It’s likely the calories were inaccurate in that case as well. I hope you find a system that works for you x
Absolutely delicious! Love all of Sarah’s recipes 🤗
Wow that looks great! Thanks so much for sharing, Gary. So happy to hear you’re loving the recipes 🫶
My husband and I loved this. The flavors really came together after I added the coconut milk, kale and lime juice. I will keep this in the rotation.
Mary, I’m so happy that you and your husband loved this soup. Thank you so much for sharing! 💚
This was absolutely delicious. I forgot to lift coconut milk so had to leave it out but I’m glad I did my soup had so much flavour and was perfect can’t wait to make it again thank you!
Hey Niamh, I’m so happy you loved it, and to hear it was still a hit even without the coconut milk. Thank you so much for sharing! 💚
Hi, yum! Can I use whole lentils? Also, I have brown ones. Cool??? I know it won’t be as pretty.
Hey Candida! You could, but you’ll probably need more liquid, and the cooking time would be longer. Alternatively, you could cook them on their own on a side and then add to the soup when they’re almost cooked, so it doesn’t take too much longer. Hope you love it!
How much is a serving size?
Hey Raman, this recipe makes four servings. You can find this number just above the ingredient list and adjust it to your liking. Hope you love it! ❤️
Thanks for your quick response! I see that it makes 4 serving but I was wondering what the actually amount is pee serving, like how many cups, ml etc ..thanks!
Sorry, Raman, I have not measured it when finished. It makes 4 large bowls, which I guess are about 3 cups each, hope that helps 🙂
I made this today and it’s wonderful! I like my curry anything a little spicier so I added about 3/4 tsp of green curry paste. Also, I should have cut my celery a bit smaller as it still has some crunch to it but I don’t mind that! Will make again! 🩷
Hey Kyle, I’m so happy you loved it, and thank you so much for sharing your tips. I love the idea of adding a little bit of green curry paste to give it a kick. 💚
I swapped a few ingredients but this came out delicious! I have been looking for a yummy recipe with red lentils and sweet potato and this hit the spot! Thank you!
I’m so happy you love it, Jana. Thank you so much for sharing. 💚
This was absolutely delicious, another winning soup
So happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing Aleisha 💚
Could you describe which coconut milk to use? The canned thick full fat version or drinkable milk alternative? I can’t wait to make this soup. My family loves all your recipes.
I’d recommend using canned full fat coconut milk for this one. It gives the soup that beautiful creamy texture and a richer flavor. This is typically used in recipes unless specified otherwise. The drinkable carton versions are much thinner, so the soup would end up a bit watery.
So excited for you to make it 💚
I made this and it was absolutely delcious!! The whole family love it. I used spinach instead of kale.
So happy the whole family loved it! Thank you for sharing Priscilla 💚
I’m not a cilantro person. Do you think I’m fine to just omit or should I sub?
Completely fine to omit it, but if you have some on hand, a little parsley could work too 🙂
Can I freeze this recipe
Absolutely, it will be good for up to 3 months in the freezer. I recommend taking it out of the freezer in the morning, and reheat on the store, on gentle heat 🙂
Thank you, was how was the recipe for might need to adjust quantities ? X
Hi lovely, as written this recipe makes 4 servings, you can find this number just above the ingredient list and adjust to your liking 💚
Thank you, it was so delicious!!
So happy you liked it 💚
I loved this soup. I threw in a can of diced tomatoes and a couple carrots. I also used spinach rather than kale
That sounds delicious, thank you for sharing Jennifer 💚
I just made this and it’s incredible! My first recipe of yours, but definitely not the last!
I’m so glad, thank you so much for sharing Jerry 🙂
I just tried this recipe today and it was so good! Very comforting and flavorful. I don’t miss any animal products in this, it’s that good. I used roasted garlic tomato paste for added flavor. Thanks for this great recipe! It is going in our rotation of soups.
I’m so happy you loved it Stephanie, thank you for sharing! I’ve never seen roasted garlic tomato paste, that sounds so delicious, I’ll have to look it up 😍
This soup sounds wonderful. I am allergic to tomatoes. Do you think it would be good without?
Absolutely, there are so many flavors, you won’t miss it. Perhaps a little dash of tamari to add an extra touch of umami could be a good addition, but you can add it towards the end, once you’ve tasted it 🙂
You’re going to love this Creamy Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup recipe! Make sure to rate it 5 stars and leave a comment if you enjoyed it!
How much curry seasoning would you put in if you just sub that?
Hi Shari, I used 2 tbsp of my homemade mix, plus 1/2 tsp sea salt flakes and 1/2 tsp ground black pepper. 2 tbsp of curry seasoning should do it, but there might be some slight variations depending on the mix used or brand, so feel free to adjust to taste 🙂