This warming soup is full of flavor and works for all seasons! The red lentil, sweet potato and coconut base is silky smooth, with a delicious mix of spices and a hit of fresh zingy lime and cilantro. It’s dairy free, easy to customize (feel free to use squash or mix up the spices) and simple to make with easy to find ingredients!
Soup season is upon us, but I am still a little stuck in my summer citrus loving era, so this is what is happening today: We’re embracing the autumnal vibes with a sweet potato and lentil soup seasoned with dried cumin, coriander, cinnamon and a hint of smoked paprika. But we’re adding coconut cream and just a little twist of lime and cilantro (fresh coriander) to keep it on the zippy side. And it’s perfect.
The flavors are nicely balanced and I don’t feel like it tastes particularly strongly of coconut or any of the spices used. Just sweet, mellow deliciousness.
This soup is dairy free as written, uses cheap ingredients, freezes well and it’s fairly kid friendly. What’s not to love here?
Ingredients: What Matters, What’s Flexible
- If you don’t have any coconut cream, feel free to use canned coconut milk. But check if your coconut milk is homogenised – by that I mean if it’s separated in the can into a thicker, creamier section and a thin, watery section. If so, use the creamy section. That will get you a more prominent coconut flavor similar to using pure coconut cream. If it’s all the same texture, you can just use 1 cup of it as it is, or use a little more (reducing your vegetable stock accordingly). Coconut cream is usually available in larger supermarkets, in cartons or cans, in the same spot as coconut milk.
- Your sweet potato should be diced fairly small for the lowest cook time. You can also just slice it into thin slices – it is getting blended so it doesn’t really matter.
- I see no reason not to try this with butternut squash in place of sweet potato – feel free to give that a try.
- You need red lentils here. It just won’t work with green or brown lentils, which don’t break down into the same creamy base as red lentils do.
- You can easily use lemon instead of lime.
- If you don’t have any fresh cilantro (coriander), don’t stress, as much I love it I’ve enjoyed this soup without it plenty of times.
Make a meal of it
- Garlic naan bread is a fantastic choice for dipping.
- If you like to serve soup with grilled cheese, try this Hot Honey Mushroom Grilled Cheese for a little spicy kick.
- If adding dairy is OK, some halloumi croutons would be quite fabulous. To make halloumi croutons, just fry up some halloumi in small cubes.
- If you’re after a substantial salad to serve it with, try this Sauteed Kale Salad.
More Sweet Potato Centric Dinners
Sweet Potato, Lentil & Coconut Soup
Ingredients
- coconut oil, for cooking – olive oil is fine too
- 18 oz (500 g) sweet potato, chopped into small cubes
- 1 cup (180 g) dried red lentils
- 1 cup (250 ml) coconut cream
- 2 shallots, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 lime
- 1 tsp salt
- 1.5 tsp dried cumin
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 0.5 tsp cinnamon
- 4 cups (950 ml) vegetable stock
- 1 handful cilantro (fresh coriander)
Instructions
- Saute the aromatics. Heat a spoonful of coconut oil and in a large saucepan over a low heat. Add the shallots and saute until soft, then add the garlic and ginger and stir through just for about 30 seconds until fragrant.coconut oil, 2 shallots, 4 cloves garlic, 2 tsp fresh ginger
- Add the sweet potato and mix through.18 oz sweet potato
- Add the spices and stir through – add another spoon of coconut oil if the pan feels too dry.1.5 tsp dried cumin, 1 tsp coriander, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 0.5 tsp cinnamon
- Grate about 1 teaspoon of lime zest into the pan (this is usually from 1/4 – 1/2 of the lime depending on the size) and mix through.1 lime
- Add the red lentils and coconut cream and give it a stir – the coconut cream will deglaze the pan and absorb all the spices.1 cup coconut cream, 1 cup dried red lentils
- Finally, add the vegetable stock and salt. Simmer for about 25-30 minutes, until the sweet potato has softened. Lift the lid and stir a few times while it cooks.4 cups vegetable stock, 1 tsp salt
- Add a handful of cilantro and the juice of 1/2 lime, then use a hand blender to blend the soup until smooth. You can leave it a little more textured if you prefer.1 handful cilantro (fresh coriander)
- Serve! You can cut the remaining half of the lime into wedges for serving with, and/or add some additional cilantro leaves to the top.
Absolutely delicious! Have made for dinner tonight and it will be a regular this winter.
Delighted to hear this! I know we need all the warming soup recipes we can get going into the Scottish winter! I have a few more in the works too so hopefully they’ll be coming soon too.
It’s been snowing here today. I made this delicious soup and had it with pave bread; it totally hit the spot!! Absolutely delicious, cheap, quick and easy to make, an all round winner. Will definitely be making this regularly over the Winter. Thank you.
I’m so happy to hear this! I can’t get enough of it this winter either!