Sweet Potato Lentil Soup
Made with nothing but wholesome ingredients, this Sweet Potato Lentil Soup is a deliciously hearty soup with a bit of an Indian flair… Guaranteed to warm you right up, inside and out!
I’ve to be honest: I got the inspiration for this Sweet Potato Lentil Soup from… a can! That’s right! A couple of weeks ago, I was served a soup right out of a can that very similar to this one, and I must admit that it was so crazy good, I decided that I had to try and recreate it.
Now why in the world would I feel the need to do that if the stuff that came out of the can was this good, you ask? Frankly, I’m not really sure myself… for cans, they’re not such a bad thing! They can be so convenient to have around, sometimes: just crack it open, heat up, and serve.
But hey, I wanted to make my very own version of this deliciousness. Cuz you know, nothing beats homemade, me thinks. Plus, well, I wanted to know if I could pull it off. Well let me tell you, I totally could!
This homemade version of the canned soup I’d had came out so amazing, I get the feeling that I will be having it a lot over the course of the winter. It’s crazy thick, super hearty, incredibly filling and satisfying, and it tastes just like a trip under the sun. Nothing better to warm you right up, inside and out, especially in the dead of winter!
Still, I’ll probably be keeping a few of the cans handy, for those crazy busy days, you know…
Start by heating a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until slightly softened, golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Add the brown lentils and spices, stir well and continue cooking for about a minute or so… just to coat those lentil real well in all the spices.
Now throw in the sweet potatoes, vegetable broth , water and unsweetened apple juice.
Bring to a slow simmer, cover and cook until the lentils are tender but still have a bit of a bite to them, about 25 to 30 minutes.
If you ever find that the mixture is getting a little too thick for the lentils to cook efficiently, feel free to add a little bit of water to the pot, as necessary.
When the lentils are cooked to your liking, combine the tomato paste, peanut butter, maple syrup, lime zest and lime juice as well as the grated ginger in a small bowl or measuring cup.
Whisk until well combined and stir that right into the soup.
At this point, you’ll want to kill the heat and reduce the mixture to a thick puree with the help of a stick blender.
If you didn’t have a stick blender, or preferred your soup to be completely smooth and creamy, you could also transfer it to a high speed blender, process it until smooth and then return it to the pot…
Now, delicately stir in about a cup and a half to two cups of almond milk (or other milk of your choice), until your soup reaches the desired consistency.
Bring the soup back to a quick simmer, and then serve without delay.
At the moment of serving, garnish the bowls with a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt, a slice of lime, some fresh parsley, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of freshly ground pepper, if desired.
Sweet Potato Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 1-2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup small brown lentils
- 1-1/2 tbsp ground cumin
- 1-1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/8 tsp ground cardamom
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (about 750g)
- 2-1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup unsweetened apple juice
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 tbsp creamy peanut butter
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- juice and zest of 1 lime
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
- 1-1/2 to 2 cups almond milk
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until slightly softened, golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Add the lentils and spices, stir well and continue cooking for about a minute, then throw in the sweet potatoes, vegetable broth, water and apple juice; bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the lentils are tender but still have a bit of a bite to them, about 25 to 30 minutes. Add a little bit more water if you ever find it necessary.
- When the lentils are cooked to your liking, combine the tomato paste, peanut butter, maple syrup, lime zest and lime juice as well as the grated ginger in a small bowl or measuring cup. Whisk until well combined and stir that right into the soup.
- Kill the heat and reduce the soup to a thick puree with the help of a stick blender.
- Delicately stir in a cup and a half to two cups of almond milk (or other non-dairy milk of your choice), until the soup reaches the desired consistency. Bring back to a quick simmer and then serve without delay.
- Garnish with a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt, slice of lime, fresh parsley, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of freshly ground pepper, if desired.
Nutrition
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One Comment on “Sweet Potato Lentil Soup”
I would leave the maple syrup out to add last as it was too sweet in my opinion. My soup didn’t look as rich in color as yours, but it was good altogether.