Aromatic and silky smooth in texture, this soup boasts 11 delicious ingredients that come together to create a deliciously subtle flavor that’s addictive. Three vibrant toppings add a beautiful pop of color and some texture to the soup. While the recipe may sound complicated, it’s far from it. The ingredients are easy to source, the prep is nothing more than some slicing and dicing, and the actual cooking is just a slow simmer with a swift blend at the end. A lighter, vegetarian version of my chicken mulligatawny soup and my Khow Suey (Pakistani curried noodles), a lot less spicy than my hot and sour soup recipe or my south Indian tomato rasam recipe and far less boring than my chicken corn soup recipe, you’ll definitely want to try this sweet potato lentil soup!
Why you’ll love this recipe
A great meal prep option - This sweet potato lentil soup recipe is freezer-friendly. During fall and winter, I double the recipe and freeze the soup in portions using my Souper Cubes Freezing Trays. Make ahead recipe - The soup has a fridge life of 4-5 days, making it a perfect recipe to make ahead of time if you want to serve it at an event you’re hosting. Budget-friendly - With primarily fresh, seasonal produce on the list of ingredients, this soup is an affordable recipe. Dairy-free - This soup has all the taste and texture of a cream-based soup without an ounce of dairy. Versatile recipe - Make it a delicious appetizer for some oven-baked seekh kebab, a side dish for tandoori grilled lamb chops, or a vegetarian main with warm crusty bread to dip in! It tastes wonderful however you serve it.
Ingredient notes
Chicken Stock - I usually stick to homemade chicken broth for the base of this sweet potato lentil soup. This way, I get all the nutritional benefits of chicken soup, which is a huge plus during flu season. I use store-bought stock if I’m in a hurry or need to make the soup vegetarian. Sweet potatoes - Cooked sweet potatoes are absolutely delicious in a soup form. The taste and texture are the perfect foundation upon which to start building layers of flavor. Red lentils - These are easy to digest, high in protein, and one of the mildest tasting of all lentils. They help add fiber, thicken the soup, and keep it from being too sweet. Granny Smith apples - The slightly sour taste of the Granny Smith apples helps balance the taste of the sweet potatoes and red lentils. Leeks - I chose leeks versus onions due to their mild and delicate taste. I felt that onions would be too harsh and likely to overpower the other ingredients. The spices - A generous use of salt and a little heat from 2 different peppers gives a nice kick to the soup. It’s far from spicy; you definitely won’t need to adjust these amounts, but it has a well-rounded and balanced flavor due to these spices. Lemongrass - Possibly my favorite addition, I slice a lemongrass stalk lengthwise and drop it in the soup as it cooks. It releases essential oils that smell amazing, and you definitely don’t want to skip this ingredient. Coconut milk - The final ingredient, coconut milk, gives the soup the perfect velvety texture, a delicious taste, and the final perfect touch to the overall aroma.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions.
Substitutions & variations
Make it diet-friendly - Use vegetable broth to make the soup fit a vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free diet. Add in other vegetables - Add more vegetables for added fiber; pumpkin, carrots, and seasonal squashes are some great options. Blend ½ the soup and leave ½ chunky - If you want more texture, separate the soup into two portions and puree only half. Then mix the two and serve. Try different toppings - Switch up the toppings. Try store-bought chili or harissa oil, pumpkin seeds, sour cream, chives, chili flakes, or a dash of cayenne. Make it low-calorie - Use light coconut milk for a low-calorie soup version.
Step-by-step instructions
First step - Peel and chop the sweet potatoes, apples, and leeks; cut the lemongrass stalk into three long pieces, slice each piece lengthwise, and add to the pot along with the garlic cloves, broth, salt, black pepper, and cayenne, and turn the stove on high. Second step - Once the mixture reaches a boil, turn the heat to low and let it simmer for 30 minutes. Third step - All the ingredients should be fork-tender by the end of this time. Fourth step - Turn the stove off, and take the lemongrass out as It’s too stringy to eat.
Fifth step - Puree the rest of the ingredients using an immersion or regular blender until you have a silky texture. Sixth step - Add in the entire can of coconut milk and turn the stove on medium. Seventh step - Stir to mix the coconut milk as the soup heats. Eighth step - Adjust the seasoning to your taste and bring the soup to a gentle simmer.
Ninth step - Turn the stove off once the soup reaches a gentle boil and becomes a light, uniform color. Garnish and enjoy.
Expert Tips
For more Pakistani recipes like this, check out 20 popular Pakistani recipes. If you decide to try this recipe, Please don’t forget to leave a rating and comment below! If you take a picture then tag me on Instagram! Thank You!
