Instant Pot Spiced Red Lentil Sweet Potato Soup

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A creamy Indian-spiced soup that’s naturally creamy from red lentils and sweet potatoes, and made super simple thanks to the Instant Pot. With warming spices like garam masala and turmeric, this is a healthy yet hearty meal that’ll give you all the cozy vibes.
Prep 20 minutes
Cook 15 minutes
Total 35 minutes
5 from 79 votes

This Instant Pot Spiced Red Lentil Sweet Potato Soup is one of my favorite easy recipes, and it’s one that you all like so much too!

It’s a creamy and thick spiced soup that gets its natural creaminess from red lentils and sweet potatoes. No coconut milk needed to thicken it up because red lentils get mushy when cooked, plus the Instant Pot melts the sweet potatoes into the soup.

For a visual on how to make this recipe, check out the video on Youtube! It’s the first recipe in the video and starts around the 00:55 mark.

Why you’re going to like this recipe 

10 main ingredients. Okay, I’m not counting oil, salt and pepper. But yeah, 10 main ingredients, yay!

Weeknight-friendly. It requires just 5 minutes of hands-on cooking, so it’s definitely an easy option for those busy weeknights.

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Hearty yet wholesome. This recipe is hearty and comforting, the kind of soup that’s more stew than soup and that’s super satisfying, thanks to its creamy texture, the protein-packed lentils, and the complex carbs from the sweet potatoes. This makes it a great meal for the whole family!

Perfectly spiced. If you’re tired of the same old meals, this is a recipe to try! It features Indian spices but it’s still very accessible and doable, even for novice cooks. The Indian spices pair perfectly with the red lentils (a classic combo), and are balanced nicely by the sweetness of the sweet potatoes.

This recipe is super easy to make so there’s not much to say, but keep in mind that this soup is quite thick and creamy, almost like a stew or dal. If you prefer a soupy texture, just add more vegetable broth or water.

You can add the extra broth/water before pressure cooking (in step 3), or after pressure cooking once you see the finished texture so you can add as much liquid as needed.

More delicious vegan soups

Hungry for even more delicious vegan soups, stews, and curries? Give these a try:

If you give this Instant Pot Spiced Red Lentil Sweet Potato Soup a try, be sure to tag me on Instagram with your recreations and please comment with your feedback below!

Instant Pot Spiced Red Lentil Sweet Potato Soup

5 from 79 votes
A creamy Indian-spiced soup that’s naturally creamy from red lentils and sweet potatoes, and made super simple thanks to the Instant Pot. With warming spices like garam masala and turmeric, this is a healthy yet hearty meal that’ll give you all the cozy vibes.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Indian
Diet Vegan
Serving size: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil (or oil of choice)
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly grated or minced ginger
  • 1 serrano pepper, diced (optional, adds some heat)
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into a large dice
  • 1 cup red lentils, rinsed until the water runs clear
  • 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth*
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons sea salt + more to taste
  • Freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1-2 teaspoons maple syrup (optional)
  • For serving (optional): coconut yogurt, fresh cilantro, and flatbread or rice

Instructions

  • Select the Sauté setting on your Instant Pot and heat up the coconut oil. Once it’s shimmering, add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until slightly softened.
  • Add the garlic, ginger, serrano pepper (if using), garam masala, curry powder (if using), cumin, and turmeric and stir until aromatic, about 30 seconds.
  • Pour in the vegetable broth to deglaze the pot, using a wooden spoon or scraper to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Add the lentils, sweet potatoes, sea salt, and pepper. Stir to combine all of the ingredients. Select the Cancel setting.
  • Secure the lid of the Instant Pot and seal. Select the Pressure Cook (or Manual, depending on your model) setting and cook at high pressure for 10 minutes.
  • Once the 10 minutes is up, allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes before switching the pressure release valve from Sealing to Venting. Open the Instant Pot and give the soup a stir. Taste for seasonings. You may want to add more salt, or to balance the acidity, you may want to add a teaspoon or two of maple syrup or sugar.
  • Once the soup has slightly cooled, top with coconut yogurt and fresh cilantro. If desired, serve with flatbread or rice.

Notes

* This soup is quite thick and creamy, almost like a stew, so if you prefer a soupy texture, just add more vegetable broth or water. You can do that before pressure cooking when you add the vegetable broth, or after pressure cooking once you see the texture so you can add as much liquid as needed .

Calories: 326kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 68mg | Potassium: 895mg | Fiber: 20g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 16075IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 5mg

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116 comments on Instant Pot Spiced Red Lentil Sweet Potato Soup

  1. Sophie

    5 stars
    So good! Even my lentil hating husband loved it!

  2. Deborah Zahler

    5 stars
    Wow Sweet and Delicious!!!! I made this recipe without curry, but love the garam masala *** I Added lightly steamed cauliflower in just before serving….. I would try adding steamed potatoes, mushrooms and spinach next time…. Thanks for taking all the guess work out of this great recipe Nisha!!

  3. Tina

    5 stars
    Delicious, quick and easy! And pantry friendly. I added some kale and stirred it in at the end to add some greens! Thanks for a wonderful recipe.

  4. Sabina Mahavni

    I only have a 3-quart instant pot. Should I reduce the amount I make or will this recipe fit in that size pot?

    1. Deborah Zahler

      Sabina I made this today in a 3 quart instapot did fine used 1 cup of lentils one very very large sweet potato and 4 1/2 cups of ginger broth it did fine…..

  5. JOANN

    5 stars
    Nisha, I love your recipes. I am nearly fifty years old and I am just now starting to feel like I can call myself a good cook. Much of that is thanks to your recipes! This is one of my favorites. The flavors are fantastic and the sweet potato and lentils are a wonderful combination. As I ate this I was thinking, I can’t believe I made this!! Thank you for a home run of a recipe

  6. Cynthia Kamweru

    Hi, I don’t have an instant pot. Would I decrease the amount of water or increase the cooking time on stovetop?

    1. Nisha

      I haven’t tried it myself, but I think you can decrease to 3 cups liquid. And after sauteing the onions, add the sweet potatoes and toss to coat for 6-7 minutes (add more oil or water as needed to prevent sticking). Then add the lentils and liquid, and probably 20-25 minutes cook time.

  7. Eye Gee

    5 stars
    Sooo good!

  8. Paulina Zyskowski

    5 stars
    Ok this recipe sold me on instapot soups! It so warming and filling. I added eggplant, chickpeas, and spinach at the end too. I chose this because I already love the red lentil curry and make it often. And I need to get my iron in lol

  9. TJ

    First time trying one of your recipes and this was so delicious! I can’t wait to try more! Thank you!

    1. TJ

      5 stars
      Forgot to leave the five star rating

  10. Katz

    5 stars
    Absolutely love all your recipes!!! And I’m so happy with this new layout so I can access the recipes easier. Thank you for sharing all your wonderful recipes!

  11. Deanna

    Nisha,

    Can you use sweet potatoes already diced from the grocery store?

    1. Nisha

      Sure! I’d estimate about ~10 to 12 ounces of diced sweet potatoes.

  12. Liz

    This is delicious, would you know the approximate amount of calorie/serving?

  13. Liz

    This is delicious, would you know approximately the amount of calories per serving?

  14. Susan

    Thank you for the recipe! I just got my instant pot yesterday and this was the first recipe I made with it, and it turned out great. I read some comments about adding spinach so threw a package of frozen chopped spinach on top, and I just stirred it in at the end with no problem! I reduced the salt to 1/2 teaspoon, so it needed a little salt to taste, and I added roasted salted cashews to serve. Very easy and delicious.

  15. Heather

    Nisha, this is delicious! It was the first time I have used my instant pot because the idea of pressure cooking scares me. But I am converted! Probably one of the best meals I have ever made. Mine turned out more brown than your pictures, but the taste made up for the funky appearance! Also, I love your YouTube videos and appreciate the content that will help me transition to a more plant based life!

  16. Maryann Brown

    Can’t wait to make this as all of your recipes I’ve made have turned out delicious. However, I am not sure of how much sweet potato I need to add as I don’t what constitutes a ‘medium’ sweet potato. (I have an 8oz and a 15.5 oz)

  17. Jackie Marques

    I made this tonight and it was absolutely. I added a couple handfuls of spinach because I love greens in everything. Thank you for such a great recipe

  18. Natalie Roberge

    Is this the same recipe that is on your you tube video for dump and go? The one in video calls for tomatoes and red curry paste and this one has no tomatoes. This one has no coconut milk but video does. Bought ingredients today based on video but now confused based on ingredient list above.

    1. Nisha Vora

      Hi Natalie,
      This is a different recipe, which is why you might be confused :)
      If you are looking for the Thai red curry soup, you can find the blog post here: https://www.rainbowplantlife.com/blog/thai-red-curry-sweet-potato-soup

      1. Natalie

        Silly me!! Thanks Nisha for the clarification. Will try the recipes :)

  19. Maneesha

    Hi Nisha! What a wonderful recipe! I made this last night and added chopped kale – LOVED IT!!

  20. Heather Bryant

    The notes said it has garam masala but the recipe says to use curry. Can I swap them? I don’t really like curry but love garam masala.

    1. Nisha Vora

      Good catch! I forgot to update the recipe – I fixed it now. But yes, you can use garam masala and omit the curry powder!

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