This Moroccan-spiced red lentil soup checks all the boxes:
- It’s deeply nourishing, thanks to protein-and-fiber-packed lentils;
- It’s luxuriously creamy, thanks to sweet potatoes, which act as a natural thickener, and a quick partial-blend of the soup at the end;
- It’s super satisfying and cozy, thanks to its duality of wholesomeness and indulgence
Built from simple pantry staples, made extraordinary by special spice blend ras el hanout, and fancied up with a drizzle of olive oil and a dollop of creamy coconut yogurt, file this one under “go-to recipes for surviving thriving in winter.”
In this post:
In my lentil soup era 💁🏽♀️
When I’d finished testing my Mediterranean Lentil Soup recipe (spoiler alert: not your average lentil soup), I started daydreaming about other ways to riff on lentil soups, like an artist experimenting with a beloved medium.
The medium? Lentils. The vision? Another fun, inventive soup proving that lentils are anything but boring.
And that’s how this soup came to be.
After trying it out for the first time, my partner Max formally requested I make this soup “every time it rains until the end of eternity.” Now it may not rain that much here in San Diego, but I’m taking that as a win.
It’s also easy to make! The hardest part is finely dicing the sweet potatoes so they melt into the soup. But if you’ve got a sharp knife and a bit of patience, you’re golden.
Ingredient notes
Red lentils
Unlike green, brown, or French green lentils, red lentils fully soften and disintegrate when cooked, so this soup feels a bit like the sibling of an Indian dal which, of course, I could wax poetic about (as I do in my Dal Palak, Dal Makhani, and Dal Tadka recipes).
If you’re using split red lentils (AKA masoor dal), soak them for just 10 minutes, rather than the 20 minutes listed in the recipe, as they will cook faster.
Where to buy: You can buy standard red lentils at most grocery stores. And you can find split red lentils at South Asian grocery stores.
Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are the undercover hero of this red lentil soup for two reasons: 1) their natural sweetness beautifully softens the heat from the chilis and spices, and 2) they cook until they nearly melt into the soup, naturally thickening it.
They give the final product a cozy richness and eliminate the need for an ingredient like coconut milk, making them this soup’s undisputed MVP (…most valuable potato).
Onion
As I have mentioned (too?) many times before, starting a soup by slowly, thoroughly browning your onions is one of the easiest ways to amplify the flavor and build a complex, sweet-savory base. It’s the first step in my Mediterranean Lentil Soup, and it’s the first step here!
Brown the onions.
I know it can be tempting to saute the onions for just like four minutes, but when you’re making a plant-based soup with simple ingredients, this one change makes a big difference.
Plus, you can use the time while the onions cook to multitask, as they don’t need much stirring (i.e., peel and dice those sweet potatoes).
A trio of aromatics
A rule I live by: if you’re starting a recipe with garlic, ginger, and green chilis, you’re doing something right. I use them to start practically all of my Indian dishes, but they also work really well in a North African or Middle Eastern-inspired dish like this.
If you’re sensitive to heat, just omit the green chili!
And a trio of spices!
The first two are familiar faves—coriander and cumin—but the third is a special guest star (though if you’ve made my Vegan Tagine with Chickpeas, you know it well): ras el hanout.
This complex spice blend, whose name translates to “head of shop” in Arabic, is a staple in Moroccan cooking, lending a slight floral sweetness balanced by a pleasant earthiness. There are countless variations and, yes, many already include coriander and cumin—but trust me, a bit extra enhances the soup.
Where to buy: Find ras el hanout in well-stocked grocery stores (Whole Foods reliably has it), spice shops, Middle Eastern markets, and various online retailers.
If you’re reluctant to buy a new ingredient for a single recipe, check out this article for more ways to use ras el hanout!
Substitute: Check out the FAQ for three alternatives to buying ras el hanout.
Step-by-step instructions
- Soak the lentils for 20 minutes as you prep the aromatics and veggies. After 20 minutes, drain and rinse the lentils.
- Peel and finely dice the sweet potatoes. A fine dice is important so they cook in the soup in the time allotted and melt into the texture.
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat, then add the onions with a bit of salt.
- Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.
- Add the garlic, ginger, green chili, and tomato paste.
- Stir almost constantly for 2 minutes.
- Add the ras el hanout, coriander, and cumin.
- Stir constantly for 30 seconds.
- Add the sweet potatoes, red lentils, vegetable broth, water, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper.
- Stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 25 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender and lentils are soft.
- Remove from the heat and fish out the bay leaf. Use an immersion blender on low to blend roughly half (not all!) of the soup.
- Stir in lemon juice and cilantro. Serve with a dollop of yogurt, a drizzle of olive oil, and fresh mint.
Tips for making this recipe
Finely dice the sweet potatoes
This requires a bit of patience (and a sharp chef’s knife), but you’ll be rewarded for your effort!
If you leave the potatoes in large pieces, they won’t cook down as quickly and it’ll take longer to finish the soup (and the lentils may get really soft).
No need to be precise about the shape of the pieces (i.e. they don’t need to be dainty cubes). I’ve even included detailed instructions for dicing sweet potatoes in the recipe card notes.
Multitask while the lentils soak
The very first step should be soaking the red lentils for two reasons:
- You can (and should!) use that time to prep the aromatics and sweet potatoes.
- It helps cut down on the overall cook time as the lentils will start to soften.
Tailor the heat to your liking
This one’s for my baby-mouths out there—feel free to omit the optional green chile pepper. You may also want to use two teaspoons of ras el hanout instead of one tablespoon. It’s not a spicy spice but it does add warm heat.
Use low-sodium vegetable broth or less salt
The recipe calls for 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt which sounds like a lot, but this makes over 8 cups of soup! Plus Diamond Crystal Kosher salt, as I have mentioned many times, is half as salty as table salt, teaspoon for teaspoon.
If all you have is regular vegetable broth instead of low-sodium, you’ll need to scale back on the salt considerably. Start with just a quarter teaspoon and add more to taste at the end.
Partially blend the soup
To achieve this soup’s perfect texture, I partially blend it—just partially! We’re looking for richly creamy but not totally textureless.
To keep this a one-pot meal, use your immersion blender. I have this one and I can’t stop raving about it. It’s so powerful it can blend a batch of homemade curry paste, no problem!
Don’t have an immersion blender? Transfer roughly half of the soup to a stand blender. Puree it and then pour it back into the soup.
Don’t skip the finishing touches
On its own, this soup is delicious and wholesome—but the finishing touches give it the richness and luxury that make it spectacular. Thus, they are not optional, in my book.
I finish each bowl with a dollop or two of creamy coconut yogurt and a drizzle or two of extra virgin olive oil. I also add fresh cilantro and mint at the end for brightness and freshness, and—of course—lemon juice, to awaken all the warm flavors.
Recommended yogurt brands: We love Culina and Cocojune for soup-dolloping, because they are creamy, tart, and without any sweet undertones.
Fun variations
This soup is a great one to riff on, so make it your own! Here are some suggestions:
- Use split yellow lentils (AKA moong dal) instead of red lentils—but soak for only 10 minutes.
- Replace the ras el hanout with garam masala for an Indian-flavored spin (like dal!).
- Replace the lemon at the end with lime!
- For extra richness, stir in ½ to 1 cup (120 to 240 mL) canned coconut milk when you add the broth.
- For more veggie action: dice a few carrots and sauté after the onions for a few minutes until just starting to soften. Or, fold in a few handfuls of baby spinach or baby kale after partially pureeing the soup and simmer until wilted.
More hearty yet nutritious soups & stews
- Vegan Tagine with Chickpeas (if you’re looking for more ways to use ras el hanout!)
- Vegan Gambian Peanut Stew (another cozy bowl featuring sweet potatoes!)
- Mediterranean Lentil Soup (the wow-worthy lentil soup which inspired this recipe)
- Lemony Chickpea Soup (AKA chicken noodle soup’s bright, vegan cousin)
- Creamy White Bean Soup with Kale (maybe one of my most wholesome soups of all time?)
Frequently Asked Questions
Sure! These cook a bit faster, so you only need to soak them for 10 minutes (rather than the 20 minutes instructed on the recipe card).
I have to be a stickler here—the answer is yes. If you make this soup with unpeeled potatoes, the peel won’t soften as much and will take on a less-than-desirable, possibly leathery texture, majorly detracting from the soup’s overall appeal.
You betcha! Here’s how:
1. Saute the onions and other aromatics as listed using the Saute setting in the instant pot.
2. Add the remaining ingredients—sweet potatoes, broth, water, etc.—then secure the lid of the Instant Pot and Pressure Cook at high pressure for 10 minutes.
3. Allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then release any remaining steam.
Three options:
1. Use garam masala for an Indian-spiced version
2. Use the following spices in lieu of ras el hanout: ½ tsp each ground coriander, cumin, and ginger; ¼ tsp each ground turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, freshly grated nutmeg, black pepper, and cayenne pepper
3. Try making this ras el hanout recipe from a Moroccan food writer.
For leftovers: Store just the soup (separate from the mint and coconut yogurt/olive oil) in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
To freeze: Let the soup cool completely, then freeze in single-serve portions (I use these Souper Cubes) or freezer-safe containers or bags. Label with the date and use within 3 to 4 months.
For the best texture, thaw overnight in the fridge. If you don’t have time for that, you can reheat the frozen soup in a saucepan over low heat, adding a splash of water or broth to loosen.
If you cozied up with and loved this spiced red lentil soup, I’d be honored if you left a rating and review below! ❤️
Introducing
Big Vegan Flavor
Techniques and 150 recipes to master vegan cooking.
Red Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 1 cup (200g) red lentils
- 3 tablespoons (42g) extra virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing
- 1 large yellow onion, diced (~ 2 cups / 300g once diced)
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon (10g) freshly grated/minced ginger
- ½ serrano or jalapeño pepper, finely chopped (optional, see Note 1)
- 2 tablespoons (30g) tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon ras el hanout (see Note 2)
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 medium (~ 20 oz / 570g total) sweet potatoes, peeled and finely diced into ¼” cubes, see Note 3 for instructions)
- 4 cups (960 mL) low-sodium vegetable broth (see Note 4)
- 1 cup (240 mL) water
- 1 bay leaf
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- Several squeezes of fresh lemon juice
For serving
- 1 handful (~12g) cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped
- 1 small handful (~5g) fresh mint leaves, chopped or torn with hands
- ~ ½ cup (120g) creamy coconut yogurt (see Note 5)
- Flatbread to serve 4 (optional)
Instructions
- Add the red lentils to a bowl, cover with water, and soak for 20 minutes. In the meantime, prep the onion, garlic, ginger, serrano pepper, and sweet potatoes. After 20 minutes, drain the lentils and rinse with fresh water.
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Once shimmering, add the onion with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until nicely golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. If the onions brown too quickly, add a splash of water and/or lower the heat a touch.
- Add the garlic ginger, green chili if using, and tomato paste. Stir almost constantly for 2 minutes, stirring the tomato paste into the aromatics. Add the ras el hanout, coriander, and cumin. Stir constantly for 30 seconds. If it starts to dry out, add a splash of water to deglaze the pan.
- Add the finely diced sweet potatoes, vegetable broth, water, bay leaf, 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, and several cracks of pepper.NOTE: If using sea salt or Morton’s kosher salt, use 1 ¼ teaspoons. If using table salt, use 1 teaspoon.
- Stir to combine and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, until the lentils are soft and sweet potatoes are tender and have softened, about 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and scoop out the bay leaf.NOTE: If the sweet potatoes still have some bite, simmer for another 5 minutes or until they're tender.
- Add an immersion blender to the pot and start on low speed. Blend roughly half of the soup until it’s thicker and creamy but some texture still remains. Don’t blend it all!If you don't have an immersion blender, carefully transfer roughly half of the soup to a stand blender. Remove the center cap and replace it with a dish towel to allow venting, and blend until pureed. Stir the puree back into the soup.
- Add several squeezes of lemon juice and the cilantro to the soup. Taste, adding salt or pepper as needed. Serve in bowls and garnish with a dollop or two of yogurt, a drizzle or two of extra virgin olive oil, and the chopped mint. If desired, serve with flatbread on the side.
Notes
- This adds a subtle heat. If you want spicy, use the whole pepper.
- If not available, you can have a few options:
- Use garam masala for an Indian-spiced version
- Use the following spices: ½ tsp each ground coriander, cumin, and ginger; ¼ tsp each ground turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, freshly grated nutmeg, black pepper, and cayenne pepper
- Try making this ras el hanout recipe from a Moroccan food writer.
- No need to be precise about the shape; just make sure that they are small-diced so that they fully soften into the soup in the time allotted. If you want precise instructions on how to finely dice a sweet potato, here they are:
- Using a sharp knife, cut the peeled sweet potato in half crosswise.
- Cut side down, slice from top to bottom into 4 to 5 planks (depending how thick the sweet potato is); the planks should be about ¼” (~7 mm) in thickness.
- Stack two planks on top of another, then cut them lengthwise (about ¼”) into strips.
- Then cut the strips crosswise (¼”) into small cubes.
- If using regular vegetable broth instead of low-sodium, you’ll need to use considerably less salt. Start with just ¼ teaspoon and add more to taste at the end.
- My go-to yogurts are Culina or Cocojune, which are vegan coconut-based yogurts that are creamy, tart, and have no sweet undertone.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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