Description
This Easy Sweet Potato Lentil Soup is a hearty and nutritious vegan recipe featuring tender sweet potatoes, green lentils, fresh vegetables, and warming herbs. Perfectly balanced and full of flavor, this comforting soup comes together on the stovetop in under an hour, making it ideal for a healthy weeknight dinner or meal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- 1 large sweet potato, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 2 cups chopped fresh kale
Liquids & Legumes
- 7.5 cups (60 oz.) vegetable broth
- 1 cup green lentils
- 1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes
Herbs & Spices
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme (or 1/3 teaspoon dried)
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary (or 1/3 teaspoon dried)
- 1 teaspoon fresh sage (or 1/3 teaspoon dried)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Garnishes
- Vegan croutons
- Pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- Sauté aromatics: In a large pot, add 2 tablespoons of water or vegetable broth. Add the chopped onion, carrot, celery, and minced garlic. Sauté over medium heat until the vegetables are soft and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.
- Cook sweet potatoes: Add the cubed sweet potatoes to the pot and continue cooking for 5-6 minutes. Stir frequently and add additional water or broth, 2 tablespoons at a time as needed to prevent sticking or burning.
- Add remaining ingredients: Pour in the vegetable broth, green lentils, canned diced tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, and sage. Stir well to combine all ingredients.
- Simmer soup: Reduce heat to medium-low and let the soup simmer gently for 35 minutes, or until the lentils are tender and fully cooked.
- Incorporate kale: Remove the pot from heat and stir in the fresh kale. Cover and allow the soup to sit for 5 minutes so the kale wilts and softens.
- Season and serve: Remove the bay leaves, then season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot topped with vegan croutons and pumpkin seeds for added texture and flavor.
Notes
- Nutrition facts do not account for added salt and pepper to taste.
- Sweet potatoes can be substituted with white or any other potatoes if preferred.
- Omit lentils or replace with cooked canned beans—add them at the end with kale to avoid overcooking and preserve shape.
- Spinach or other greens can replace kale; adjust cook time depending on toughness of greens.
- Use dried herbs instead of fresh by using 1/3 teaspoon each of dried thyme, rosemary, and sage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approximately 1/4 of total recipe)
- Calories: 284
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 463 mg
- Fat: 1 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 56 g
- Fiber: 11.1 g
- Protein: 14.3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
