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Home » Recipes » Soups

Lentil Sweet Potato Curry Soup

Published: Jan 8, 2020 · Modified: Oct 9, 2020 by Lexi

1.6K shares
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Bowl of soup from above.

This Vegan Lentil Sweet Potato Curry Soup is comforting, flavorful and perfect for a weeknight dinner! Even your non-vegetarian family and friends will go back for seconds.

This post is sponsored by Le Creuset. All opinions are our own.

I've said this many times before, but there is truly no weeknight meal I love more than soup. Even during the hottest weeks of summer, I can't resist the allure of a simple, one-pot soup. It's typically very easy to make, and there are always leftovers for the next day's lunch.

Plus, since my husband and I have different dietary preferences (I'm mostly vegan, he's not), soup is an easy dish to bridge that gap. More often than not, he doesn't mind option for a vegan soup. And if he really wants to add meat, he can cook it separately and add it in at the end.

This Vegan Lentil and Sweet Potato Curry Soup is one of his favorites. It's packed with flavorful, warming spices, hearty lentils and some leafy greens for good measure. Sweet potatoes add a bit of bulk, and tomatoes add the perfect amount of acidity and deep flavor.

vegan lentil curry sweet potato soup in two bowls

Even if you think you don't like lentils, try this soup! If you really don't like lentils, you can always sub with chickpeas, but I think you'll love this either way.

The best part? This Curry Lentil Soup is great for leftovers. If you don't think you'll eat it right away, freeze it and reheat on a rainy (or snowy) day in the future. My husband loves taking this to work. He eats it with some crusty sourdough bread –– the perfect lunch!

What kind of lentils should I use?

While red and yellow lentils are well suited for a puréed lentil soup, they don't hold up well in this kind of soup. Opt instead for brown or green lentils, which hold their shape. You don't want to end up with a pile of mush!

We opt for French green lentils in this recipe. They’re smaller, darker in color, and more flavorful than regular green lentils. I love the texture that they add to this soup, but if you can't find any, regular green lentils will be fine.

How to build a flavorful soup base

The key to this soup is adding plenty of flavor to the base. Don't worry –– there aren't a ton of crazy ingredients –– just a few high quality flavor enhancers.

close up overhead view of vegan lentil curry sweet potato soup in pot

The base starts with onion, garlic and ginger, sautéed until browned, tender and super flavorful.

Tomato paste is one of my favorite ingredients for soup. It adds SO much delicious concentrated tomato flavor. Just be sure to buy high quality paste (the stuff that comes in a tube). It makes all the difference!

When it comes to spices, we're keeping it pretty simple with yellow curry powder and a dash of cinnamon. Again, opt for a high quality curry powder, which will deliver plenty of flavor.

Mild curry will be a bit milder (duh!), while madras curry powder will add a spicy punch. Choose whichever you prefer!

In addition to vegetable broth, full-fat coconut milk is a wonderful addition. It adds creaminess, depth and a just a touch of coconut that pairs perfectly with the curry powder.

To add more vegetables, we opted for peeled and diced sweet potato and leafy kale. There are plenty of other vegetables you could add or substitute. We'd opt for cauliflower, regular potatoes instead of sweet potatoes, carrots, zucchini, etc.

overhead view of lentil sweet potato curry soup in grey bowl with cilantro garnish

The only soup pot you need in your life

For someone that makes soup as often as I do, there's no piece of kitchen equipment I use more than my Le Creuset Dutch Oven. (Except for maybe my blender.)

If you already have a Le Creuset Signature Dutch Oven, you know what I mean. It's enameled cast iron (which means yes, it's heavy), but it holds up for years and years (seriously, decades!). I truly believe every single kitchen needs a Le Creuset Dutch Oven. Very much worth the investment!

Side view of beautiful matte white pot

Cast iron distributes heat evenly and retains heat perfectly. The enameled surface also prevents sticking, and there's no need to season these pans unlike other cast iron. You can read more about Le Creuset Dutch Ovens here!

I adore this color. It's a gorgeous matte white that I would imagine looks great in just about any kitchen. But I also love some of their brighter colors. You can choose from 15+ color options here!

More Vegan Soup Recipes

  • Vegetable-packed Minestrone Soup
  • White Bean Kale Soup
  • Super Green Vegetable Soup
  • Creamy Cauliflower Soup
  • Creamy Vegan Tomato Soup
overhead view of lentil sweet potato curry soup in grey bowl with cilantro garnish

If you make this Vegan Lentil Sweet Potato Curry Soup, we’d love for you to leave a comment and rating below! We also love to see your creations on Instagram – tag us at @crowded_kitchen so we can see what you’ve been cooking.

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Lentil Sweet Potato Curry Soup


★★★★★

5 from 16 reviews

  • Author: Lexi
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

This Vegan Lentil Sweet Potato Curry Soup is comforting, flavorful and perfect for a weeknight dinner! Even your non-vegetarian family and friends will go back for seconds. 


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
  • 1 ½ tbsp grated, fresh ginger
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp curry powder
  • ¼ tsp cinnamon
  • 1 ½ tsp salt
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 1 ½ cups dry French green lentils*
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 13.5 oz can full fat coconut milk
  • 1 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 bunch lacinato kale, chopped or torn
  • For garnish: cilantro (optional)

Instructions

  1. Heat a dutch oven over medium and add olive oil. 
  2. Add onion and sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring often, until translucent. Add garlic and ginger and sauté for a few more minutes. (Be careful not to let garlic burn.) Add tomato paste and stir well. 
  3. Add curry powder, cinnamon and salt and stir to coat. Add remaining ingredients except for kale and stir. 
  4. Increase heat, bring soup to a boil, then reduce to low and let simmer for 25-30 minutes, until sweet potatoes and lentils are tender. 
  5. Add kale, stir well and let wilt for a minute or two. Serve with fresh cilantro (optional).

Notes

*If you're unable to find French green lentils, opt for regular green or brown lentils.

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Category: Soups
  • Method: Stovetop

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 646
  • Sugar: 13.7 g
  • Sodium: 1678.6 mg
  • Fat: 29.1 g
  • Saturated Fat: 19.3 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 81.2 g
  • Fiber: 14.7 g
  • Protein: 24.1 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

Keywords: curry lentil soup

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @crowded_kitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #crowdedkitchen

More Soup Recipes

  • Pinto Bean Soup
  • Red Cabbage Soup
  • Vegetable Dumpling Soup
  • Pumpkin Sweet Potato Soup

Reader Interactions

Comments

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    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

  1. Jeanne

    January 21, 2023 at 6:53 pm

    Amazing!
    Great combination of flavors

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  2. Rebecca

    September 23, 2022 at 11:31 am

    Cooked this in the Instant Pot for 6 minutes. Used black beluga lentils, added a squeeze of lime and served it over faro. Was delicious!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lexi

      September 23, 2022 at 11:55 am

      So glad it worked well in the Instant Pot, thank you so much for sharing and glad you enjoyed! Have a great day 🙂

      Reply
  3. Kimberly

    December 12, 2021 at 6:14 pm

    Absolutely delicious. I will definitely make it again! Will it freeze well?

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lexi

      December 13, 2021 at 11:34 am

      Thank you! Yes, this soup freezes well. We suggest defrosting overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

      Reply
  4. Tina

    September 27, 2021 at 6:11 pm

    Delicious!!! I added more water and chicken stock While it thickened. Very tasty! I’ll make again for sure ☺️

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lexi

      September 30, 2021 at 10:23 am

      So glad you enjoyed! Thank you so much for your review 🙂

      Reply
    • Kelly

      January 09, 2022 at 6:12 pm

      This was a great base recipe! I prefer stronger flavors so I doubled all the spices and added a tbsp of brown sugar ( my preference when using coconut milk), fresh basil, and cilantro. Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
  5. Grace

    March 11, 2021 at 6:01 pm

    This soup was incredible! I've already shared it with friends. Thank you!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lexi

      March 11, 2021 at 6:24 pm

      Thank you so much, so glad you enjoyed!

      Reply
  6. Eric

    January 24, 2021 at 8:52 pm

    Instantly on my top-5 list!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lexi

      January 25, 2021 at 10:48 am

      So glad to hear that! Thanks so much!

      Reply
      • Jeanne

        January 26, 2022 at 7:14 pm

        Second time at I’ve made this
        So good!!

        ★★★★★

        Reply
  7. Carrie

    December 30, 2020 at 9:30 pm

    I love this recipe. I’ve made it three times now and it’s a house favorite. I add a little bit more of the spices (cinnamon, curry) and a hint of black pepper to make it really rich!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lexi

      December 31, 2020 at 10:49 am

      Hi Carrie, love to hear that!! So glad you enjoyed!

      Reply
      • Jeanne Rademacher

        April 30, 2021 at 9:34 am

        I LOVE THIS ONE

        ★★★★★

        Reply
  8. Claire

    November 17, 2020 at 7:05 pm

    Excellent recipe. Added some cumin, turmeric and cardamom on the spice front and a carrot. And realized too late I got canned coconut cream instead of coconut milk! highly recommend making that mistake. Will make again 🙂

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lexi

      November 18, 2020 at 9:54 am

      Thanks so much, Claire! Love the additions, especially the cardamom!

      Reply
  9. Marcy

    October 31, 2020 at 3:01 pm

    Delicious!
    My family loved it. So easy!
    Will definitely make again and again

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lexi

      November 02, 2020 at 9:43 am

      Thanks so much, Marcy! So glad to hear that!

      Reply
  10. Mona

    October 18, 2020 at 11:56 am

    I made this Lentil Sweet Potato Curry Soup yesterday. It was so good and very easy to make. Thanks for your recipes. I will be making more of your recipes. I am trying to eat healthier and eventually become Vegan.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lexi

      October 19, 2020 at 11:53 am

      Thanks so much, Mona! So glad you enjoyed!

      Reply
  11. Mona

    October 18, 2020 at 11:49 am

    I give this recipe five stars!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  12. Mona

    October 18, 2020 at 11:47 am

    I made this Lentil Sweet Potato Curry Soup yesterday. It was so delicious and very easy to make. Thanks for your recipes. I will be using more of your recipes in the future. I am trying to eat healthier and eventually become Vegan!!

    Reply
  13. RK

    February 14, 2020 at 11:24 am

    This looks amazing! Quick question....if making a day ahead, should I add kale when prepping, or should I add when reheating to serve to my guests the next day?

    Reply
    • Lexi

      February 14, 2020 at 12:15 pm

      Hi! If you don't mind, it's probably better to add the kale right before serving. But it will still be perfectly fine if you add it in the day before, too! Hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  14. Cami

    January 23, 2020 at 11:24 am

    I don’t have a le creuset. Can I use my all clad soup pot for this? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Lexi

      January 23, 2020 at 12:45 pm

      Hi Cami, yes, that should work perfectly fine! Hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  15. Julie

    January 20, 2020 at 9:13 pm

    Outstanding flavors! Thanks for posting this hearty soup recipe. I made it exactly as indicated in the directions. I can't wait to enjoy it for lunch in the coming days.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lexi

      January 21, 2020 at 1:34 pm

      Thank you so much, Julie! So glad you like the recipe. Have a great week! 🙂

      Reply
  16. Denise

    January 18, 2020 at 1:35 pm

    On point this was delicious

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lexi

      January 19, 2020 at 11:49 am

      Thank you so much, Denise! So glad to hear that!

      Reply
  17. Brian

    January 12, 2020 at 10:26 am

    This looks delicious. I saw it on the Le Creuset YouTube channel. I'm going to get the ingredients and make the soup this week. Thanks for sharing your recipe. BTW, I noticed your silver spoon. I have the same pattern (Adoration), passed down by my grandmother. Thanks again!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lexi

      January 13, 2020 at 3:50 pm

      So glad to hear that, Brian! Hope you enjoy! And yes - love those spoons. We use them all the time in our photos - so beautiful! Thanks so much for your comment and have a great week.

      Reply

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Hi, we're Lexi and Beth, a mother-daughter team from Michigan. The recipes you'll find here are a reflection of how we bring our family together around the dinner table despite various dietary differences.

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