Description

This Easy Sweet Potato Lentil Soup is a hearty, nutritious, and comforting vegan soup packed with green lentils, sweet potatoes, fresh kale, and aromatic herbs. Perfect for a wholesome meal, it features tender vegetables simmered in a flavorful vegetable broth with a touch of tomato, finished with nutrient-rich kale and garnished with pumpkin seeds and vegan croutons for added texture.

Ingredients

Scale

Vegetables and Aromatics

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 bay leaves
2 cups chopped fresh kale

Legumes and Liquids

7.5 cups (60 oz.) vegetable broth
1 cup green lentils
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes

Herbs and Seasonings

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

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Sauté Vegetables: In a large pot, add 2 tablespoons of water or vegetable broth. Add the finely chopped onion, diced carrot, diced celery, and minced garlic. Sauté these aromatics over medium heat until they become soft and fragrant, approximately 3-4 minutes.
Add Sweet Potatoes: Add the cubed sweet potatoes to the pot and continue cooking for another 5-6 minutes. To prevent sticking or burning, add additional water or broth, 2 tablespoons at a time, as necessary during this step.
Add Remaining Ingredients (Except Kale): Pour in the vegetable broth, green lentils, canned diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, sage). Stir well to combine all ingredients thoroughly.
Simmer Soup: Lower the heat to medium-low and let the soup cook uncovered for about 35 minutes, or until the lentils are tender and cooked through. Stir occasionally to prevent anything from sticking to the bottom.
Add Kale and Rest: Remove the pot from heat and stir in the chopped kale. Allow the soup to sit for 5 minutes, which lets the kale wilt gently in the residual heat without overcooking.
Final Seasoning and Serve: Remove the bay leaves from the soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot, garnished with vegan croutons and pumpkin seeds for a delightful crunch and texture contrast.

Notes

Nutrition facts do not include added salt and pepper to taste.
If you prefer, swap sweet potatoes for white potatoes or any potato variety you like.
If you don’t have lentils, canned cooked beans can be substituted but add them at the end with greens to avoid overcooking.
Spinach or other greens can replace kale, but adjust cooking time as some greens may require longer to soften.
Use dried herbs if fresh are unavailable: 1/3 teaspoon each of dried thyme, rosemary, and sage.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bowl (approx. 1/4 of recipe)
Calories: 284
Sugar: 12 g
Sodium: 463.2 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