This hearty and delicious Sweet Potato, Chickpea and Red Lentil Soup ticks all the boxes: healthy, vegan, gluten free and Slimming World friendly. Quick to make it in your Instant Pot or stove.
A reader and personal favourite with dozens of five star reviews! ★★★★★
Our Instant Pot has been working overtime to keep us fed and warm with a variety of curries, stews, chilis and soup – I am starting to comprehend why some people have as many as three pressure cookers on the go at once.
And I have a new soup obsession – Sweet Potato, Chickpea and Red Lentil Soup. OMG it is so good that even my husband who thinks soup ‘is not food’ came around. Have made this baby twice in less than a week, that’s how yummy it is. 😋
I debated quite a bit about what to name it before coming up with this mouthful of a title… Is it a sweet potato soup? Yes… But it is also a red lentil soup AND a chickpea soup and so all three had to take top billing in the end. Count your lucky stars I didn’t add any more ingredients!
Here’s why it’s a must make
- It is simply packed with plant-based power and goodness
- Low in calories but hearty and satisfying
- Vegan and gluten-free
- Budget conscious with easy to find purse-friendly ingredients
- Cooks in 10 minutes in a pressure cooker or 30 minutes on the stove
- FREE on the Slimming World plan provided you replace the oil with a cooking spray (such as Fry Light).
- Suitable for freezing (see tips)
Sweet Potato, Chickpea & Red Lentil Soup – Instant Pot Method
STEP 2. Add the salt, paprika, ground cumin and ground coriander. Stir to combine.
STEP 3. Now add your sweet potatoes, chickpeas, red lentils, stock and finally the chopped tomatoes.
STEP 4. Set vent to sealing and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, then release the pressure manually.
STEP 5. Transfer a couple of ladlefuls of the soup to a jug or a blender. The more blended soup you add the thicker the serve.
STEP 6. Blitz using an immersion stick or in your blender.
STEP 7. Pour the blended soup back into the pot and stir to combine.
STEP 8. Stir in some lemon or lime juice to add some acidity – I used 1 tablespoon.Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve the soup garnished with chopped coriander (cilantro), lemon zest and a handful of crunchy seeds.
Stovetop Method
This soup is just as easy to make on your stove. Heat the oil (or use a low-calorie cooking spray for Slimming World version) in a deep pot. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring, until softened. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes until the sweet potatoes are cooked through. Follow steps 5-7 of the Instant Pot method.
TIPS, TRICKS AND FAQs
- This recipe straddles the line between soup and stew – it is very thick and really satisfying. If you wanted to add a bit less stock and serve it over rice or quinoa, then I say go ahead!
- You could also pack it with even more nutritious yumminess by adding some chopped spinach right before serving so that it wilts.
- Replace the sweet potato with cubed butternut squash or use a bit of both.
- Dry or cooked chickpeas: I used ready cooked (canned) chickpeas here, but you could also use dried chickpeas if you wanted. If you use dry chickpeas they will need 40 minutes cooking on high pressure if unsoaked and 25 minutes cooking if soaked overnight. On the stove, cook soaked chickpeas for 40 minutes until soft.
- Don’t forget to reserve the chickpea brine (aquafaba) – it may come in handy if you want to make vegan macarons!
- The soup will keep for up to 4 days in the fridge. Cool completely before storing.
- If you wish to freeze the soup then cool completely, portion into suitable containers and use within 3 months. Allow the soup to defrost in the fridge overnight or transfer to a microwave safe bowl and blast for a couple of minutes. Break the soup up and then heat for two minutes on full power, stir and heat for another minute or until piping hot.
More Instant Pot Soups
- Pressure cooker Italian chicken soup
- Creamy vegan corn chowder
- Hearty chicken vegetable soup { vegan | Simming World }
- Instant Pot Moroccan Harira Soup { vegan | Simming World }
Sweet potato, chickpea and red lentil soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 200 g (7 oz) canned chickpeas, drained
- 1 onion finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tsp ginger paste or finely grated fresh ginger
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 400 g (14 oz) canned chopped tomatoes
- 2 large sweet potatoes peeled cut into small cubes
- 200 g (1 cup) dry split red lentils rinsed and drained
- 1.2 litre (5 cups) vegetable stock (broth)
- Lemon juice to taste
- Finely chopped coriander cilantro
- Lemon zest to garnish
- Handful mixed seeds to garnish
- Pinch dried red chilli flakes to garnish
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Instant Pot Method
- Heat the oil in your pressure cooker using the ‘sauté’ function. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until softened.
- Add the spices, salt, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, lentils, chickpeas and stock and stir.
- Set vent to sealing and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, then release the pressure manually.
- Stir in some lemon or lime juice to add some acidity – I used 1 tablespoon.
- Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Transfer 2-3 ladlefuls of the soup in a blender and process until smooth, or blitz using an immersion blender. Stir this back into the soup.
- Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning if needed.Serve the soup garnished with chopped coriander (cilantro), lemon zest and a handful of crunchy seeds.
Stovetop Method
- Heat the oil in a pot. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring, until softened.
- Add the spices, salt, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, lentils, chickpeas and stock and stir.
- Bring to a rolling simmer and then reduce heat and simmer gently for 20-25 minutes.
- Transfer 2-3 ladlefuls of the soup in a blender and process until smooth, or blitz using an immersion blender. Stir this back into the soup.
- Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning if needed.Serve the soup garnished with chopped coriander (cilantro), lemon zest and a handful of crunchy seeds.
Video
Notes
TIPS, TRICKS AND FAQs
- This recipe straddles the line between soup and stew – it is very thick and really satisfying. If you wanted to add a bit less stock and serve it over rice or quinoa, then I say go ahead!
- You could also pack it with even more nutritious yumminess by adding some leafy greens – stir in some chopped spinach right before serving so that it wilts.
- You can replace the sweet potato with cubed butternut squash or use a bit of both.
- Dry or cooked chickpeas: I used ready cooked (canned) chickpeas here, but you could also use dried chickpeas if you wanted. If you use dry chickpeas they will need 40 minutes cooking on high pressure if unsoaked and 25 minutes cooking if soaked overnight. On the stove, cook soaked chickpeas for 40 minutes until soft.
- Don't forget to reserve the chickpea brine (aquafaba) - it may come in handy if you want to make vegan macarons!
- The soup will keep for up to 4 days in the fridge. Cool completely before storing.
- If you wish to freeze the soup then cool completely, portion into suitable containers and use within 3 months. Allow the soup to defrost in the fridge overnight or transfer to a microwave safe bowl and blast for a couple of minutes. Break the soup up and then heat for two minutes on full power, stir and heat for another minute or until piping hot.
Sophie says
Absolutely delicious! I used fire roasted tomatoes and Vegetable Better than Boullion broth.
Barbz says
This was relatively eay and delicious. Packed with nutiyion and a great way to use up sweet potatoes. My only change was to sauté the onions a bit before throwing in the much more delicate garlic, ginger & spices. A few zaps with the immersion blender after cooking turned this into a thick, savory stew. Will keep this recipe in regular rotation. Yum!
Lucy Parissi says
Thanks for the comment and suggestion! So glad you liked it 🙂
Marigold says
I made this to store in the freezer for an emergency meal. However, it was so good, I couldn’t stop eating it. There were leftovers and they were a hit with the husband, still waiting to find out what the kids think.
Lucy Parissi says
Thanks for commenting! I find it quite addictive too (but its healthy so all good)
Shanasy says
This will be my first recipe made in an IP. Mine is a 3 at so do I need to cut recipe in half? Thanks! This looks killer delicious!
Lucy Parissi says
I don’t think so – but I haven’t got first hand experience with a smaller pot. Can you check against the maximum level of liquid for your pot? When I make it the level is only about half full. Please let me know how you get on!
Deanna says
Thanks for this wonderful protein-packed recipe! Like many IP users, I had chick peas already cooked in my fridge. and this was a great way to utilize them. I finished with some smoked salt and it was really, really good served with some sprouted rye bread and a salad, and it was just as good the next day. Thanks again!
Randy Phillips says
How might I adjust this recipe if I were stranded without access to chickpeas.
Lucy Parissi says
I love how you phrased it 🙂 If you don’t want to use chickpeas you could leave them out and increase the sweet potatoes instead or add some butternut squash. I don’t think beans would work in place of chickpeas
Claire Cunningham says
Could you guide me as to how long in the slow cooker? And also would I need to adapt liquid levels etc? I want to cook today and stove top is not possible as am out.
Lucy Parissi says
Sorry Claire I am afraid I haven’t made this in a slow cooker. But generally speaking cooking the same recipe for 6 hours on low should work as well. If it’s possible, keep an eye on it and add more water or stock if necessary. But I think it should work as is. Let me know if you make it 🙂
Nick F. says
Hi there! I am new to the instant pot and not quite ready to give up my meat-eating habits. Can you please advise on how I could include some thawed chicken breasts into this recipe? Thanks so much!
Lucy Parissi says
You could use chicken tenders. Sauté them for 5 minutes first, chop into bite-sized pieces and proceed with the recipe. Add with other ingredients and cook for 9 minutes instead of 5. This should work however you couldn’t blend the soup at the end (with chicken pieces in it). Let me know if this works!
Debi Turner says
Hi
Having recently come across a soup like this in a café, I set myself a task to cook it at home and this recipe sounds very like it.
One problem though, I don’t have a pressure cooker.
Could you give the method for either hob cooking or in the slow cooker?
Many thanks and can’t wait to try it
Debi Turner.
Lucy Parissi says
Hi Debi, I will update the recipe to include the method but very quickly, follow the recipe using a suitable pot and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through. Follow the recipe method about blending the soup etc. Hope you like it 🙂
Carrie Sheridan says
This soup is fantastic! I didn’t have any coriander and had to use ground ginger instead of the fresh ginger or ginger paste, but it still turned out delicious! I will be making this often!
Lucy Parissi says
Thanks for the comment Carrie so glad you liked it! It is pretty versatile xx
EJ says
I’ve made this soup a few times and each time I think it’s better than the last. Now I make extra to keep in the freezer. Though I rarely make the same thing twice, this is a regular for us. BTW, I too use my 6 qt. instant pot. Thank you for a wonderful recipe.
Lucy Parissi says
Thanks Elaine that’s so wonderful to hear!!
Anna says
Delicious! I’ve made this twice. My only changes are to use a whole can of chickpeas and add extra lemon. Thanks for the amazing recipe. Super filling and satisfying.
Lucy Parissi says
Thanks for the comment Anna! I guess in the UK it is a full can of chickpeas – guessing this is not the case everywhere?
Jacqueline Meldrum says
That soup looks stunning Lucy. I am sitting here at my laptop feeling rather chilly even though the heating is on. I would love to tuck into that right now. Shared!
Joan Miller says
Looks fantastic! One concern. You wrote, with regard to chickpeas, “If you use dry chickpeas they will need 40 minutes high pressure cooking unsealed ” — did you mean “unsoaked?” Thanks!
Lucy Parissi says
Yes unsoaked chickpeas will need about 40 minutes cooking. Soaked about 20-25.