Warming Red Lentil Sweet Potato Soup (Instant Pot!)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup water, plus more as needed (or sub 2 tsp oil as recipe is written)
• 1 heaping cup diced white or yellow onion (~1 small onion as recipe is written)
• 3 medium cloves garlic (~1 Tbsp minced garlic as recipe is written)
• 2 tsp fresh minced ginger (~1/2-inch or 1 ¼-cm piece as recipe is written)
• 1 healthy pinch each sea salt and black pepper
• 4 cups peeled, cubed sweet potato
• 3/4 cup red lentils
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 small pinch ground clove (optional)
• 1 healthy pinch cayenne
• 1/4 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
• 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk (plus more to taste)
• 1-2 tsp maple syrup (optional)
• Toasted pepitas
• Coconut milk
• Cinnamon
• Cayenne

Method

1. INSTANT POT
2. Turn on the sauté function on your Instant Pot (to the default “Normal” — not high or low). Once hot, add water (or oil), onion, garlic, and ginger. Season with a healthy pinch each salt and pepper and stir. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, or until onion is translucent and fragrant. Add a little bit more water as needed to prevent sticking.5 min timer
3. Add sweet potato and stir. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently and adding a little more water as needed to prevent sticking (we added 2 Tbsp (30 ml)). Sweet potato should be slightly tender when pierced with a fork or knife.7 min timer
4. Turn off the sauté function by pressing “Cancel.” Then add red lentils, vegetable broth, water, turmeric, cinnamon, clove (optional), cayenne, and sea salt, and stir.
5. Put on the Instant Pot lid and turn to seal. Pressure cook on HIGH for 5 minutes (it will take about 5-10 minutes for the Instant Pot to pressurize before cooking begins). Once the timer goes off, let the steam release naturally (~15 minutes), or carefully press the quick release if in a hurry. Turn off the Instant Pot by pressing “Cancel.”5 min timer
6. Carefully open the lid and add coconut milk and maple syrup (optional) and purée with an immersion blender until smooth (or let cool slightly before transferring to a high-speed blender). Taste test and add more maple syrup for sweetness, coconut milk for creaminess, cinnamon for warmth, cayenne for heat, and salt for overall flavor.
7. Option to garnish with toasted pepitas, a swirl of coconut milk, and a pinch of cinnamon and cayenne. Best when fresh. Leftovers will keep 4-5 days in the refrigerator or up to 1 month in the freezer. Reheat in a saucepan on the stovetop.
8. STOVETOP
9. Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, add water (or oil), onion, garlic, and ginger. Season with a healthy pinch each salt and pepper and stir. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, or until onion is translucent and fragrant. Add a little bit more water as needed to prevent sticking.5 min timer
10. Add sweet potato and stir. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently and adding a little more water as needed to prevent sticking (we added 2 Tbsp (30 ml)). Sweet potato should be slightly tender when pierced with a fork or knife.7 min timer
11. Add red lentils, vegetable broth, water, turmeric, cinnamon, clove (optional), cayenne, and sea salt, and stir. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat, cover, and allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until sweet potatoes and red lentils are tender.20 min timer
12. Add coconut milk and maple syrup (optional) and purée with an immersion blender until smooth (or let cool slightly before transferring to a high-speed blender). Taste test and add more maple syrup for sweetness, coconut milk for creaminess, cinnamon for warmth, cayenne for heat, vegetable broth or water to thin, and salt for overall flavor.
13. Option to garnish with toasted pepitas, a swirl of coconut milk, and a pinch of cinnamon and cayenne. Best when fresh. Leftovers will keep 4-5 days in the refrigerator or up to 1 month in the freezer. Reheat in a saucepan on the stovetop.