Name: Sweet Potato Soup with Red Lentils and Chickpeas
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 large onion (finely diced); 3 cloves garlic (minced); 14 oz (400g) canned chickpeas (, drained); 2 tsp ginger paste (or finely grated fresh ginger); 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp paprika; 1 tsp ground cumin; ½ tsp ground coriander; 14 oz (400g) canned chopped tomatoes; 2 large sweet potatoes (peeled cut into small cubes); 1 cup (200g) split red lentils (rinsed and drained); 5 cups (1.2 lt) vegetable stock ((broth)); lemon juice (to taste); cilantro ((coriander) chopped); lemon zest (to garnish); 1 tbsp mixed seeds (to garnish); pinch red pepper flakes (to garnish); salt and pepper (to taste)

This hearty and delicious Sweet Potato Soup with Red Lentils and Chickpeas 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 favorite with dozens of five star reviews! ★★★★★

You will also love my Satay Sweet Potato Curry!

Three bowls of hearty sweet potato chickpea red lentil soup, garnished with chopped fresh herbs and pumpkin seeds, sit on a blue surface with a spoon in one bowl and a small dish of chopped herbs nearby.

There’s nothing quite as comforting as a bowl of homemade sweet potato soup — smooth, creamy, and full of flavor. This version takes things up a notch with red lentils and chickpeas, which make it extra hearty and protein-packed while still being completely vegan. Whether you’re making it in a pressure cooker for speed or simmering gently on the stove, this is a cozy, nourishing soup that feels like comfort in a bowl.

And I have a new 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 😋

Sweet potato soup is popular around the world, often blended smooth and enriched with spices. This version borrows inspiration from Mediterranean and Indian cooking, where pulses like chickpeas and lentils are used to add heartiness and nourishment. The result is a soup that’s budget-friendly, healthy, and packed with flavor.

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
Suitable for freezing (see tips)

A bowl of sweet potato chickpea red lentil soup, orange-hued and garnished with fresh herbs, pumpkin seeds, and spices, sits beside a small dish of chopped herbs and two metal spoons on a gray surface.

How to Make Sweet Potato Soup with Red Lentils and Chickpeas

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.

Making soup in the Instant Pot - sautéing onions and spices collage

Add the spices, salt, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, lentils, chickpeas and stock and stir.
Now add your sweet potatoes, chickpeas, red lentils, stock and finally the chopped tomatoes.

Sweet potato red lentil soup preparation in a pressure cooker

Set vent to sealing and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, then release the pressure manually.
Transfer a couple of ladlefuls of the soup to a jug or a blender. The more blended soup you add the thicker the serve.

Transferring a ladleful of vegan soup to a jug for blending

Blitz using an immersion stick or in your blender. Pour the blended soup back into the pot and stir to combine.

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.

Sweet potato soup in a green bowl overhead

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.

Stir in the remaining ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes until the sweet potatoes are cooked through. Follow steps 5-7 of the Instant Pot method.

Recipe Tips

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!
Leftovers will keep for up to 3-5 days in the fridge stored in an airtight container. Cool completely before storing.

Freezing Instructions

If you wish to freeze the soup then cool completely, portion into suitable containers, label and use within three 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.