Lentil Soup with Sweet Potatoes & Spinach
I was a little nervous the first time I made lentil soup for Josh. It was early on in our marriage and I wasn’t sure if Josh even liked lentils. Lentil soup is one of my favorites, so I took a risk and made it for dinner one night. I happily discovered that Josh also loves lentil soup. We now enjoy lentil soup on a regular basis, especially during the cold winter months. I am always mixing up the ingredients to keep our meals interesting. My latest creation is Lentil Soup with Sweet Potatoes & Spinach.
I have been adding sweet potatoes to everything lately-risotto, tostadas, biscuits, so why not add them to soup? I can’t get enough! I also threw in fresh spinach because the bunch in our refrigerator was starting to look questionable. I love it when I can put our produce to good use.
This vegetarian lentil soup is packed with flavor, protein, nutrients, and heart-warming goodness. It is a great recipe for January-healthy and comforting. This soup freezes beautifully, another reason I love this soup. Make a large pot and save some for later. And if you aren’t sure if your kids or spouse will eat lentil soup, don’t ask, just make it. I am sure they will like it!
Lentil Soup with Sweet Potatoes and Spinach
Yield: Serves 8-10
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 1/2 cups brown lentils
4 (15 ounce) cans vegetable broth
2 cups water
2 cans (15 ounce) diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups chopped fresh spinachDirections:
1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic. Saute until onion is tender and garlic is light brown in color. Add carrot, celery, and sweet potatoes. Cook until vegetables soften, about 5-7 minutes.
2. Stir in the lentils, vegetable broth, and water. Add the diced tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper and stir. Cook on medium-low heat for about 35-40 minutes or until lentils are cooked.
3. Add the fresh spinach and stir. If necessary, season with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaves and serve warm.
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SaveIf you like this lentil soup, you might also like:
Vegetarian Lentil Soup from Two Peas and Their Pod
Curried Butternut and Red Lentil Soup from Eat, Live, Run
Orange Lentil Soup from Phoo-d
Lentil Soup with Italian Sausage & Spinach from Cookin’ Canuck
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I have favourited this – it looks delicious – thank you so much for sharing the recipe.
Great idea with the sweet potatoes!
I just finished my first bowl of this soup, and I am heading back for my second. Thank you!
twopeas replied: — January 19th, 2011 @ 8:31 pm
I always go back for seconds too:)
Sounds light and lovely!
I’ve been looking for something healthy and delicious and possibly vegetarian. It’s just sounded so right. And your soup has answered the call of my stomach. I can’t wait to try it!
Beautiful dish. I am emailing the link to my Mom she will love this, all of her favorites!
This is my kind of soup, it looks so delicious and filling! I absolutely love lentils, spinach and sweet potatoes in soups. I’m so glad you’ve included them all! What a wonderful recipe, thanks so much for sharing. I can’t wait to try it out!
Sweet potatoes, lentils, spinach, what a healthy colorful combination!
Hi there! Found your blog via Tasty Kitchen and I thought I’d say hi.
This soup looks super delicious!
twopeas replied: — January 21st, 2011 @ 10:07 am
Glad you said hello! Thanks for stopping by!
i’m making this tonight
A perfect healthy winter dish
Yummy vegetable soup – interesting ingredients too!
Mmmm I love that you added sweet potato into this! It’s seriously my favorite and makes any dish taste even better.
I love lentils. This looks like a wonderful soup. I want some of your pancakes, too.
The sweet potato really makes this soup come alive in such a lovely way. Thanks for sharing this idea
I have some spinach that is starting to go too. Using it in a lentil soup is a great idea! This recipe looks wonderful. I love your soup bowls! Thank you for the link out to my orange lentil soup.
twopeas replied: — January 21st, 2011 @ 10:06 am
You are very welcome. I will be trying your soup next:)
Yay! More soup!! I am in such a cozy, comforting, warm food mood lately…even here, where it’s warm. There’s just something about this time of year that will always make me crave these kinds of foods, no matter what the climate! Can’t wait to make this Sunday for dinner! Thanks!
Hello, love your blog and this is a great soup recipe!
Have you ever blog hopped before? We’d love it if you contributed this awesome soup recipe to our blog hop on favorite soups, it’s a great way to get links back to your site. Really easy too and we’re live until midnight tonight.
You can check out our blog hop here:
http://blog.recipelion.com/fabulous-food-friday-january-blog-hop/
Thanks,
Sarah
Editor
RecipeLion.com
blog.recipelion.com
I made something like this last week when Randy was doing his cleanse. He tolerates lentils but doesn’t love them. But let me tell you, he INHALED this soup and professed his love for lentils! I’m not expecting it to last but I’m going to make some soon before he changes his mind…
twopeas replied: — January 21st, 2011 @ 8:22 pm
I am glad your husband changed his mind, hopefully he won’t change back:)
I just bought a big bag of lentils last week at the store, and now I know what I’m going to do with them. Great recipe!
I made this wonderful soup last night, and my husband pronounced it “the best lentil soup i’ve ever had.” Better than Jane Brody’s? i asked. “Yup,” said he. Thanks for a new favourite!
twopeas replied: — January 22nd, 2011 @ 10:37 am
I am glad the soup is a new favorite!
Sounds amazing! I love soup, need to plan more into my menu
I just made this with three substitutions: I used sweet yams instead of sweet potatos, I didn’t have thyme so I used oregano, and after I added the spinach, I threw in a couple of dashes of balsamic vinegar. and OMG this is delicious! Thank you so much for sharing this delicious recipe!
twopeas replied: — January 23rd, 2011 @ 1:49 pm
I love the substitutions you made! Glad you enjoyed it.
I made this soup yesterday……omg……it is the best soup ever. I can’t say enough about it.
Thank you so much for this recipe. What a keeper!!!!!!!
twopeas replied: — January 24th, 2011 @ 4:29 pm
One of our new favorites too!
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im making this tonight, can’t wait!
I feel the same way when I make lentil soup for people, am never sure if they will like it! I grew up on lentil soup and LOVE it. I just made a version of it this past week with spinach and red bell pepper, so good! Will try with sweet potatoes!! Yummy!
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Oh my gosh, this looks amazing!
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A heartwarming healthy soup! Definitely get fresh rosemary: It makes all the difference!
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Yesterday was a rainy day, perfect for a cup of soup. After a quick trip to the market, I put this together and let me tell you, it was absolutely de-lish. And it is every better today and the flavors mingled! It made a HUGE pot for hubby and I to enjoy during the work week. Thanks so much for this recipe, will be making it again and again!
Hi Maria -
Coming from a crazy Italian family, I have been eating and making lentils all my life but have never added sweet potatoes or rosemary – and I cannot believe how much better lentil soup is now that I have tried your recipe! I have made it a couple times, combining my mom’s way with your way, and every time it comes out absolutely delicious. I just told my mom about your recipe tonight and now she can’t wait to try it. So long story short, thank you.
Two Peas replied: — June 14th, 2012 @ 11:05 pm
I am so glad you like the soup!
Just made this & even my 1 y.o. & 4 y.o. enjoyed it. I served theirs before adding the spinach but still, that’s saying something. I think the tomato-y base really brings out the sweetness. Definitely great for kids.
Great but remember to rinse the lentils as otherwise you can get a lot of scum on the soup. Packed full of flavour, just about to batch freeze mine!