Warming soups are the answer to cold temperatures! This delicious sweet potato and cauliflower soup is prepared in the Instant Pot.
This one-pot recipe is packed with warm spices, creamy coconut cream, and red lentils, which are a great source of fiber and protein. We’ll show you how to make it!
We learned two things about red lentils while experimenting with our guide for beans and lentils using the Instant Pot. They cook very quickly (in just 3-4 minutes). Second, there are only two options: uncooked or mush.
While cooking red lentils with the Instant Pot may not be a great idea for recipes such as Vegan sloppy joes, it is a great trick to save time when making soups, curries, and dals!
We started this soup by sautéing onions, garlic, and ginger in a little oil with some salt and pepper. We then added red lentils and sweet potatoes. Sweet potato adds creaminess and comfort to the soup (and is naturally sweet!) The red lentils give the soup a boost of protein and fiber, making it feel more substantial.
The spices turmeric, cayenne, cinnamon, and clove add warmth. Coconut milk gives the dish a creamy texture, and maple syrup can be added at the end to enhance the taste.
To add a little crunch to the soup and create contrasting textures, we top it with toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas). Coconut milk, cinnamon and cayenne, and a swirl of coconut are all pretty touches!
Ingredients
US Customary – Metric
SOUP
- Use 1/4 cup of water plus as much as you need (or substitute two tablespoons of oil in the recipe).
- One small yellow or white onion, diced ( 1 cup as written in the recipe).
- Three medium cloves of garlic (1 tbsp minced as noted in the recipe)
- The recipe calls for 2 tsp of fresh minced ginger, which is roughly 1/2-inch (1 1/4-cm) in size.
- Use one pinch of each black pepper and sea salt
- Sweet potato cubes (cut into quarter-half-inch cubes – see photo)
- Red lentils, 3/4 cup
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- One cup of water
- Ground turmeric, 1/4 tsp
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon ground
- One small pinch of ground cloves ( optional).
- A healthy bit of cayenne
- Use 1/4 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
- Add more coconut milk to your taste.
- 1 tsp of maple syrup ( )
FOR SERVING optional
- Pepitas toasted
- Coconut milk
- Cinnamon
- Cayenne
Instructions
Instant Pot
- The default setting for saute is “Normal,” not high or Low. Add water (or oil), garlic, onion, and ginger once the pot is hot. Stir in a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Stirring frequently, sauté for 3-5 mins or until the onion is transparent and fragrant. As needed, add a bit more water to avoid sticking.
- Stir in sweet potato. Stirring frequently; add a bit more water if necessary to avoid sticking. (We added 2 tbsp. (30 ml). When pierced by a knife or fork, the sweet potato should still be slightly soft.
- Press “Cancel” to turn off the saute feature. Add red lentils, vegetable stock, water, turmeric (optional), cinnamon, clove, cayenne and sea salt and stir.
- Seal the lid by turning it to the seal position. Pressure cook for 5 minutes on HIGH (the Instant Pot will pressurize for about 5-10 mins before cooking starts). After the timer has gone off, you can either let the steam naturally release (15 minutes) or press the quick-release if you are in a rush. Press “Cancel” to turn off the Instant Pot.
- Open the lid carefully and add maple syrup and coconut milk (optional). Puree using an immersion blend (or cool slightly and then transfer to a fast blender). Add more maple syrup to taste for sweetness. Add coconut milk for creaminess. Add cayenne pepper for heat.
- You can also garnish the dish with toasted pepitas and sprinkle cinnamon and cayenne on top. Fresh is best. Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for 4-5 days or in the freezer for up to a month. Reheat the pieces in a pan on the stovetop.
STOVETOP
- Heat a large pan or Dutch Oven on medium heat. Once the water (or oil) is hot, add the onion, garlic and ginger. Stir in a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Stirring frequently, sauté for 3-5 mins or until the onion is transparent and fragrant. As needed, add a bit more water to avoid sticking.
- Stir in sweet potato. Stirring frequently; add a bit more water if necessary to avoid sticking. (We added 2 Tbsp. (30 ml). When pierced by a knife or fork, the sweet potato should still be slightly soft.
- Stir in red lentils, vegetable stock, water, cayenne, and sea salt. Add turmeric, cinnamon, and clove (optional). Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and let it simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Puree the coconut milk with maple syrup, if desired (or cool slightly and then transfer to a blender). Add more maple syrup to taste for sweetness. Add coconut milk for creaminess. Add cinnamon for warmth. Add cayenne to heat. Use vegetable broth or plain water for thinness.
- You can also garnish the dish with toasted pepitas and sprinkle cinnamon and cayenne on top. Fresh is best. Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for 4-5 days or in the freezer for up to a month. Reheat the pieces in a pan on the stovetop.
