Name: Creamy Red Lentil Sweet Potato Soup
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 28 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 0.25 cup water (plus more as needed (or sub 2 tsp oil)); 2 tsp oil (optional substitute for water); 1 cup onion (diced white or yellow (heaping)); 3 clove garlic (medium); 2 tsp ginger (fresh minced); 1 pinch sea salt (healthy); 1 pinch black pepper (healthy); 4 cup sweet potato (peeled, cubed (1/4-1/2-inch cubes)); 0.75 cup red lentils; 2 cup vegetable broth; 1 cup water; 0.25 tsp ground turmeric; 0.25 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 pinch ground clove ((optional)); 1 pinch cayenne (healthy); 0.25 tsp sea salt (or to taste); 0.5 cup coconut milk (full-fat (plus more to taste)); 1 tsp maple syrup ((optional)); null null toasted pepitas; null null coconut milk; null null cinnamon; null null cayenne

Instructions

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1

Turn on the sauté function on your Instant Pot (to the default “Normal”). Once hot, add water (0.25 cup) (or oil (2 tsp)), cup diced white or yellow onion (1 heaping), cloves garlic (3 medium), and fresh minced ginger (2 tsp). Season with pinch each sea salt (1 healthy) and pinch black pepper (1 healthy) 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.
2

Add peeled, cubed sweet potato (4 cups) and stir. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently and adding a little more [water] as needed to prevent sticking (we added water (2 tbsp)). [sweet potato] should be slightly tender when pierced with a fork or knife.
3

Turn off the sauté function by pressing “Cancel.” Then add red lentils (0.75 cup), vegetable broth (2 cups), water (1 cup), ground turmeric (0.25 tsp), ground cinnamon (0.25 tsp), pinch ground clove (1 small) (optional), pinch cayenne (1 healthy), and sea salt (0.25 tsp), and stir.
4

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

Carefully open the lid and add full-fat coconut milk (0.5 cup) and maple syrup (1 tsp) (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 [sea salt] for overall flavor.
6

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.