Free Recipe · Hearty Vegan Soups
Sweet potato, red lentils and a proper harissa kick, all pureed smooth in the one bowl.
This spicy sweet potato and lentil soup cooks in the Thermomix in about 35 minutes, serves 4, and is vegan, gluten free and dairy free, with harissa doing the heavy lifting on flavour.
Pureed soups like this one are such a quick and easy dinner when you have a Thermomix or thermo cooker. The lentils give it a real heartiness, the harissa brings a spicy kick, and nobody will notice it also happens to be vegan.
The other thing I love about it is the washing up, or rather the lack of it. A TC bowl, a knife and a chopping board. That is the whole list.
Season it properly at the end and it goes from good to excellent. A pinch of fine salt is all it strictly needs, though a sprinkle of Flavour Bomb Salt over the top just before serving is my preference, if soy is not an issue for you.
Meet the Product
The sprinkle that finishes it
Alyce's Organic Flavour Bomb Salt
Pink salt, tamari, mustard, garlic and a little smoke. Vegan, no MSG.
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Let's Cook
Spicy Sweet Potato & Lentil Soup in the Thermomix
Serves 4 · Thermomix or thermo cooker · about 35 minutes
Ingredients
* If you need this soup to be strictly gluten free, check the label on your stock concentrate and harissa paste.
The Tools
An optional finishing sprinkle. Contains tamari, so leave it off if you need the soup soy free.
Shop now →Method
Place onion and garlic in TM bowl, chop for 5 seconds, speed 5. Scrape down sides.
Add olive oil, saute for 5 minutes, 100°C, speed 1.
Add sweet potato, lentils, water, coconut milk, stock concentrate, harissa paste, cumin and coriander, cook for 20 minutes, 90°C, speed 2.
Puree for 30 seconds, slowly increasing from speed 1 to 9. Taste for seasoning and add salt as needed to bring out the flavours.
To finish
Serve with additional harissa paste or chilli flakes and crusty sourdough. Season generously at the end, because that final adjustment is what brings the sweet potato and spices forward.
Seasonal swap: as you move deeper into winter, replace the sweet potato with carrot to keep with seasonal eating.
A note on the salt: Flavour Bomb Salt is a lovely finishing sprinkle here, but it contains organic tamari and is produced in a facility that also handles nuts, sesame and gluten. If you are making this soup for its soy free or nut free credentials, use plain fine salt instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
How spicy is it?
The 30g of harissa gives a definite kick, but it is balanced by the sweet potato and coconut milk. Serve extra harissa or chilli flakes alongside for anyone who wants more.
Can I use something other than sweet potato?
Yes. Carrot is the swap I reach for as winter goes on, and it keeps the soup in step with what is actually in season.
Is this soup really vegan?
It is. The coconut milk gives it all the creaminess it needs, and the lentils bring the substance, so there is nothing animal-derived in it at all.
Do I need to soak the lentils?
No. Red lentils just need a rinse, then they go straight in and break down completely over the 20 minute cook, which is what thickens the soup.
Why does it need so much salt at the end?
Pureed vegetable soups can taste flat until they are properly seasoned. Taste it after blending and add salt gradually until the spices and sweet potato come forward.
Want to get more from your Thermomix?
One-bowl vegan dinners like this are exactly what my plant-based cookbook is full of, and a good finishing salt makes all of them better.
