spiced Red Lentil, Sweet Potato & Spinach Soup

Soup

Mar 4

This soup is built on one of the simplest, gut-supportive foods we have: lentils. Just one serving provides around 1/3 of your daily recommended fibre intake to support microbial diversity, along with plant protein, iron and folate. Sweet potato adds beta-carotene and additional prebiotic fibres, while spinach contributes magnesium (muscle relaxation/sleep) and polyphenols (gut and immune supportive).

The flavour comes from baharat - a Middle Eastern spice blend typically combining paprika, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper and nutmeg. It brings warmth and depth without heat, and spices themselves contribute antioxidant compounds that may support inflammatory balance.

This soup is dead easy to make: just fry off the veg and chuck the rest in the pot and leave to bubble. It’s ready in around 30 minutes, batch-cooks beautifully and freezes well. I often keep a large jug in the fridge when we’re both working from home - easy, nourishing lunches sorted for the week.

Delicious, topped with tahini, yoghurt or feta and toasted pumpkin seeds, or boost the protein further with tofu or shredded chicken, alongside a slice of my Everyday Life Loaf

(See below for serving suggestions and protein/fibre amounts)

Ingredients

Serves 6–8

1 tbsp olive oil
1 large red onion, finely diced
1 red pepper, sliced
2 cloves garlic, grated or chopped finely
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp baharat spice blend (available from Sainsbury's)
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ground allspice
1 tbsp tomato purée
400g red lentils, rinsed
1 large carrot, diced small
1 small sweet potato, 1cm dice
1.5–1.75 litres chicken or vegetable stock (fresh if possible for flavour)
2 large handfuls fresh or frozen spinach or chopped cavolo nero
1.5–2 tsp sea salt (reduce if using table salt) + black pepper

To finish, choose a couple of options:

Thick Greek yoghurt or coconut yoghurt (both high-protein varieties)
Firm tofu or shredded chicken
Feta cheese
Fresh coriander + parsley
Pinch chilli flakes
Toasted flaked almonds, walnuts or pumpkin/sunflower seeds

Method

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add onion, leek and celery. Cook gently 8-10 minutes until soft and sweet.
Stir in garlic and spices. Cook 1 minute until fragrant.
Add tomato purée, lentils, carrot and sweet potato. Stir well.
Pour in stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer for around 20 minutes until lentils are soft.
Stir through the spinach. Cook 2–3 minutes until wilted.
Adjust seasoning.

Serving suggestions and macros below

Nutrient Overview

If you’ve worked with me, or followed along here or on my social media, you’ll know I’m always looking at the protein and fibre in each meal. Below, I’ve estimated the amounts in an average 300ml serving of this soup, with different toppings and 1-2 slices of my Everyday Life Loaf, so you can see at a glance how each option stacks up.

Protein & fibre: why they matter
Protein helps to keep you full, supports muscle, hormones and recovery, while fibre feeds your gut bacteria, supports bowel regularity and helps to steady blood sugar. Putting the two together in every meal is one of the simplest ways to support energy, cravings, weight and long-term health.

A bowl of this soup on its own provides a decent amount of plant protein and fibre, but if you’ve followed me for a while, you’ll know I almost always look to build meals towards around 30g of protein. That usually means adding something extra - this is a win–win situation as you’ll be boosting the protein, but also micronutrients and, most importantly, flavour!