Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup with Moroccan Spiced Yogurt Topping

The origin of this recipe

Pans of roasted vegetables in all sorts of combinations are on the regular rotation around here, now that the weather has cooled. I was inspired to use a tray of cauliflower and sweet potatoes that I roasted to form the base of this soup. Add in some tiny black lentils (that you have on hand from prepping your salad for breakfast) or use other cooked/canned lentils you have on hand, and you have the basis of a stellar, warming meal. A Moroccan spiced yogurt with herbs adds substance to the velvety soup and a bright zing that rounds out the flavors. The addition of crusty toasted bread topped with the spiced yogurt you’ve made as well (and drizzled with honey and olive oil) creates a showstopper of a meal you’ll want to try soon!

Ingredient notes

• Roasted Veggies: sweet potato and cauliflower are roasted quickly to form the base of the soup.
• Lentils: Little black lentils (a.k.a. beluga or caviar lentils) are a quick cooking lentil that retain their “al dente” structure after a quick 15 minute boil. You can also buy them canned or use other lentils you have on hand, but I recommend giving these a try.
• Greek Yogurt: Moroccan spices and fresh herbs are added to the yogurt to create a high protein and flavorful topping for the soup.
• Fresh herbs: dill and chives add fresh flavor to the yogurt topping and create a showstopper soup if you are serving to guests. A couple snips also make a great garnish.
• Ground Spices: smoked paprika, garam masala, and turmeric create a blend of flavors that brings the soup and spiced yogurt to life with Moroccan spices.
• Veggie Broth: this adds flavor and allows you to thin the pureed roasted veggies enough to create the ideal soup texture.

Step-by-step-instructions

1. Roast the veggies: cubed sweet potato and cauliflower florets are roasted with olive, then some are kept aside while the rest are pureed with veggie broth and spices
2. Mix ingredients in soup pot: the veggies are added to a soup pot with the pre-cooked lentils and the roasted veggies that were not pureed. The soup is slowly heated and the spices are adjusted.
3. Make the spiced yogurt: while the veggies roast, or when the soup is heating, mix the fresh chopped herbs and spices with the yogurt to make the topping.
4. That’s it! Once in serving bowls, the soup is topped with yogurt and fresh herbs, as well as a squeeze of lemon if you like the brightness it adds.

Substitutions

• Veggies: you could substitute any kind of sweet potato (white or Japanese purple) but you will get a different colored soup. Any orange winter squash will work but will be harder to prepare, as you’ll need to remove the thick skin from the winter squash.
• Lentils: you can use any lentil you prefer or have on hand. The small beluga lentils are delicate in flavor and don’t overwhelm. Red lentils would work well, but you aren’t likely to find them canned or have them pre-cooked as they get mushy fast. Other precooked lentils will work fine.
• Herbs: you could substitute other fresh herbs and they will all work, as long as you like their flavors. Suggestions are cilantro, parsley, thyme, and tarragon (if you like an anise/licorice-type flavor). Green onions could be used in place of the chives.

Note

I find these kinds of blended soups are thinner the night I make them and thicken up the next day, just FYI. However, I enjoy this soup after night one just as much, and you could thin the soup on night two with more veggie broth if desired.