Sweet Potato Lentil Stew
on Oct 20, 2023, Updated May 19, 2026
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This sweet potato lentil stew is hearty, nourishing and packed with flavour from warming spices, lentils, sweet potatoes and kale. It’s an easy one-pot vegan dinner that’s perfect for meal prep and cold days.
I’ve been making some version of this stew since I published it in 2014 and it’s one I come back to every fall and winter. It’s wholesome and comforting, delivers 14g of plant-based protein and 19g of fibre per serving, and tastes even better the next day.
5-Star Review
This stew was absolutely perfect. I left out the salt and used low-sodium vegetable broth, and it was still incredibly flavorful, filling and delicious!
Why You’ll Love Sweet Potato Lentil Stew
- One pot recipe with minimal prep.
- Hearty and filling with lentils and sweet potato.
- Ready to enjoy in 45 minutes.
- Freezes well for up to 3 months.
- The flavour deepens overnight, making it great for meal prep.
- Works as written or as a base for variations.
- Vegan and gluten-free recipe.
- 14g protein and 19g fibre per serving.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Below is a quick overview of what you’ll need to make the recipe and any substitutions you can make. Use the recipe card with the full list of ingredients and measurements at the bottom of the post when you’re ready to make the recipe.
- Green or brown lentils: This recipe is for brown or green lentils. “Brown or green lentils work best because they hold their shape and create a hearty texture. Red lentils break down more and will create a softer, dal-like consistency like this coconut red lentil dahl. Rinse whichever you use before adding them.
- Sweet potato: One large sweet potato yields roughly 3 to 4 cups cubed. You can swap in butternut squash or use a mix of sweet potato and regular potato or try this butternut squash lentil stew or butternut squash lentil soup.
- Curry powder: I usually use a mild curry powder. If yours is hot, start with 1 tablespoon and adjust.
- Fresh ginger: Fresh ginger adds a brighter flavour than ground ginger but you can substitute 1 tsp ground ginger if that’s what you have.
- Kale: Any variety works. Remove the stems, chop it fairly fine, and stir it in right at the end with the heat off. Baby spinach is an easy substitute.
- Broth: Any vegetable broth works. I use low-sodium and season from there. Bouillon paste or cubes dissolved in water are fine.
- Tomato paste: Adds depth and a bit of acidity that balances the sweet potato. If you have leftover tomato paste, freeze it in a tablespoon-sized mound on parchment or in an ice cube tray, then transfer to a bag once frozen. Extra tomato paste could be used in this vegan panang curry recipe as it calls for 1/4 cup or roughly the remaining can of paste.
Variations and Additions
- Spices and Seasonings: For a smoky flavour, add 1 tsp smoked paprika. To make it spicy, add cayenne pepper or chili flakes to taste. For more depth, try adding cumin, coriander, turmeric or garam masala. A small spoonful of miso paste or splash of soy sauce stirred in at the end also adds extra savoury flavour.
- Vegetables: This stew is flexible and works well with additional vegetables like cauliflower, celery, green beans, diced tomatoes or bell peppers.
- Grains: For an even heartier meal, stir in cooked quinoa, farro, white rice or brown rice before serving.
- Coconut Milk: To make the stew creamier and more curry-like, stir in up to 1 cup canned coconut milk at the end of cooking or try this Sweet Potato Red Lentil Curry.
- Garnishes: Top with fresh cilantro, chives or green onion and serve with lime wedges for extra brightness.
- Make It More Like Soup: For a thinner, soup-like consistency, add an additional 2–3 cups vegetable broth while simmering or try this Sweet Potato Lentil Soup.
- Texture Adjustments: For a thicker stew, blend 1–2 cups using an immersion blender or regular blender, then stir it back into the pot before serving.
- Traditional Stew Variation: For a more classic herb-based stew flavour, skip the curry powder and use Italian seasoning or a mix of dried basil, oregano, rosemary and thyme. A squeeze of lemon juice works well in this version
How to Make Sweet Potato Lentil Stew
Step 1: Cook the onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, water or broth for 5 minutes in a large pot over medium heat.
Step 2: Add the tomato paste, ginger, curry powder and salt and cook for another 3–4 minutes, stirring often.
Step 3: Add the lentils and broth, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Step 4: Add the carrots and sweet potato and simmer uncovered for another 15-20 minutes or until the carrots and sweet potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. The stew should be thick and hearty, with tender lentils and vegetables.
Step 5: Stir in the kale, turn off the heat and let it sit for a few minutes. If the lentils are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, it’s ready to enjoy.
Recipe FAQs
Store leftover stew in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The flavour deepens over time, making it great for meal prep.
Yes. Let the stew cool completely, then freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Yes. Sauté the onion and garlic using the sauté function, then add the remaining ingredients except the kale. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before stirring in the kale.
Yes. Add everything except the kale to a slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6–8 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the lentils and sweet potatoes are tender. Stir in the kale at the end and let it wilt for a few minutes before serving.
No. Dry brown or green lentils cook directly in the stew without soaking. Just rinse them well before adding.
Brown or green lentils work best because they hold their shape and create a hearty texture. Red lentils break down more and will make the stew softer and thicker.
Yes. Baby spinach works well as a substitute for kale. Stir it in at the end and let it wilt for 1–2 minutes before serving.
No. The curry powder adds warmth and flavour but the stew is mild overall. If you’d like more heat, add cayenne pepper or chili flakes to taste.
Yes. Add an extra 2–3 cups of vegetable broth for a thinner, soup-like consistency.
How to Store and Freeze
- Fridge: Let the stew cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The flavour becomes even better after a day or two, making it ideal for meal prep.
- Freezer: Freeze cooled stew in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. For easier portions, freeze in individual servings.
- Thawing: Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheating: Warm on the stovetop over medium heat or in the microwave until heated through. Add a splash of broth or water if the stew thickens during storage.
If you make this recipe, please consider leaving a comment and a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe, and I love to hear from you. Thanks for trying my recipes! – Deryn
Sweet Potato Lentil Stew
Ingredients
- 1 medium white or yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
- salt and pepper
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
- 2 tbsp curry powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3/4 cup dry green or brown lentils, rinsed
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed (approx. 3-4 cups chopped)
- 4 cups lightly packed kale, de-stemmed and finely chopped
Instructions
- Cook Onion and Garlic: Cook the onion and garlic in a 2 tablespoons of water or broth with a pinch of salt and pepper for 5 minutes in a large soup pot over medium heat. Alternatively, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in the pot, then add the onion and garlic and continue.
- Add Seasonings: Add the curry powder, salt, ginger, tomato paste and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often.
- Cook Lentils: Add the lentils and broth, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Add Carrot and Sweet Potato: Add the carrots and sweet potato and simmer uncovered for another 15-20 minutes or until the carrots and sweet potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Add Kale: Stir in the kale, turn off the heat and let sit for a few minutes. If the lentils are soft and most of the liquid is absorbed, it's ready! Serve with lime wedges and fresh cilantro.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on March 20, 2014.
Stir in 1/2 cup of peanut butter – it gives a great boost of flavor!
Hi Deryn,
Have you by any chance used yellow lentils for this? I’m at the end of the week and am shopping tomorrow. I have a lot of carrots, a large sweet potato and yellow lentils. Only arugula and romaine left in the greens dept. What do you think? Btw, I’ve been enjoying your recipes for a few years now. I’ve used a few of them for my mom, who is on a plant based, low fat diet for her diabetes. Your soups are always a hit! Thank you so much.
Mary
I haven’t but it should be fine. The stew will have a different texture (more mushy) and the cooking time will be a be shorter but yes, you can use them if you like! Let me know if you try it! And thanks, so glad you’ve been enjoying everything!
Wow is this a great flavorful, comforting vegan stew!! Only changes I made was 4 Tablespoons curry powder 😆 and I’m addicted to chickpeas so I added some of those too.
Make this is all I can say!
Hmm.. this looks good but so different from the previous one. Do you have the other one somewhere? This has way more lentils I think.
I’m sorry, I’m not sure which one you mean. Have you browsed the soups and stews section? I do have a sweet potato peanut stew and a number of other lentil stews. Thanks!
Loved this! I made one change just substituted fresh spinach for the kale as I’m not a fan. I’m not vegan or vegetarian but go meatless quite often. This is one of my favorite recipes.
Can I put this recipe into the slow cooker?
You could but I’m not sure for how long since I haven’t tested it. Let me know if you try it!
Loved this soup, as with all Derryns recipes this was so easy to make.
Absolutely delicious, pretty darn easy and very nutritious!
Dear Deryn,
The instructions on the back of the lentils I bought are completely different from yours–I’m supposed to boil them for 5 minutes, cover and let stand for 4-8, and then remove and drain. I’d love to make your recipe, but I’m not sure whose instructions I should be following.
Thanks!
You actually want to use uncooked lentils in this recipe, so no need to use the instructions on the bag. Use 3/4 cup dry, uncooked lentils for this recipe, following the instructions as written. Enjoy!
I’m not sure what happened, but the lentils came out mushy and the liquid didn’t really absorb. Ah, the joys of learning to cook! Any ideas what I might have done wrong?
What kind of lentils did you use? Did you follow the recipe exactly?
I used green sprouted lentils, and yes, I followed the recipe.
Sprouted lentils have been pre-soaked so have a reduced cooking time and won’t absorb as much liquid as regular dry, uncooked lentils, so that’s probably what happened. If using sprouted, you’d probably need to reduce the cooking time and liquid quite a bit. I would probably add everything but the lentils (using less broth), then when the potatoes and carrots is almost tender, add the lentils and cook until softened. I’m not exactly sure on the time and liquid adjustment for using sprouted lentils though since I’ve never made this recipe with them.
This looks delicious! So hungry right now!