Sweet Potato Soup

Our creamy sweet potato soup is a tasty and convenient one-pot recipe you can make in 30 minutes with simple ingredients.

The sweet potatoes cooked with ginger, garlic, apple, and a splash of vinegar make the soup creamy, sweet, tangy, and aromatic.

Dietary Note: This recipe is suitable for a vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diet.

Soups are a great way of incorporating more veggies into one’s diet.

However, did you know most store-bought soups are considered ultra-processed food packed with too much salt, sugar, and other hidden ingredients that are not good for us?

The good news is that making soup at home is very easy. In this blog post, we’ll show you how to make a restaurant-worthy sweet potato soup in 30 minutes, in one pot, and with simple ingredients.

You can serve it for Thanksgiving or Christmas or as a cozy and nutritious family dinner.

Quantities are in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

Flavor base

Onion, carrot, garlic, and ginger make up the flavor base of sweet potato soup. We fry them gently in extra virgin olive oil.

Substitute avocado oil or olive oil for extra virgin olive oil.

Substitute a thinly sliced leek for the onion.

Sweet potatoes

We use orange-fleshed sweet potatoes to make a vibrant and bright sweet potato soup.

You can find them in most supermarkets. White sweet potatoes also work, although the soup won’t look as colorful.

In the US, sweet potatoes are sometimes called yams, so that you might find them under that name in some stores.

Apple

Apple is delicious in sweet potato soup, and you should totally add it in. It adds a naturally sweet and fruity flavor that makes the soup delicious.

You can use any apple variety here; it’s best if peeled.

Cumin

A touch of ground cumin perfectly fits the sweet potato’s earthy sweetness and nuttiness, adding a warm and citrusy aroma.

If you don’t like cumin, you can leave it out.

Vegetable broth

We use vegetable broth instead of chicken stock to keep the recipe meat-free so that your vegan or vegetarian guests or family members can enjoy this recipe, too.

Switching from meat-based stocks to veg-based ones is an easy way to reduce meat consumption without realizing it.

However, if you prefer, you can use chicken stock here.

Coconut milk

Sweet potato soup needs some “creamer” for a rich, velvety consistency that pleases the mouth.

You can use some full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream for a creamier texture or a low-fat one for fewer calories. Either way, coconut milk and sweet potatoes are perfect together!

Add Greek yogurt, heavy cream, half-half, sour cream, or cream cheese if you dislike coconut.

If you are vegan or lactose intolerant, there is a dairy-free version for all these products.

Salt and pepper

You’ll need sea salt or kosher salt to bring out the taste of the veggies and freshly ground black pepper for aroma.

Garnish

You can garnish the soup with reserved coconut milk, sesame seeds, grated lime zest, red pepper flakes, chili oil, olive oil, and pepitas or pumpkin seeds.

Alternatively, you can top the soup with homemade oven-baked croutons, air-fried croutons, and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro or parsley.

A final option is roasted chickpeas or crispy air-fried chickpeas instead of the bread croutons. This way, you’ll add some healthy plant protein to this delicious soup.

Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add chopped onion and carrot, and fry for 3 minutes, then add grated garlic, ginger, cumin, and red pepper flakes and fry one more minute.

Now add the vegetable broth, peeled and diced sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped apple, and season with salt and black pepper.

Cover with a lid, bring to a boil on high heat, then crack the top open and let simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are fork tender.

Turn the heat off and blend the soup with an immersion blender until smooth.

Note: you can also blend the sweet potato soup in a standing blender, but in this case, let the soup cool down for 10 minutes before doing so.

Stir in the coconut milk and the vinegar, and simmer for five more minutes.

Taste and adjust for salt before serving.

You can serve sweet potato soup in small portions as an appetizer or side dish or a larger portion in a bowl and have it as a main.

You can also have leftovers for lunch, next to a wrap or sandwich.

Remember to add a squeeze of lime juice on top. The acidity makes the flavor of the soup pop! Chili oil and cilantro are also delicious on it.

Alternatively, you can top it with our homemade croutons (also air-fried) for some crunch and a drizzle of olive oil.

Or add some pepitas, red pepper flakes, and reserved coconut milk in the center and swirl it with a toothpick. Finally, a pinch of sesame seeds and grated lime zest works too.

Add a handful of roasted chickpeas or crispy air fryer chickpeas spiced with paprika or curry powder to add some extra protein.

Tips for a delicious, quick, and nutritious plant-based lunch with leftover soup! Try it with:

• Easy tofu salad in a sandwich with creamy dressing.
• Vegan burrito with tofu, black beans, and avocado.
• Tofu scramble with avocado, mushrooms, or spinach.
• Air-fried tofu cubes or fried tofu cubes.

Tofu

Fried Tofu

Tofu

Tofu Salad

Sauces

Roasted Chickpeas

Breads

Homemade Croutons

Preheat the oven to 400°F or 200°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Peel and chop the sweet potatoes, carrots, and onion into chunks and add them to the baking sheet. Add peeled and crushed garlic, olive oil, salt, and black pepper.

Toss with your hands, arrange the veggies on a single layer, and roast for 30 minutes.

Add the baked veggies to a large pot, including roasted garlic and onion. Next, add grated ginger, ground cumin, and half the vegetable broth.

Bring to a boil, then light simmer on medium-low heat. Add the coconut milk, stir, and cook for 5 minutes until the milk is incorporated into the soup.

Blend with an immersion blender until you reach a smooth texture.

Add more broth, based on your preference, until you reach your desired consistency.

Make ahead: sweet potato soup is excellent for meal prep as it keeps well for days. It will thicken as it sits in the fridge, so you might need to add some water when reheating it.

Refrigerator: let the soup cool down, then transfer it into an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Freezer: let the soup cool down completely, transfer to a freezer-friendly container, and freeze for up to 3 months.

Thaw & Reheat: let it thaw in the fridge over several hours. Alternatively, thaw in the microwave. Reheat in a saucepan with a dash of water or the microwave.