This cozy sweet potato soup is easy to make and oh-so-comforting! Bursting with flavor, it's delicious for lunch or dinner and perfect with a big piece of crusty bread.
If you're a regular reader you probably know that when it's cold outside I'm all about soup. I love all kinds of soups! But this sweet potato soup in particular is so comforting when I need a little warming up.
I think it's all about the combination of sweet, hearty veggies and warming spices. My butternut squash soup and carrot stew both have a similar magic to them, but I find sweet potatoes to be extra hearty and perfect for making creamy, satisfying soup.
If you've tried other sweet potato soup recipes, you might find this one a little different. In addition to more traditional warming spices like cinnamon and ginger, I've included some cumin, cardamom, and orange juice for a touch of brightness.
This soup is both sweet and savory, and I think you'll love it!
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What You'll Need
- Olive oil. You can substitute another high-heat oil if you'd like.
- Onion.
- Garlic.
- Fresh ginger.
- Spices. We're using cinnamon, cumin, cardamom, and a bit of cayenne pepper.
- Sweet potatoes. Use orange sweet potatoes, which are sometimes labelled as yams at the supermarket.
- Vegetable broth. I used Better Than Bouillon in roasted vegetable flavor.
- Orange juice.
- Coconut milk. Use the canned variety. I prefer full-fat for this recipe, but light coconut milk works as well.
- Salt and pepper.
How to Make Sweet Potato Soup
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll down if you'd prefer to skip right to the recipe.
- Heat up some oil in a large pot, then add diced onion. Sweat the onion for a few minutes, stirring it occasionally, until it begins to soften up.
- Now add minced garlic, grated ginger, and all of your spices. Cook them with the onion for about a minute, until the mixture becomes very fragrant.
- Stir in diced sweet potatoes, broth, and orange juice.
- Crank up the heat and bring the liquid to a boil, then lower it and let the soup simmer for about 20 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are soft. You can test them for doneness by piercing one with a fork — it should give easily.
- Now take the soup off of the burner. If you have an immersion blender, use it to blend the soup until it's very smooth. If not, you can transfer it to a blender or food processor in batches. Be super careful when blending hot soup!
- Return the pot to the burner and stir in some coconut milk. Heat it up for a minute or two, just to bring it back up to temperature.
- When the soup is finished you can season it with some salt and pepper, and adjust any other seasonings you like.
- Ladle it into bowls. I like to top mine with a drizzle of extra coconut milk, chopped peanuts, and a sprinkle of parsley or fresh cilantro.
Sweet Potato Soup Tips & FAQ
- Shelf-life & storage: Leftover sweet potato soup will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for about 3 days, or in the freezer for about 3 weeks.
- Is this soup gluten-free? It is!
- Is this sweet potato soup spicy? The cayenne pepper adds a tiny bit of heat. For a heat-free version, leave out the cayenne.
- What type of sweet potatoes should I use for this soup? Use orange sweet potatoes. These have a reddish skin and are orange on the inside. They may be identified as yams if you're shopping in the Unites States.
- Can I used canned sweet potatoes for this recipe? I haven't tried this, but I don't see why not. Please let me know how the soup turns out if you try it.
More Cozy Vegan Soup Recipes
- Vegan Stuffed Pepper Soup
- Classic Vegan Potato Soup
- African Peanut Soup
- Rosemary White Bean Soup
- Classic Lentil Soup
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Sweet Potato Soup
This cozy sweet potato soup is easy to make and oh-so-comforting! Bursting with flavor, it's delicious for lunch or dinner and perfect with a big piece of crusty bread.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or high-heat oil of choice)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- Pinch cayenne pepper (or to taste)
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 2 to 3 large sweet potatoes), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Toppings of choice, such as coconut milk, chopped peanuts, and cilantro or parsley
Instructions
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Coat the bottom of a large pot with the oil and place it over medium heat.
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Give the oil a minute to heat up, then add the onion. Sweat the onion for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it becomes soft and translucent.
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Stir in the garlic, ginger, cinnamon, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Continue cooking and stirring everything for about 1 minute, until very fragrant.
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Stir in the sweet potato, broth, and orange juice. Raise the heat and bring the liquid to a boil.
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Lower the heat and allow the soup to simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes are very soft.
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Remove the pot from heat.
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Blend the soup until smooth, either using an immersion blender or by transferring it in batches to a food processor or blender.
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Return the soup to the pot if you used a food processor or blender, then stir in the coconut milk.
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Place the pot back over medium heat and cook the soup for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, just to heat it back up.
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Remove the pot from heat and season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.
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Ladle the soup into bowls and top with toppings of choice. Serve.
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