Cozy up for the upcoming winter with this nutritious and easy to make Sweet Potato Soup Recipe.
I’m smack dab in the middle of the sandwich generation, with growing children on one side and aging parents on the other. It’s like being the cream in the middle of an Oreo, but a lot less fun. My mom’s mobility isn’t as good as it used to be, and when we visit, we try to make some dishes that she can store and pull out without much prep. However, since we also have children, we try to find foods they’ll eat too so that we can do the old two-birds, one-stone trick. This sweet potato soup fits the bill.
My mom loves the rustic flavor of this soup and the fact that she can eat it for several days or freeze some for later. My kids think the color is cool. (They did have a bit of trouble understanding that the sweet potato is not actually an orange potato but rather an entirely different thing.)
This recipe is one to add to your repertoire as the days of autumn give way to the chill of winter. It’s also a great way to clean out the fridge, as you can toss whatever other veggies you have on hand into the mix to get blitzed up in the end. Leeks, parsnips, red bell peppers, fennel, and tomatoes are some of my favorite additions.
Building flavor in layers
This is a relatively simple soup, but even simple ingredients can be elevated when you work in layers to build flavor. The first few minutes of sautéing the onion, celery, garlic, ginger, and carrots lay the foundation. As the veggies soften, they sweeten slightly and add depth to the base of your soup.
The spices go in next, with the sweet potato and stock. They “wake up” when they hit the heat and transform the soup from good to great. As everything sits and simmers, those flavors meld into one complex, full-bodied result. This is why technique is just as important as ingredients.
How do I store leftovers?
You can store extra soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Want to save some leftovers for longer? Freeze individual portions for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to serve, remove the soup from the freezer and let it thaw in the fridge overnight. Then, heat it slowly on the stove. If it’s looking a bit thick, add a dash of vegetable broth.
Serving suggestions
I like this soup as the star of my meal, with some crusty bread or Garlic Breadsticks to sop up the flavor. You can also serve it as a starter for entrées like this One-Pan Roasted Chicken And Vegetables, or swap it for tomato soup alongside a classic Grilled Cheese Sandwich. For a dash of flavor, add a sprinkle of fresh herbs or crumbled feta to the soup.
Sweet Potato Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 sticks celery chopped
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 3 tablespoons ginger finely grated
- 2 carrots peeled and diced
- 1 1/2 pounds sweet potato peeled and cubed
- 2 teaspoons ground paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3-4 cups vegetable stock
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, garlic, ginger, and carrots. Sauté for 5-8 minutes.
- Add the sweet potato along with the spices and stock and give the mix a good stir. Replace the lid and bring the soup to a boil, then turn it down and allow it to simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure it isn’t sticking, and adjust the heat or add a little more water if it is.
- Once the sweet potato is completely soft, take the soup off the stove and use a stick blender to blend until it's smooth.
When using minced ginger from a jar instead of fresh grated ginger, what would be the conversion be? I can’t find it online! Thanks for your help.
Conversion is about 1:1. So for 3 tablespoons of fresh grated ginger, you can use 3 tablespoons of jarred minced ginger. Just keep in mind that jarred ginger can be a bit milder, so you might want to taste and adjust if needed!