Smooth, silky, and creamy Sweet Potato Soup is perfect for the cold season. This rich soup features sweet potatoes with addition of classic vegetables like onions, celery, and carrots and additional flavors from fresh ginger and spices like paprika, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Make it with heavy whipping cream or coconut cream, if you need it dairy-free, and top with your favorite crunchy topping.
Sweet Potato Soup
I love sweet potatoes! There aren’t that many vegetables that you can use in desserts, breakfast dishes, and savory dinner dishes. While you can enjoy them in decadent desserts like Sweet Potato Cheesecake and Sweet Potato Casserole Cake, you can also plate them as a savory-adjacent side with dishes like Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Loaded Sweet Potato Wedges.
As delicious as all of those dishes are though, this sweet potato soup may just be my most favorite way to cook up this vibrant orange veggie! It’s surprisingly quite savory, while still having mouthwatering hints of the natural sweetness of the vegetable. The ingredients that this soup consists of don’t necessarily mask the sweet potato, but rather enhance it my creating a truly remarkable medley of flavors.
On those chilly fall and winter days when it seems like warming up will never be possible, this is the soup to curl up with at the end of the day. It’s so rich, warm and flavorful, it’ll warm even your chilly bones! It’s also pretty filling, as it’s a thicker soup that’s made with not just sweet potatoes, but carrots too. I recommend serving it with your favorite toasted bread, that way you can lap up every last delicious drop.
Ingredients for Sweet Potato Soup
- Olive Oil – Light or extra virgin olive oil will both work.
- Vegetables base: onion, carrot, celery, garlic.
- Sweet Potatoes – You’ll need 2 lbs. of this star ingredient!
- Stock – You can use either Vegetable Stock or Chicken Stock, depending on your preference.
- Bay Leaf – A fresh bay leaf will provide a wonderful herbaceous note to the soup.
- Ginger – The ginger should be fresh, not dried! It can be grated or shaved. The flavor it adds is truly amazing!
- Paprika – Smoked or sweet paprika are both tasty in this soup, so use whichever you’d prefer. Smoked is my personal favorite, as it creates a more savory touch.
- Cayenne – A very small pinch of cayenne will add flavor, but not spice to this soup.
- Coriander – This seasoning will help to create a wonderful earthy note that perfectly accompanies the bay leaf.
- Heavy Whipping Cream – This is what creates the decadent richness of the silky soup. Look below on tips to make it dairy free.
Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are also highly nutritious and a great source of fiber, vitamins A, C, and B6, and minerals like manganese and potassium. Choose orange and red sweet potatoes for a rich addition of antioxidants. And I’m sure you already know that bright orange vegetables are full of beta-carotene, which is great for vision support.
So, keep eating sweet potatoes to get all these great nutrients! Make simple swaps like sweet potato fries instead of regular fries, sweet potato home fries instead of Home Fries and baked sweet potatoes instead of Idaho potatoes!
How to Make this Soup Creamy – Without Heavy Cream!
If you need a dairy-free option, use full fat unsweetened coconut cream (not milk). Another option could be unsweetened oat creamer or other milk substitute creamer that are unsweetened. Silk also makes a dairy-free heavy whipping cream if you have it available.
How to Make Sweet Potato Soup
Combine the stock in a sauce pot with the bay leaf and seasonings. Stir and heat until just hot.
In a Dutch oven with oil, sauté the onions, carrots, and celery until softened. Make a small well in the center, add the garlic, and sauté until fragrant before mixing it in.
Add the chopped sweet potatoes, mix, and cook for a few minutes.
Combine the hot stock and vegetables, stirring to combine. Lower the heat and cook the mixture for 30-35 minutes.
Take out the bay leaf and transfer the soup into a blender, or use an immersion blender, and blend until the soup is smooth.
Stir in the heavy whipping cream, then cook on low for just a few more minutes.
Storing and Freezing
You can store this autumn-favorite soup in the refrigerator for up to 5 days – just make sure it’s in an airtight container!
This soup freezes well too, as long as you keep one rule in mind – it’s best to freeze without the cream, and then add the cream when reheating.
More Comforting Homemade Soups To Try!
Ham and Potato Soup – this hearty soup is full of soft potatoes, vegetables, flavorful ham, whole milk, and sharp white cheddar cheese
Instant Pot Split Pea Soup – this hearty soup is made with split peas, smoked pork, and vegetables
Copycat Zuppa Toscana – a super comforting soup that’s full of amazing flavor from the combination of bacon, Italian sausage, potatoes, and kale
Cheddar Ale Soup – an amazingly comforting cheesy, flavorful soup made with veggies, beer, and lots of sharp cheddar cheese.
Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 10-12 oz medium carrots
- 2 celery ribs
- 2 lbs sweet potatoes
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tsp fresh ginger grated of shaved
- 1 tsp paprika smoked or sweet
- pinch cayenne pepper
- coriander?
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream*
Instructions
- Combine vegetable (or chicken) stock in a sauce pot with bay leaf, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Stir and heat up just until hot.
- Preheat a Dutch oven over medium heat for a few minutes and add oil.
- Sauté diced onions, carrots, and celery until softened and starts to get golden brown.
- Make a little well in the center of the vegetables and add minced garlic and ginger. Sauté until it's fragrant and mix it in.
- Add chopped sweet potatoes, mix, and sauté for a few minutes.
- Pour in hot vegetable stock mixture and stir everything to combine. Lowe the heat to medium low and let the vegetables cook for 30-35 minutes, until completely fork tender.
- Take out the bay leaf and transfer the soup into a blender or use a hand-help blender to blend the soup until smooth. Transfer soup back into the pot if needed.
- Stir in heavy whipping cream and cook for just a few more minutes.
- Serve sweet potato soup garnished with croutons, pumpkin seeds, nuts, sour cream, parmesan cheese, and any other toppings you love!
Tammy says
It was delish and very easy. I used my Instant Pot and set it for 20 minutes after sauteing my veggies in the pot. Something hearty for a cool day.
Halie says
Great soup! Thank you!
Tee says
Hi, there. Recipe looks great. Quick question-how much coriander. My view on the website has a question mark. Thanks!