This Sweet Potato Soup recipe is loaded with warming spices like cinnamon, ginger, and cumin. It's thick and creamy from the coconut milk, which makes it the ultimate fall food! Just 1 pot is needed!
I love this sweet potato soup recipe for its wide variety of flavors- it's sweet, spicy, warming, and rich! This soup is easy to throw together for a quick weeknight dinner since all you need is just 1 pot and 10 minutes of prep.
You can top it off with some croutons, crispy chickpeas, and fresh herbs for more protein and texture! Enjoy with a side of crusty bread or cornbread.
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Ingredients You Need
- Sweet potatoes. You'll need one sweet potato that's been peeled and cubed.
- Coconut milk. For the best result, use full-fat coconut milk from a can.
- Vegetable broth or water. Either store-bought or homemade vegetable broth.
- Tomato paste. For flavor and richness.
- Onion, garlic, and ginger. For flavor and depth.
- Whole spices. Coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and a whole cinnamon stick. Also salt and black pepper for flavor. If you don't have whole spices on hand, you can use ground spices instead, just double the quantity.
- Chili flakes. They bring some heat to this sweet potato soup recipe, but they are optional.
How to Make Sweet Potato Soup
First, start by sauteeing the aromatics to activate their flavor.
In a Dutch oven or a large soup pot, heat some oil. Then add onion, ginger, and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often to prevent burning.
Then, add your spices, as well as the tomato paste and chili flakes (optional). Cook for 2 more minutes.
Add the sweet potatoes, carrots, vegetable broth, salt, and black pepper. Bering to a boil and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
Next, remove the cinnamon stick and add in your coconut milk. Stir to combine. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until creamy.
If are using a standard blender it's important to let the soup cool a bit before transferring it. Don't fill the jar more than halfway and make sure that you leave the hole in the lid open so that heat can escape.
Return the soup to the pot and add any additional liquid if you need to thin it out.
Sweet Potato Soup Recipe FAQ
Sweet potatoes have a mild and sweet taste, so try adding something acidic or spicy to contrast that. Think of adding some lime juice, chili peppers, or a touch of balsamic glaze. Fresh herbs like cilantro, parsley, and basil also bring brightness and zest.
If your soup is too watery, you can thicken it by using 2 tablespoon of either flour or cornstarch (for a gluten-free version). Simply mix it with 4-5 tablespoon of water until it dissolves. Add it to the soup, while stirring constantly to make sure it's mixed well.
This sweet potato soup recipe is great for meal prep and it lasts for a good 5 days in the fridge.
You can! Let the soup cool to room temperature, then transfer it to a container and cover it with a lid. Freezer for up to 6 months. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before serving (I like to portion the soup in a few small containers instead of one big one, so it can thaw easily).
Expert Tips
- Use full-fat coconut milk. When making this sweet potato soup recipe, it's best to use coconut milk from a can, as it makes the soup thick and creamy!
- Use whole spices. When spices get ground they release the natural flavor. Since whole spices are, well, whole, they save their flavor inside and release it when they are exposed to heat. This makes them more powerful and we suggest using them if you have them on hand.
- Don't add too much liquid to the soup when simmering. This will prevent you from ending with a thin and watery soup. Add just enough so that the veggies are covered. You can add more broth or water later, after blending.
How to re-heat
- Stovetop: Add soup to a pot and heat over medium heat for 5 minutes or until warm. Add a splash of water if it's soo thick.
- Microwave: Transfer soup to a bowl and microwave for 1-2 minutes or until warm.
More Vegan Soup Recipes
📖 Recipe
Sweet Potato Soup Recipe
Equipment
- Stovetop
- Dutch oven or soup pot
- Immersion or standard blender
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp oil (we use olive oil)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds *
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes (optional, for heat)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 whole cinnamon stick
- 2 cups cubed sweet potatoes
- 2 cups cubed carrots
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4-5 cups vegetable broth or water
- 1 14-ounce can full-fat coconut milk (add less for less fat)
Instructions
- To a Dutch oven or a large soup pot, heat some oil over medium-low heat. Once hot, add onion, ginger, and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until lightly golden. Stir often to prevent burning.
- Then, add your whole spices- coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and a cinnamon stick, as well as the tomato paste and chili flakes (optional). Stir and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Add the sweet potatoes, carrots, vegetable broth, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil. Simmer on medium-low heat for 25-30 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
- Remove the cinnamon stick. Add in the coconut milk and stir. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until creamy. If are using a standard blender it's important to let the soup cool a bit before transferring it. Don't fill the jar more than halfway and make sure that you leave the hole in the lid open so that heat can escape.
- Pour the soup back to the pot and add any additional broth or water if you need to thin it out. At this point, you can taste and adjust the flavor if needed- more salt for saltiness, some lime juice for tang, or black pepper for a kick.
- Serve immediately and top with some croutons, crispy chickpeas, or fresh herbs (all optional).
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with third-party calculations without including the optional ingredients.
Pavel says
So creamy and delicious! Loved this recipe!
Petranka says
So happy to hear!