Spicy Sweet Potato Soup

A true winter warmer, this sweet and spicy sweet potato soup is just what you need. Easy to prepare and extremely nutritious, this soup will leave you feeling warmed and ready to face the day!

Before I started making my own soups, soup was either totally amazing, or generally just blah to me. In Switzerland, soup seems to be a necessary starter for EVERY single meal in a restaurant. I mean, no joke, I actually saw Swiss people order soup as a starter in an Indian restaurant, that’s how serious of a thing soup is here. But when you get one of those soups that’s like “meh” it’s so disappointing! I want soup to be hearty, delicious and definitely not lacking in flavour!

One thing I think is necessary in soup, is some kind of creamy base. It serves to thicken the soup slightly and provides a smooth heartiness that can’t be achieved from anything else. In this Broccoli Quinoa Soup, I blended cooked quinoa to create a creamy base, and in this Sweet Potato Soup, I used coconut milk. The coconut milk definitely doesn’t make this soup taste “coconuty” so if it sounds weird to you, don’t worry about it! It’s a lighter way of including some cream without full on adding that much actual cream to a soup!

The toppings on a soup, in my opinion, are just as important as the soup itself. In the past I roasted chickpeas to top a soup, those would totally work on this recipe too, but this time I have gone for a whole bunch of fresh corriander, flaked almonds, a sprinkling of chilli flakes and a swirl of coconut milk. I think it’s when you get a large spoonful of ALL of those things together, the magic happens. There is something really special about all those flavours and textures coming together, food is just as much about texture variety as it is about flavour variety

So take advantage of the wonderful root vegetables around right now and give this sweet potato soup a try. It’s easy to make a huge batch and freeze it in portions in ziplock bags in the freezer, so lunch is on hand anytime! Let me know in the comments if you give this one a go!

Yields: 8 Portions

This thick soup is the perfect comforting winter warmer. Top with lots of fresh coriander, flaked almonds and a swirl of coconut milk for an extra treat! Leave out the Cayenne Pepper if you don’t want your soup to be spicy.

Ingredients:
4 Sweet Potatoes (Around 550g peeled and diced),
1 Red Pepper,
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil,
2 Carrots,
1 White Onion,
2 Teaspoons Smoked Paprika,
1 Teaspoon Turmeric,
1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (optional),
1 Can Coconut Milk,
1.5 litres Vegetable Stock,
Salt and Pepper To Taste.

Steps:
1. Peel and dice the sweet potato, carrots, pepper and onion into roughly 1 inch squares.

2. Heat the Olive oil in a large saucepan or casserole dish, add the onions and saute until they just begin to turn translucent. Add the spices and cook for a further 2 minutes.

3. Add the rest of the vegetables and stir thoroughly to coat with the spices and olive oil. Continue to saute all the vegetables for a further 5 minutes.

4. Add the coconut milk and vegetable stock, stir to combine everything, then place a lid on the saucepan and simmer on a low heat for 45 minutes.

5. Blend the soup either in a blender or with a handheld blending stick. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

6. Top off your soup with your favourite toppings, I used more coconut milk, dried chilli flakes, lots of fresh coriander and flaked almonds.

Note: Store the soup without the toppings in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze the soup in portions for up to 3 months. Thoroughly reheat before serving.

About Lauren Caris

Lauren is the author and chef of the vegan food blog, Lauren Caris Cooks. She is passionate about showing people just how awesome vegan food can be with simple, delicious recipes and vegan lifestyle tips.