Why Should You Try This Soup Recipe?
The fall soup season has just gotten better with this Vegan Sweet Potato Recipe. If not seasoned properly, vegetable-based creamy soups can be boring and taste like baby food, but this is not the case with this one. Here are a few reasons why this recipe is worth trying:
- Quick and Easy to make: Made with wholesome ingredients and ready in about 40 minutes, this easy soup recipe comes together in one pot. Simply, sautee aromatics and spices together, add and the rest of the ingredients, and then blend them for a velvety soup.
- Packed with spices: The real secret to the deliciousness of this creamy sweet potato soup is the addition of warming spices like ginger, and carrots. These few simple ingredients transform an ordinary sweet potato soup into something extraordinary!
- Special-diet friendly: It is so easy to make by simply boiling sweet potatoes in vegetable broth and pureeing them in a blender, it has become a flavor-packed soup I like to make over and over again. And it just so happens to check all the right boxes – vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, low-fat, and low-calorie.
- Worthy of your holiday menu: I love to serve it as a warm appetizer on Thanksgiving and Christmas, but this healthy soup is so hearty and delicious, it makes an incredible weeknight meal. No one will ever know it happens to be good-for-you, too!
If you are a fan of hearty soups and include them in your weekly meal plan, be sure to check out our other creamy vegetable soup recipes like Pumpkin Ginger Soup, Carrot Ginger Soup, Butternut Squash Soup, Sunchoke Soup, and Kabocha Squash Soup.
Ingredients
The main ingredients for this easy sweet potato soup recipe are olive oil, ground cumin, ground coriander, onion, garlic cloves, fresh ginger, onions, carrot, sweet potatoes, fresh herbs (i.e cilantro or parsley), and vegetable broth.
As you can see in the pictures, I used spicy roasted chickpeas on top but you can totally serve it with a slice of my brioche loafor crusty bread like this no-knead bread on the side, should you choose to do so. Alternatively, you can make a batch of my seed cracker recipe to use as a crunchy topping.
If you follow in my footsteps and go with “the chickpea croutons”, you will need canned chickpeas (rinsed and drained), olive oil, garlic powder, ground cumin & cinnamon, and salt and black pepper.
How to Make Sweet Potato Soup From Scratch?
This recipe for basic sweet potato soup with carrots and ginger comes together in 3 folds.
- Make the chickpea croutons: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and thoroughly dry the drained and rinsed chickpeas with a few paper towels. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, mix the oil and spices in a small bowl, then toss with chickpeas, making sure all they are all evenly coated. Roast for 20-25 minutes, tossing a few times to ensure they cook evenly, until golden brown and crispy. Set aside to cool.
- Sautee vegetables and spices: In a large soup pot (any large dutch oven or any other heavy pot would also work), heat the vegetable oil (I used olive oil) over medium heat. Add the ground cumin and coriander and stir for 30-35 seconds – this helps to bloom the spices. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 7-8 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, salt and pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the rest of the soup ingredients: Then, add the sweet potato cubes and carrots and stir until coated with the oil and spices, 2-3 minutes. Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook for 20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are soft.
- Puree the soup: Lastly, once the vegetables in the sweet potato carrot soup are tender, blend in a blender or food processor. However, I recommend being very careful, as the soup will be very hot! Return the soup back to the pot and heat until warm. Ladle into bowls, top with crispy chickpea croutons, fresh cilantro or parsley, and enjoy!
If you feel as if your yam and carrot soup is a bit on the thick side, simply add water to reach your desired consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
As you can see, with a little bit of advanced prep, you can have a light and delicious plant-based soup in just around 30 minutes.
Variations
- Sweet Potato Chowder Soup: Add 1 cup frozen corn with the sweet potatoes and carrots for a subtle, sweet flavor.
- Sweet Potato Ginger Soup: Omit the carrots and replace them with another 2 cups sweet potatoes.
- Sweet Potato Vegetable Soup: Replace 1 cup carrots with 1 cup celery for more vegetable variety.
- Sweet Potato Soup with Coconut Milk: Replace 1 cup vegetable stock with 1small can of full-fat coconut milk (about 1 cup) for an ultra-creamy yam soup recipe.
- Indian Vegetable Curry Soup: Add 1-2 Tbsp curry powder when you add the coriander and cumin.
How To Store, Freeze & Thaw?
My favorite thing about these types of creamy soup recipes is that you can make a batch, serve some right away and freeze the rest for later.
- To Store Leftovers: This low-calorie sweet potato soup will keep stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- To freeze & thaw: If you want to freeze this simple vegan sweet potato soup, make sure that it is completely cooled. Then transfer to 2-3 plastic freezer storage bags, ensuring there is a few inches at the top to release air and seal. Seal tight, label, date and place flat on a shelf in your freezer and freeze for up to 1 month. When ready to reheat, remove from the freezer 1 day beforehand and defrost in your refrigerator. Pour back into the saucepot, bring to boil over medium heat and reduce to low. Prepare your toppings and serve warm!
Expert Tips:
- Buy whole spices and blend them at home with a spice grinder. The flavor of freshly ground whole spices is far more exceptional than the pre-ground variety. If you don’t feel like grinding the spices at home, try to find a local spice shop and purchase the ground spices in small quantities instead.
- A quick note on the spices I used to make these croutons: The beauty of these healthier “chickpea” croutons is that they are endlessly customizable. As you can see in the recipe below, I used garlic powder, ground cumin, salt and pepper, and ground cinnamon. However, you can change it up based on your personal preference.
- Use a high quality, low sodium vegetable stock to control the amount of salt in the recipe. I usually make vegetable stock at home using vegetable scraps. If you are not following a vegan diet, you can also use chicken stock in this recipe.
- When blending any hot liquid, always be sure to remove the center cap from your blender or food processor, do not fill more than halfway, and gently cover with a clean kitchen towel. This helps release additional steam from the hot liquid. For an even easier approach, use an immersion blender and blend in the pot you cooked in!
- Finish it off with a glug of vinegar: This is an optional step but when I make creamy vegetable soups like this one I usually finish it off with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. I think the addition of vinegar help with brightening up flavors and gives it a subtle and unexpected kick.
- FUN FACT: Did you know the word for sweet potato in New Zealand is Kumara? Call it a Kumara Carrot Soup at your holiday gathering and quiz all your friends!
FAQs
A sweet potato soup by itself can be boring, but a sweet potato carrot ginger soup takes it up a notch. The addition of freshly ground spices, fresh ginger, and carrots make this sweet potato bisque vegan healthy, and super flavorful.
This creamy sweet potato soup is made with the perfect ratio of seasoning:
1 tsp Ground Coriander
½ tsp Ground Cumin
2 Onions
2 Garlic Cloves
1 tsp Grated Ginger
1 tsp Kosher Salt
½ tsp Black Pepper
This will season 4 cups of sweet potatoes and 2 cups of carrots appropriately. If serving a large crowd, simply double or triple the recipe!
Other sweet potato recipes you might also like:
If you are like me, sweet potatoes are your favorite vegetable to use during this time of the year, you might also like the recipes below:
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Sweet Potato Noodles
- Sweet Potato Souffle Recipe
- Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes
Other fall soup recipes you might also like:
- Lentil Soup Recipe
- Best Vegan Chili Recipe
- Turkish Lentil Soup
- Need more inspiration? Check out all our healthy soup recipes
If you try this Creamy Vegan Sweet Potato Soup recipe or any other recipe on Foolproof Living, please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. And if you took some pictures, be sure to share them on Instagram using #foolproofeats so I can share them on my stories.
Vegan Sweet Potato Soup Recipe
Ingredients
For the Chickpea Croutons (Optional)
- 2 cans (15.5 ounces) of cooked garbanzo beans (aka chickpeas), – drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
For The Sweet Potato Soup:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 medium-sized onions, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger, from 1 inch fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 medium-sized Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes (appr. 5-6 cups)
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced (appr. 1 cup)
- 6 cups vegetable stock
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro or parsley for garnish, chopped
Instructions
Start with roasting the chickpea croutons:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Lay two layers of paper towels on a kitchen counter. Spread the rinsed garbanzo beans (chickpeas) to dry. With the help of another piece of paper towel, dry the beans as much as possible. Once dried, transfer them to a mixing bowl.
- Mix the oil, spices, and hot sauce (if using) in a small bowl. Drizzle it over the chickpeas, making sure that they are coated with the oil and spice mixture.
- Spread the chickpeas on the baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, until crisp and golden, tossing a couple of times during the baking to ensure even cooking.
- Take them out of the oven and set aside to cool.
To make the soup:
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven (or any other heavy bottom pan) in medium heat. Add in the ground cumin and coriander. Add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat, until translucent, 7-8 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and ginger, salt and pepper, and sautee, stirring constantly, for 45 seconds.
- Stir in the sweet potatoes and carrot and mix until coated with the spices and onions, 1-2 minutes.
- Pour in the vegetable stock and bring it to a boil. Once boiled, turn down the heat to low and let it simmer for 20 minutes or until sweet potatoes are soft.
- Puree the soup in a blender or a food processor in batches. Return it back to the pot and heat until warm.
- If you feel that it is too thick, you can add in a little bit of water and bring it to a boil.
- When ready to serve, garnish the soup with a handful of chickpea croutons and fresh herbs.
Notes
- This is an optional step but when I make creamy vegetable soups like this one I usually finish it off with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. I think the addition of vinegar help with brightening up flavors and gives it a subtle and unexpected kick.
- If you want to make this sweet potato soup even more creamy add in a cup of coconut milk or heavy cream (for a non-vegan option) at the end. Bring it to one last boil before serving.
- To Store Leftovers: This low-calorie sweet potato soup will keep stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- To freeze & thaw: If you want to freeze this simple vegan sweet potato soup, make sure that it is completely cooled. Then transfer to 2-3 plastic freezer storage bags, ensuring there is a few inches at the top to release air and seal. Seal tight, label, date and place flat on a shelf in your freezer and freeze for up to 1 month. When ready to reheat, remove from the freezer 1 day beforehand and defrost in your refrigerator. Pour back into the saucepot, bring to boil over medium heat and reduce to low.
- Chickpea croutons are an optional step. This sweet potato soup recipe can be served without them.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Great recipe!! So easy and stress free. I added 2 tblsp of brown sugar at the end after blended the soup. I also added extra fresh ginger, as I like the extra spicy taste. I used vegetable stock from a container, low Sodium. As I said less stress. Thank you for this great recipe.
Happy to hear that you liked it Sonia. Thanks so much for sharing your experience and taking the time to leave a review.