Sweet Potato Soup

Cumin and red pepper flakes add heat and spice to this simple sweet potato soup. Finish each bowl with a yogurt swirl and fresh herbs.

I am not sure what marks the official start of soup season.

Yes, I know you can eat soup no matter the time of the year including gazpacho on a summer day or black bean chili on a freezing January day. 

To me, fall marks the beginning of the soup calendar.

But autumn can be confusing. 

So often September and October can feel more like summer even though coffee shops are going all in with pumpkin and chai-spiced goodies. 

Even though the days are rather warm considering we fall is official, cool evenings give meals with an element of comfort cuisine the go-ahead.

I do hold back a bit.

Full-fledged winter warmers should be saved for when we really need them.

There will be plenty of time for slow-cooker stews.

For now, simple soups made from lingering summer produce, like corn, and those made with the first wave of root vegetables manage to find a balance between light and hearty.

Excited about my first root vegetable sighting at the farmers market a few weeks ago, I picked up a couple sweet potatoes.

I could eat roasted sweet potatoes everyday.

They satisfy my carb cravings while giving me a good does of nutritious veggies. 

How To Make Sweet Potato Soup

My sweet potatoes sat on the counter until a chilly night when a batch of sweet potato soup sounded like the perfect easy dinner.

I am a big fan of any root vegetable in soup form, but I always come back to this simple sweet potato soup.

To start, I sauté onions and garlic and then I add plenty of cumin, a pinch of red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. 

Then I add diced sweet potatoes and vegetable broth.

After giving the soup time to simmer, the sweet potatoes are tender and soft.

Then I blend this thick soup and stop each bowl with a yogurt streak, red pepper flakes and fresh herbs before serving.

Paired with a grilled cheese sandwich, the soup is a very satisfying meal.

Sweet Potato Soup

• Author: Paige Adams
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
• Total Time: 30-35 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4

Cumin and red pepper flakes add heat and spice to this simple sweet potato soup. Finish each bowl with a yogurt swirl and fresh herbs.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 red onion, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes plus more for serving
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds), peeled and diced
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• Yogurt, mined chives and chopped parsley for serving

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes until they start to soften. Stir in the garlic, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and continue cooking for an additional 3 minutes.
2. Add the sweet potatoes and stock. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are soft.
3. Carefully transfer the soup in batches to a blender to puree. Return the soup to the saucepan to reheat.
4. Divide into bowls and swirl with yogurt and sprinkle with chives, parsley and red pepper flakes before serving.

• Author: Paige Adams
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
• Total Time: 30-35 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4