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This healthy sweet potato soup is comforting, straightforward and healthful, like a warm scarf on a chilly night. Nearly every week I throw together a big pot of soup for dinner, which we eat with these buttery oven grilled cheeses or slabs of cornbread. Usually the soup is vegetable-based, as it’s one of the most foolproof methods I have of getting my kids to devour their veggies. This version is Juni’s favorite. She laps it up by the bowlful (usually ending up with about a quarter of it on her shirt ). Ella is more of a dunker and loves nothing more than creating a crispy-soggy bite of soup-drenched bread (ahh, heaven—I’m guilty of the same pleasure!).

Overhead close up of a bowl of sweet potato soup on the counter.

Savory sweet potato soup

This is a very easy-to-make soup that uses mostly pantry staples. It’s perfect for busy weeknights, as it’s made with only leeks (or onion), garlic, sweet potatoes, spices and broth or water. The soup also comes together quickly, needing only about 10 minutes of simmering time on the stove. (p.s. For slow cooker soup ideas, check out my book, Fresh Flavors for the Slow Cooker!)

Side view of a bowl of soup on the counter with a spoon.

How to make sweet potato soup

First, leeks (or you can use onion, see below) and garlic are gently sautéed until tender. A touch of cinnamon, chili powder and nutmeg are added to provide warmth, followed by diced sweet potatoes. The potatoes get covered with a mix of broth and water (or you can go for straight water) and are simmered until tender.

Process shot divided into 4 quadrants showing the steps for making the healthy sweet potato soup.

The soup is then blended until creamy and rich (you can use either a stick blender or regular blender). We love to swirl a touch of cream or coconut milk into each bowl and sprinkle them with toasted pecans or pumpkin seeds for crunch (but they’re optional).

Easy soup variations

This is less of a recipe and more of a technique, and it can be adapted to your own tastes! You can swap out the leek for a sweet onion, throw in a bit of ginger, and/or change up the spices to make it your own (think curry powder, cumin, Aleppo pepper, cayenne etc). You can also swap out the sweet potatoes for butternut squash and make squash soup instead!

What to serve with sweet potato soup?

This healthy sweet potato soup is lovely enough to be the first course to a fancy dinner, but humble enough for any old Tuesday night. Serve it these oven grilled cheeses, crusty bread or cornbread, and forget all about the stresses of the day. Ahhhhh, it’s soup time!

Overhead shot of a bowl of soup with chopped nuts and the soup pot alongside.

Soup making tips:

  • To puree the soup, you can use a regular blender, Vitamix or stick blender.
  • Since this is such a simple soup, be sure to season it well with salt and pepper, which are critical to the soup’s flavor. Feel free to add in more spices or to switch them up according to your tastes!
  • You can swap out the sweet potatoes in this soup for cubed butternut squash instead.
  • This soup (like most!) gets even better with time. It can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
  • If you want an even creamier soup, swap out 1 cup of the broth or water for or coconut milk, regular milk or cream.
  • For slow cooker soup ideas, check out my book, Fresh Flavors for the Slow Cooker!

Other soups to try:

Get the recipe!

Overhead shot of bowls of healthy sweet potato soup on the countertop with a pot alongside.
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Healthy Sweet Potato Soup

This rich, savory and nutritious soup is the perfect dish to curl up with on a chilly night. Think of it less as a recipe, and more as a technique. You can swap out the leek for a sweet onion, and/or change up the herbs and spices to make it your own (think ginger and curry powder, chile powder and cumin, etc). It only needs to simmer for about 10 minutes, making it perfect for weeknights. While I love this soup for its simplicity, you can certainly dress it up by swirling a bit of heavy cream or coconut cream into each bowl. Using half broth and half water gives the soup a clean flavor, although you can also make it entirely with water! If you opt for a vegetable broth, use a lighter style broth (I find that many store-bought vegetable broths are quite rich and overpowering, so I usually stick with water if I’m making a vegetarian version). This soup is a lovely first course or satisfying main course, especially when paired with these oven grilled cheeses!
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Total Time50 mins
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: easy sweet potato soup, healthy sweet potato soup recipe, sweet potato soup
Servings: 4 -6 people
Author: Nicki Sizemore

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons butter or olive oil
  • 1 large leek, white and light green parts only, chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon chili powder
  • Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 ½ pounds sweet potatoes (2 large potatoes), peeled and chopped
  • 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 3 cups water

To serve

  • Heavy cream or coconut cream, for swirling (optional)
  • Chopped toasted pecans or pumpkin seeds (optional)

Instructions

  • Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the leek, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes.
  • Stir in the garlic, cinnamon, chili powder, nutmeg and bay leaf. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Slide in the sweet potatoes, and season with more salt and pepper. Stir the potatoes to coat in the spices. Pour in the broth and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
  • Remove the bay leaf and puree the soup in a blender (or you can use a stick blender). Add more water or broth to reach the consistency you want (I like it thick, but still soup-like). Taste and season with additional salt, pepper and/or spices as needed.
  • If you’d like, drizzle a bit of heavy cream or coconut cream over the soup, and sprinkle with chopped pecans or pumpkin seeds.

Notes

Do Ahead: The soup can refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 2 months. If needed, thin it with water before serving.
Tips:
  • To puree the soup, you can use a regular blender, Vitamix or stick blender.
  • Since this is such a simple soup, be sure to season it well with salt and pepper, which are critical to the soup’s flavor. Feel free to add in more spices or to switch them up according to your tastes!
  • You can swap out the sweet potatoes in this soup for cubed butternut squash instead.
  • This soup (like most!) gets even better with time, so go ahead and make it in advance.
  • If you want an even creamier soup, swap out 1 cup of the broth or water for or coconut milk, regular milk or cream.
  • For slow cooker soup ideas, check out my book, Fresh Flavors for the Slow Cooker!