Coconut Sweet Potato Soup (with lime and ginger)

The prep for this cheerful-hued coconut sweet potato soup is super easy. The sweet potatoes are microwaved ahead of time and scooped out of their skins. Naturally plant-based, this soup is warming and comforting. It’s subtly flavored with curry, lime juice, and ginger, all of which you can tailor to your taste.

Delectable sweet potato plus a surprisingly short list of other ingredients adds up to a richly flavored, soothing sweet potato soup that will warm you up on a chilly evening.

Having to peel and dice several big sweet potatoes is a bit of a chore — though you’re welcome to do so if you have the time and inclination. Or, if you’re not a fan of microwaving, peel and dice to your heart’s content! That option is given in the note following the recipe.

Ready in minutes: If you remember to microwave the potatoes ahead of time, the soup will be ready in minutes. Or, if you have the oven running, baking the sweet potatoes ahead of time will result in an even deeper flavor.

This is a fantastic soup to serve with sandwiches. Try serving with Chickpea Sandwich Spread or “Tofuna” Sandwich Spread on fresh bread.

The scoop on sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are one of the most ancient, nutritious, and valuable food crops of the Americas. Not to diminish the value of white potatoes, but in comparison, sweet potatoes are substantially richer in nutrients. They’re especially high in vitamin A and the major minerals.

With their natural sweetness and glorious color, sweet potatoes lend themselves to simple preparations like this soup. And they’re splendid as a side dish, simply baked or microwaved.

Do you want more sweet potatoes? Explore our roundup of vegan sweet potato recipes. Photos by Hannah Kaminsky, BittersweetBlog.com.

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Yield: 6

Coconut Sweet Potato Soup

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The prep for this cheerful-hued coconut sweet potato soup has relatively few ingredients that add up to big flavor.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 large or 5 medium-large sweet potatoes (see Note)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 15-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 15-ounce can light coconut milk
• Juice of 1/2 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh or squeeze-bottle ginger
• 2 teaspoons good-quality curry powder
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• Sriracha or other hot sauce
• Very thin slices of lime for garnish

Optional topping

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 6 lacinato kale leaves, stemmed and thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen (thawed) corn kernels
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves

Instructions

1. Microwave the sweet potatoes, starting with 3 minutes per potato. Test, then add 1 additional minute per potato until soft. Set aside until cool enough to handle. If you want to speed up the process, immerse in a bowl of ice water (alternatively, see stovetop cooking instructions in Notes).
2. When the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, split in half and scoop the flesh out into a bowl and discard the skins.
3. Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onion and sauté until golden. 
4. Add the tomatoes, coconut milk, lime juice, ginger, curry powder, and 2 cups water. Bring to a slow boil.
5. Stir in the sweet potato. Puree the soup until smooth either by using an immersion blender or transferring (in batches if need be) to a blender. 
6. Heat the soup gently until it reaches a steady simmer, then lower the heat. Season with salt and pepper. Cook over the lowest heat for 5 minutes longer. Taste, and add more lime juice, ginger, and/or curry if you'd like a bolder flavor.
7. Serve at once, or if time allows, let the stand for a half hour or longer to allow the flavors to blend. Heat through gently as needed.
8. Pass around the sriracha for embellishing individual servings. If you'd like, top each bowlful with one or two thin slices of lime.
9. For the optional topping: Heat the oil in a medium skillet. Add the kale and sauté until it wilts, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the corn and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes longer. Add the scallion and continue to sauté for another minute. Stir in the cilantro and remove from the heat. Divide this topping among the servings of soup, mounding it in the center of each.

Notes

If you prefer peeling, dicing, and cooking the sweet potatoes, by all means!

Before beginning the soup, peel the sweet potatoes and cut into large dice. Place in a large saucepan with barely enough water to cover. Bring to a slow boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Proceed with the recipe from step 3, and add in the sweet potatoes in step 5.

If there’s still some cooking water remaining with the sweet potatoes, use less water in step 4, then adjust as needed.

If you like this smooth fall soup, you might also enjoy …

Carrot-Ginger Soup (with a Parsnip Variation)

See lots more vegan soups & stews.