Description
This creamy and comforting Sweet Potato Soup combines the natural sweetness of tender sweet potatoes with aromatic leeks, onions, and garlic, enhanced by warming cumin. Finished with a swirl of cream and crunchy garnishes like crispy flatbread strips or pistachios, this soup delivers a delightful balance of smooth texture and satisfying crunch. Perfect as a cozy meal for cooler days or an elegant starter for dinner parties.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 30g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter (or more oil)
- 2 onions, diced
- 2 leeks (white and pale green parts only), quartered and cut into 1cm / 1/2" slices
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 kg / 2 lb sweet potato, peeled, quartered lengthwise and cut into 2cm / 0.8" chunks
- 1 tbsp cumin powder
- 1.25 litre / 1.25 quarts chicken or vegetable stock, low sodium
- 1.5 tsp cooking / kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/3 cup cream (any type) or an extra knob of butter
Garnishes
- Extra virgin olive oil, cream, yogurt, or sour cream for drizzling
- Crunchy toppings such as crispy flatbread strips, croutons, pistachios, pepitas, or crispy fried shallots
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat the olive oil and melt the butter in a large heavy-based pot over medium heat. Add the diced onions, sliced leeks, and chopped garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and become fragrant.
- Add Sweet Potato and Spices: Add the peeled and chopped sweet potato chunks along with the cumin powder to the pot. Cook for an additional 3 minutes, stirring regularly to coat the sweet potato with the spices and soften slightly.
- Simmer: Pour in the low sodium chicken or vegetable stock, then add salt and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and continue cooking uncovered for 20 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are very tender.
- Blend the Soup: Remove the pot from the heat. Using a hand-held stick blender, blitz the soup until smooth and creamy. Alternatively, allow the soup to cool slightly before blending in batches in a high-powered blender, taking care with the hot liquid.
- Finish with Cream: Stir in the cream or an extra knob of butter to enrich the soup and give it a silky texture.
- Garnish and Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish by drizzling with extra virgin olive oil, cream, or yogurt, and sprinkling with your choice of crunchy toppings such as crispy flatbread strips or pistachios for added texture and flavor.
Notes
- Leeks Washing: Use only the soft white and pale green parts of the leeks. Cut them lengthwise into quarters while keeping the root intact for easy washing. Rinse thoroughly under running water to remove grit and shake off excess water before chopping.
- Stock Choice: Chicken stock gives a deeper flavor, but vegetable stock is a good vegetarian alternative.
- Garnishes: Adding something drizzled plus something crunchy enhances the soup experience. Crispy flatbread strips are made by cutting bread into 1cm strips, curling, and frying briefly or baking with olive oil and salt until golden.
- Blender Alternative: When using a regular blender, allow the soup to cool slightly, blend in small batches with the lid partially open and covered with a towel to avoid steam explosions.
- Storage: Leftover soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for longer preservation.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approx. 300 ml)
- Calories: 337
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 749mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 26mg
